Green dot society explains recycling in 2 million households

The company green dot (SPV) kicked off today with one of the largest ever carried out awareness-raising activities, in Portugal, when it comes to recycling of packaging waste.

So, a team of Green Point Society will, in the coming months, knocking on the door of 2 million homes in more than 200 Portuguese counties, with the Mission of converting all those who still do not recycle in total separators (separating all types of packaging) and clarifying the rules of recycling all that recycle.

With the Mission initiative recycle, presented this morning in Lisbon, the company green dot aims to contribute to increasing the recycling rate in Portugal, namely urban flow (household and packaging of small trade), going to meet the goals proposed in the new strategic plan of urban waste (PERSU 2020).

The action is coordinated with the municipalities and municipal systems, with the aim of further create the conditions for a growing number of Portuguese do our civic mission of separating your packaging waste if they are to be sent for recycling.

"The used packaging in our homes are not trash. The vast majority is made of recyclable materials. When properly separated and placed in the recycling bin, the used packaging can make new lives and generate value. Therefore, the Mission of Recycle should be all. Recycling is a civic Act, with positive impact on the environment, on quality of life of the populations and in the national economy, reason which led us to undertake this initiative ", said Luis Veiga today Malik, CEO of green dot Corporation.

According to the study "habits and attitudes vis-à-vis domestic waste separation", 69% of Portuguese households are regularly the separation of used packaging. With the mission to recycle, green dot society aims to contribute to the increase of households recycling rate and separators in Portugal.

Since its inception in 1996, the company green dot have sent for recycling more than six million tonnes of packaging waste, equivalent to the weight of three bridges Vasco da Gama.

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Estradas de Portugal will reduce public lighting of roads to save € 500 thousand

The Roads of Portugal (EP) will reduce public lighting of roads under their jurisdiction, during the year of 2014, to lower energy costs, which this year amounts to more than € 1 million, the company reported today in a statement.

With this reduction, the EP account save annually about 50% of the expenses that have habitually with the street lighting in more than 14,500 kilometers of road network under its management, Lusa said the company source.

According to the EP, other European Union countries such as Spain, have already taken similar measures. "[We will] implement rapidly measures applying in full via the sublanços and us Liaison Committee of motorways and expressways, roundabouts, crossings or tunnels," said the company.

Among such measures is the reduction in the number of hours in which the lighting is switched on and the adequacy of lighting schedule effective road traffic, with deletion overnight in places where traffic is particularly lacking.

The reduction in the total number of lamps lit, interspersing the erased with the ones who stay connected is one of the measures to implement, as well as delete-if the lighting in the sections where there is being "totally unnecessary due to the characteristics of their own via".

The EP stated that will bet on using elements with the greatest possible energy efficiency and strengthen the quality of retroreflection of road markings and vertical signage.

Although the bet on energy efficiency, as regards public lighting is always good news, will be an unknown figure out what the connection of this measure the increase in accidents in total points-and if there is a correlation between the two factors, it is always regrettable.

Foto:  MarcoJLima / Creative Commons

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San Francisco will ban bottled water

In San Francisco, in the United States, the fight against plastic is stronger than ever. The latest action of the city to get rid of this waste is to ban bottled water â€" plastic â€" in the city.

The proposal provides for a gradual ban of the sale of plastic bottles â€" from 600 grams and lower weights â€" throughout the city. David Chiu, Chairman of the Board of supervisors of the city, explained that San Francisco has one of the best tap water in the United States, so it makes no sense to sell bottled water.

Initially, sales of bottled water are prohibited in concerts, major events, parks and caravans of food â€" there are more than 100 locations. Until 2016, saw the ban be extended to the whole city.

"We have access to water from the Hetch Hetchy Valley reservation (Yosemite National Park), one of the best in the country. Doesn't make sense for us to have plastic bottles ", explained Chiu.

The city undertakes also to get clean water to all parts of the city, as an alternative to bottled water.

Since 2007 that San Francisco prohibits the use of public money to buy bottled water, an initiative that led to the saving of €363 million (US $ 1.1 million). According to Business Insider, the production of bottled water uses 17 million barrels of oil per year. Interestingly, the amount of water needed to make the packaging is the same that is placed inside of this.

Concord, Massachusetts, was the first American city to ban the sale of plastic bottles, in January. But Concord has 18 thousand inhabitants, San Francisco has 4.3 million.

