Lite Initiatives

Dubai may not rank as one of the most polluted cities. But research recently carried out by Gulf News has revealed that Deira, Garhoud and International City have the highest levels of sulphur dioxide (SO2) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2). Karama, Media City and the Marina also rank highly with some results higher than international standards’ annual averages.

With so many sites under construction and ever increasing traffic, UAE is likely to face trouble in the future. This may be the reason why around 15% of UAE residents (mostly children) are suffering from asthma (the most common allergy in the county). The surrounding desert landscape is also adding to the problem; which is why Dubai residents are continuously suffering from particulate matter (PM 10) circulating in the air. Many have contently settled at accepting that the air pollution because of PM 10 in Dubai is a result of its geographical location. But research has placed other possibilities, like the formation of PM 10 directly in the atmosphere.

It so happens that 90% of the people in Dubai spend less time outdoors. But this doesn’t solve the problem. According to the EPA, indoor air is supposed to be more polluted than outdoor air. Prolonged exposure to pollutants like tobacco smoke, pollen, mold, dust, and animal dander can cause asthma and allergies. Only an air purifier can improve indoor air quality.

Oxynet Solutions recommend HEPA air purifiers to improve indoor air quality. It is important that your air cleaner provides both, a deep bed activated carbon filter and a medical grade HEPA filter. Oxynet Solutions can provide an air purifier for any indoor air cleaning requirement you might have.

Eco Towns have been a controversial issue ever since their introduction in 2007. The need to provide sustainable homes, coupled with a gross housing shortage has since amplified calls for their introduction. However, these are prone to adverse social effects, not least with resultant feelings of isolation and disheartenment.

These adverse social effects may be compared to that seen by Jim Carrey in the film “The Truman Show”. This ‘Truman effect’ is thus a cocoon feeling of remoteness, attributed to living a sheltered existence, cut off from the wider national community, similar to that witnessed within the film which was enveloped in a literal bubble.

These towns main attraction are their environmental credentials in achieving a sustainable lifestyle through use of renewable technologies such as solar panels, wind turbines. These green characteristics are very much debateable, as the article Eco Towns- A green myth demonstrates.

A key aspect of such settlements is in creating independent communities, which are to an extent, self-sufficient, attained through localised resources. Although this may help to achieve greater unity and friendships between neighbours, it is likely that without adequate design and planning, greater social ramifications may result. It is incredibly difficult to create a settlement without adequate links to neighbouring towns and cities, for we live in a globalized era of networks and connections. For without such links to adjacent towns and cities occupants may experience negative and disheartening feelings of isolation.

Eco Town planners need to carefully identify these issues if they are to avert a social catastrophe, and accept our continued nomadic nature and need to travel. A key aspect to achieving a Carbon Zero lifestyle, something these settlements aspire for, is in avoiding the use of standard oil based, polluting vehicles.  This will put significant pressure on planners and designers alike, resulting in the possibility for limitations or even exclusion of private vehicular use altogether. Consequently, occupants will find it hard to reach friends and family located elsewhere, and may well find themselves in a socially isolated bubble or cocoon, which is hard to break.

Eco Towns share a similar artificial feel to that identified within the “Truman Show”, a result of a general inadequate mix of new modern buildings lacking distinct and unique architectural features combined with a mass of concrete, paving and strategically located trees and vegetation, to give the impression of a highly maintained yet characterless townscape in which to live. As we are highly attuned to our surroundings and environment, repetitive aesthetics will worsen attitudes and perceptions leading to social rejection and overriding dissatisfaction. The advent of travel and with it Globalisation, has heightened our appetite for experiencing new and different surroundings to such an extent, that it is unlikely we will ever be satisfied with remaining confined and restricted to one place for any length of time.

Without appropriate planning and design detailing, Eco Towns may well suffer from the ‘Truman effect’, due to a combination of poor infrastructure connections to existing settlements, and due to localised design criteria, which attempts to limit individuals movements to a small area, thus minimising their carbon footprint.

Alternative Energy sources such as Biofuel, Biodiesel, and Green Oil are rapidly becoming big business as ethical investments become lucrative.

We are using more fossil fuel oil than we are finding. Though experts disagree about the time scale, most agree that the rate at which we are consuming traditional oil is now greater than the rate at which new reserves are being found, we have already entered the depletion phase and are on a downhill slope of terminal decline. In short, crude oil is running out.

What are our alternatives?

Biofuels.  Thanks to the Gulf of Mexico fiasco, many people are totally reconsidering the use of fossil fuels for energy and are opting for a cleaner, less harmfull alternative fuel like Jatropha or Millettia biofuels but what are they?

Jatropha and Millettia what?

Jatropha and Millettia are two hardy plants that can grow in harsh desert conditions, needing little water and care. Biofuels from Jatropha or Millettia are formed by crushing the seeds of the plant and extracting the oil.  The waste is biodegradable and can be used for farming.

What makes them so good?

Bio fuels are better for the planet and humanity for a variety of reasons:

Can be made in a matter of days as opposed to fossil fuels which take millions of years to build
Are safer compared to fossil fuels which produce pollution and harm emissions
Unlike fossil fuels, are a renewable source of energy which means that they can continually produce more energy

Both the Jatropha and the Millettia plant take about 3-4 years until they produce a significant amount of seeds to turn into “green oil”.  Once the plants are established however, it can live up to 20 years or more.
No machines are needed to take care of the plants or to harvest.
It is a renewable source of energy, producing year after year.
Nitrogen rich fetiliser, medicines and rubber can be made from the waste produce.

Why should we invest in this?

Fossil fuels will only go up in prices and are harmful to the environment so we need to take a stand and start investing in this new emerging technology.  World economy needs to start investing in the future of the planet and the human race.

The most sustainable way to generate electricity is to harness the wind energy. The power that is produced by wind energy is clean as it doesn’t contribute to emission of heat trapping particles that are responsible for global warming. Apart from this its availability in abundance adds to its cost-competitive nature. It is a feasible alternative to the fossil fuels that not only add to global warming but a polluted environment.

There are many wind resources but the factors like how fast and how often it blows play a significant role in its power generation. Basically the power output as a cube of the wind speed. This means that if the wind speed doubles, the power output becomes eight times the original speed. Therefore areas where the wind speed is high are perfect for wind turbine installation. Now in case the wind speed is 7 m/s at a 10 meter height, it will be 8.5 m/s at 50 meters height. The wind speed increases at greater heights, so if you turbine tower higher, it will be able to capture more wind.

Wind energy is one of the fastest growing resources for producing electricity across the world. Despite this expansion, wind power is relatively a smaller source of electricity supply and is just about 1% to the total electricity generation in the world. This is because many people think that it is a costly project but on the contrary now-a-days generating electricity from wind power can be done by investing less than $200. This is possible because there is lots of information on making wind turbine on the Internet. However with so many manuals out there, it becomes difficult to choose the one that is appropriate and gives clear instructions. Homemade energy is good manual that gives elaborate instructions in a clear fashion. The reader doesn’t get muddled up and it is available at the cheap price of $47 only.

Furnace filters are added fixtures of a furnace or heating system.  They help purify the air we breathe.  There are plenty of options of home furnace filters that are sold the market, but their function is different from one another.  Selecting a excellent filter can greatly reduce the amount of airborne particles that circulate around your home, improving air quality and reducing indoor air pollution. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recognizes poor indoor air quality as one of the biggest environmental risks.  In fact, it placed at top five ranking.

Indoor air pollution in in many households can be two to five times more severe than the pollution found outside.  With those kinds of facts, it’s easy to see why selecting a high quality replacement furnace filter is so important. When it comes to furnace filters, there are a number of different types and styles.  Certain models of filters do not fit into some heating systems, so it is recommended to first check the owner’s manual of your system to see which types of filters are fitted for your system. There are plenty of sizes and thicknesses to go with different models of heating systems.