Foto:  Muffet / Creative Commons

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Mission racing Smile donate 6,000 hampers the Portuguese Red Cross

About 3,000 people participated in each of the races Smile Mission which took place in Lisbon and Porto, which means social responsibility project delivered 6,000 food hampers to the Portuguese Red Cross.

According to the aggregator my Well-being, after about 3,000 people crossed the finish line in the first race Mission are smile back to Padilla, on 8 December, the race Lisbon Smile Mission also had more than 3,000 participants, who ran and walking for the fight against hunger.

"In order to involve civil society in combating this scourge, the Mainland joined this year, two of the oldest and most established races of the country â€" we are back to Padilla at the port and the 56th Grand Prix of Christmas in Lisbon", explains the aggregator.

All food hampers, resulting from the number of participants who crossed the finish line at the track, will be distributed to families in need, identified by the Portuguese Red Cross, according to the most urgent needs of each region.

This is an initiative that aims to suppress the basic needs of many Portuguese families who seek help from the institution.

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United Kingdom: the only herd of reindeer in freedom

The only herd of reindeer in the United Kingdom freedom dwells in the Scottish Highlands. About 150 elements, the herd can be found in two separate locations in Scotland â€" in the Cairngorm Mountains and the Glenlivet Estate, locales that are about 48 kilometres.

About 50 animals can be found in the Cairngorm Mountains, while the rest remain in Glenlivet Estate.

The reindeer were re-introduced in the area in 1952 by a reindeer breeder Mikel Utsi, Swedish. At the beginning, the creator started with just a few reindeer, which were playing over the years. Currently, the number of reindeer herd varies between 130 and 150 since the reproductive process of the animals is controlled and most Cubs are born in summer.

"Observing the area between the Rothiemurchus forest and the Cairngorms from Aviemore railway bridge on a cold morning of April 1947, it reminded me immediately of the pastures of reindeer in Lapland," says Mikel Usti, quoted by the British press.

"In 1952, brought some of my reindeer from Sweden to Scotland, as part of an experiment to prove that they could live and reproduce in this location," says Usti.

The reindeer are usually animals tame and often during the winter months are used to pull sleds.

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Siemens receives world's largest request ever for wind energy

The German multinational Siemens announced yesterday having received the largest order ever for world wind, a request that includes the manufacture of 448 wind turbines with a capacity of 1,050 megawatts.

The turbines will have a nominal heat output of 2.3 MW each and 108 metre rotor diameter and must be installed in five different projects in Iowa, in the United States.

In a statement, Siemens explained that the turbines will be supplied to the MidAmerican Energy, in a deal that will be the biggest ever of the wind industry. Although it has not disclosed numbers, Siemens explained that will also be responsible for the services and maintenance of wind turbines.

Iowa is one of the leading u.s. States in wind energy. In 2012, 24% of the total power generation across the State, came from wind sources. On the other hand, the new package will provide 660 thousand homes with renewable energy, a project that will be complete in 2015.

It is recalled that the State of Iowa is also about to receive his biggest solar Park, an infrastructure that will be installed by a rural cooperative in Frytown community. The construction will be completed in March 2014 and will meet 15% of the energy needs of the 600 townspeople.

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The magnificent Natural Park of Faial (with video)

The Natural Park of Faial was distinguished by the European Commission as the destination to represent Portugal in the EDEN program (European Destinations of Excellence â€" European destinations of excellence), important award assigned by the European Union at the best places in Europe for sustainable tourism activities â€" and that for the first time joins to our country.

The green economy visited the Park, gathering images that leave us completely dazzled. "At this point, the Park has 37 partners, which give you a range of great offers, from diving with sharks, hiking, whale watching, boat tours and Jeep or hiking water", explained John Melo, director of the Natural Park of Faial.

One of the partners is the Home Of Ávilas, responsible for streamlining some of the activities of the Park. "We make descents to the boiler, walking trails, visits to centers of liberation", explains Philip Avila guide certified by the Natural Park of Faial and responsible for the House Of Ávilas.

Despite the beauty of the landscape, the main objective of the Park is to ensure that visitors arriving throughout the year. "The peaks in July and August are always overcrowded, but it was important to bring people in other periods", explains Philip Avila.

The next bet of the Natural Park of Faial is a pedestrian route with 37 kilometers, which will help bring more visitors â€" preferably at other times of the year.

See the episode 166 of the green economy.

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