They also come in disposable models, which are replaced and thrown away after a specified period of use, or in permanent models, which can be subjected to cleaning at ceratin intervals, but still keep their function. Most cold air return filters function by using an electrostatic charge that captures airborne particles as they flow through the filter, capturing them so that they are not sent into the air that is blown throughout the home or building.  Models can work with a pleated style, while others accomplish the task with a flatter style.

Depending on the model, there may be multiple layers of replacement furnace filter material that capture as many airborne particles as possible. It is vital to replace or clean your heater and air conditioning filters at scheduled intervals.  Not only does this keep the air quality in your home as high as possible, but it also produces a more efficiently operating heating or cooling system.  When particles buildup heavily the filter, the efficiency of the airflow through the system is lessened. Furnace filters can dramatically lower levels of indoor air pollution. High quality return air grille is especially important in homes where there are inhabitants with allergies or compromised immune systems.

Not only do the filters capture dust, but they can also trap particles that carry bacteria and viruses as well as animal dander, pollen and mold spores.  Maintaining the sanitation of your living quarters begins with using quality furnace filters.

World Environment Day (WED) is a day that stimulates awareness of the environment and enhances political attention and public action. It is on 5 June. It was the day that United Nations Conference on the Human Environment began. The United Nations Conference on the Human Environment was from 5-16 June 1972. It was established by the United Nations General Assembly in 1972. The first World Environment Day was on 1973. World Environment Day is hosted every year by a different city with a different theme and is commemorated with an international exposition on the week that 5 June is on. World Environment Day is in summer in the Northern Hemisphere and winter in the Southern Hemisphere.

“Stockholm was without doubt the landmark event in the growth of international environmentalism,” writes John McCormick in the book Reclaiming Paradise. “It was the first occasion on which the political, social and economic problems of the global environment were discussed at an intergovernmental forum with a view to actually taking corrective action.”

World Environment Day is similar to Earth Day.

Earth Day is a day designed to inspire awareness and appreciation for the Earth’s environment. It was founded by U.S. Senator Gaylord Nelson as an environmental teach-in in 1970 and is celebrated in many countries every year. Earth Day is celebrated in spring in the Northern Hemisphere and autumn in the Southern Hemisphere. Many communities celebrate Earth Week, an entire week of activities focused on environmental issues.

In the United States, Earth Day is celebrated each year on April 22. The United Nations celebrates Earth Day each year on the spring equinox, which is often 20 March. This is a tradition which was founded by peace activist John McConnell in 1969. The first governmental recognition of Earth Day, authorized by the city San Francisco, was on the spring equinox in 1970. The United Nations adopted this holiday the next year and celebrated Earth Day for the first time on the spring equinox in 1971.

World Environment Day (WED) is a day that stimulates awareness of the environment and enhances political attention and public action. It is on 5 June. It was the day that United Nations Conference on the Human Environment began. The United Nations Conference on the Human Environment was from 5-16 June 1972. It was established by the United Nations General Assembly in 1972.[1] The first World Environment Day was on 1973. World Environment Day is hosted every year by a different city with a different theme and is commemorated with an international exposition on the week that 5 June is on. World Environment Day is in summer in the Northern Hemisphere and winter in the Southern Hemisphere.

“Stockholm was without doubt the landmark event in the growth of international environmentalism,” writes John McCormick in the book Reclaiming Paradise. “It was the first occasion on which the political, social and economic problems of the global environment were discussed at an intergovernmental forum with a view to actually taking corrective action.”

World Environment Day is similar to Earth Day.

Thursday is the 40th anniversary of the first Earth Day, which with the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency the same year, heralded the beginning of the modern environmental movement. The USA has seen environmental advancements during every decade since:

•1970s: Congress passed the Clean Water Act and Clean Air Act.

•1980s: The Superfund Law was passed, setting the stage for the cleanup of abandoned waste sites.

• 1990s: Amendments to the Clean Air Act brought more pollution protections from dust and soot.

• 2000s: Advances were made to cut vehicle and equipment emissions and to regulate mercury emissions.

HC Environmental Network: Mayor James Feng Shui Chuen Fung attended the forum and introduced the situation of urban development of circular economy.

Reporter held from 5 in Nanchang, the Ninth International Forum Metals Forum was informed Fengcheng points, with waste Material recycling Re-use a long history of Jiangxi Feng city, the role of traditional strengths, vigorously develop the circular economy, first in the province out of a development with local characteristics of circular economy and build economical and Environment Friendly society’s way. In addition, Harvest also prepared in the current cycle of more solid economic base, create a national recycling economy demonstration areas.

Circular economy industrial economic volume accounted for half of Fengcheng

Fengcheng known as “South of waste material distribution center,” said the early eighties of last century, the city will have thousands of farmers to recycle the used materials are sold to Zhejiang and Jiangsu province for a living. To put the processing of value-added chain of the most “fat” to retain the business, since 2002, Harvest began on the reuse of industrial waste materials planning integration, the establishment of waste materials on the one hand the professional market, and enhance radiation; other On the one hand the formation of capital market Source Agglomeration effects, through investment, launched the public funding, development and environmental protection in line with national policy requirements reuse of industrial waste materials. From the piles of refuse and broken, people “choose” out of the feather, plastic, recycled metal three major industries, storing up a seat Jinshanyinshan. According to Mayor James

Feng Shui Chuen introduced the development of circular economy is already a pilot city in Jiangxi province (county) Feng city, has now become the backbone of economic development in Jiangxi Province cycle, while also working for the inclusion of the experimental unit city to work hard. In 2006, Harvest The city government has drawn up a “Feng opinions on urban development of circular economy,” and specifically mentioned “the scientific outlook on development as guidance, to optimize utilization of waste materials and waste industry development model as the core, to clean, high quality, efficient, safe target, focus on improving the recovery rate of scrap and waste materials and utilization of waste materials and vigorously promote the clean utilization of waste, efforts to reduce environmental pollution.

Today, the city has plans to build an abundance of resources recycling industry base, Feng mining cycle economic zone, Food Industrial Park, He-Zhou waste plastic recycling processing area, the tug down processing zone, fine ceramics industry base 6 cell of circular economy, currently accounting for circular economy industrial half of the city’s total industrial economy.

Feng Wang Cheng Metal Products Co., the city was founded in 2004 by the National Ministry of Environmental Protection Approved the import of the seventh class of scrap metal (mainly aluminum to scrap) recycling aluminum company dismantling project. The company is located in the City Court, where Yang Feng Industrial Zone. In Fengcheng municipal government and relevant departments of the strong support the company achieved in 2007 Sell Income of 15,000 million yuan, 700 million taxpayers. In 2008 due to financial crisis, the company achieved sales of 8,000 million, more than 400 million taxpayers. “By 2011, company annual production capacity of 50,000 tons, the output value will reach 600 million yuan.” Company officials said.

Wang Feng Cheng Metal Products Co., Ltd. is a recycling of urban public resources to go and take the loop road to economic development, a microcosm of the current, Harvest has been planning the establishment of two circular economy industrial bases, namely, He-Zhou Feng urban waste materials recovery and Waste plastic Comprehensive utilization of industrial base, abundance of resources recycling of urban industrial base.

It is understood that HSBC City Hezhou waste recycling and comprehensive utilization of waste plastics industry base has become larger southern Jiangxi and even modern renewable resource recycling and processing industry, an important place. Planning area of 950 acres of base to recover waste plastics, waste rubber, scrap metal and processing. As of the end of 2008, the base has been stationed in various types of enterprises and individual business 230. Base of industrial output value in 2008 of 1.6 billion (declined by the financial crisis in 2007, up more than 20 million), profits and taxes reached 80 million yuan, for the rural surplus labor force of more than 3,000 people. Base has built up a daily processing 2,000 tons of waste water sewage treatment station, on the base’s wastewater treatment 100%. According to incomplete statistics, the base scale of the formation of 950 acres, may add settled enterprises (businesses) more than 300 (including: the main core processors 12), the annual recycling of metal, comprehensive utilization of waste plastics, rubber, 90,000 tons , added industrial output value, profit and tax were 20 billion, 100 million yuan, an average annual increase of 14% or more, about 4,000 new jobs.

Abundance in the construction of resources recycling industry base city the size of waste material than Hezhou comprehensive utilization of waste plastics recycling and larger industrial base, covering an area of 3,000 acres, dismantling, smelting, processing and management services four functional areas. Mainly use imported waste from the seventh class of substances, dismantling, smelting, processing, recycling of resources, reduce the original ore mining, to protect the environment. After the completion of a comprehensive base for the formation of one million tons of dismantling capacity, 70 million tons (of which: 400 thousand tons recycled copper, recycled 300,000 tons of aluminum) smelting capacity of 420,000 tons of deep processing capacity, the annual sales income of 8.467 billion Yuan, profit and tax 400 million, about 1 million job placement officers.

Intends to create national circular economy demonstration areas

However, in the development of circular economy in the city are not tasted the sweetness of abundance to meet the existing scale, the preparation of the two resources in the recycling of existing industrial base, based on category proposed to create state-level eco-industrial vein Industry Park (circular economy demonstration areas) concept. Fengcheng City, according to a researcher, assistant mayor thank Friends of the root describes, Harvest national eco-industrial park venous industry (circular economy demonstration areas) to the two existing resources recycling industry base as a whole and organically integrated, unified planning and supervision. Resource recycling industry base will be dismantled over the waste plastics, waste rubber recycling waste materials for Hezhou and comprehensive utilization of waste plastics processing enterprises within the industrial base for raw materials, and Hezhou waste recycling and comprehensive utilization of waste plastics recycling industry base of scrap non-ferrous metal resources recycling industry has taken deep processing base, base materials to achieve two complementary advantages, resource sharing, so that abundance into the city of circular economy of scale, network, group, circular track of development.

In recent years the destination sectors in FDI have became more varied.  FDI inflows have shifted from infrastructure, natural resources and export driven manufacturing to other areas such as retailing, tourism, construction and off shore services.  A World Bank study showed that cumulative FDI inflows to the retail sector in the 20 largest developing countries amounted to US$ 45 billion in 1998-2002 (about 7 per cent of the total of these countries).  The study showed that after liberalization; countries such as Brazil, Poland and Thailand have received significant FDI in retailing.

In spite of the recent developments in retailing and its immense contribution to the economy, retailing continues to be are the least evolved industries and the growth of organised retailing in India has been much slower as compared to rest of the world. Over a period of 10 years, the show of organised retailing in total retailing has grown from 10 per cent to 40 percent in Brazil and 20 percent in China, while in India it is only 2 per cent (between 1995-2005). One important reason for this is that retailing is one of the few sectors where foreign direct investment is not allowed. Within the country, there have been protests by trading associations and other stakeholders against allowing FDI in retailing. On the other hand, the growing market has attracted foreign investors and India has been portrayed as an important investment destination for the global retail chains. The present paper attempts to analyze the reason why foreign retailers are interested in India, the strategies they are adopting to enter India and  there prospects in India

After the waves of globalisation, liberalisation and privatisation marketing scenario particularly retailing has changed radically. These changes have resulted in emergence of new environment for buyers’ behaviour and purchasing habits. The upper and upper middle strata of the society now prefers to purchase well established branded goods from standard showrooms and it has transformed the entire picture and perception not only in the metro cities but almost in all big cities of our country. It is worth mentioning that retailing in India has been hailed as one of the sun-rise sectors in the economy. According to A. T. Kearney, a well known International Management Consultant, “India is the second most attractive retail designation globally, among thirty emergent markets.” Till now unorganised retailing sector was dominating retail trade in India by constituting 98% of all retailing trade but now not only traditional Indian retailers but giant Indian retailers like Reliance has entered in the area and is planning to expand its activities in this sector in a big wag. Even world renowned retailing organisation like Wal-Mart has decided to enter in India via joint venture with Bharti and French retailer Carrefour is busy in chalking out strategy to enter the hyper market and supermarket retail format in India through Dubai based retail major Landmark group.