TheScientificTriangle

Interpreting Dreams using EEG- Yukiyasu Kamitani so far

Posted on February 2, 2024 by Snehashree

We know there is a way to just not read our dreams but also see them live. Where is Yukiyasu Kamitani with his work on interpreting dreams right now? Read more about the experimental details from here.

Do you always want to know more about your dream meanings? If so, will this experiment excite you? It has been almost a year since the news spread about Japanese scientists developing an EEG (electroencephalogram) machine-led recording of your dreams. The machine cannot just record them but also store them and show them back to you whenever you want. When you can see the dreams, the interpretation of dreams becomes easier, and more clarity can be shed on the meaning of dreams that you saw last night.

More on interpreting dreams

Interpreting dreams was earlier a profession and is now a necessity. Most people understand that the dream world is a place that can be tapped for more information and details. With time, things are becoming more complicated, and dreams need to be interpreted more often. Many are convinced that it is our dreams that can serve as signals, give us potent warnings, and also help us out of situations.

Recently, almost a year ago, it was announced that a group of Japanese scientists had found a way to record your dreams and had also made it possible for people to watch them at a later stage.

What is the process by which the dream interpretation is being carried out?

Right now, it is nothing close to Inception or Dreamscape.

But we can say that it’s a start. A step forward!

Interpreting dreams using a normal EEG machine generates curiosity and arouses our interests.

Look into this article to understand a bit about the EEG machine, its ability to record your dreams, and its efficiency in helping you find out what your dream would mean.

What is an electroencephalogram?

An electroencephalogram (EEG) is a neural activity-interpreting machine. It measures the neural activity of the brain when small metal discs (electrodes) are stuck to the scalp of the individual.

EEG recordings are wavy lines and resemble an ECG in terms of the waves they create.

Experts can analyze these waves to find out the mental state of the individual through successive EEG recordings.

In scientific terms, EEG represents the biosignals. Scientifically, biosignals are nothing but the postsynaptic potentials of pyramidal neurons. These signals are generated by the allocortex and the neocortex.

When the leads are placed on the scalp, the microelectrodes gauge the ionic current using the non-extracellular space. The synchronous activity of different neurons with the vertical orientation of the scalp is considered in the EEG.

Understanding the interpretation of a normal EEG

Interpreting a normal EEG is not easy for a layman. However, if the EEG shows a frequency range of 1 and 30 Hz and an amplitude of 20 to 100 muV, then it means the EEG is normal.

The frequency and the amplitude can further be subdivided into the following wave patterns.

Alpha waves

They originate when we are relaxed. Usually, the awakened state waves, or alpha waves, disappear sooner when we open our eyes.

Beta waves

Normal waves when we are awake, and it does not get affected by open or closed eyes. Sedatives can usually influence these waves heavily. Benzodiazepines, chloral hydrates, and barbiturates cause increased beta waves.

Theta waves

Sleep-related waves often appear when a person tends to fall asleep.

Delta waves

Deep sleep waves are also a common appearance in young children.

Normal uses of an EEG machine

EEG can help detect abnormal waves caused by seizures and epilepsy. With the help of an EEG, the physician can understand the kind of epilepsy you suffer from. Even dementia-related issues can be handled well using an EEG machine.

EEG interpretations in the sleep/wakefulness cycle

EEG interpretations can tell you more about the sleep and wakefulness cycles.

N1: Decreased alpha waves and rolling eye movements (4 to 7 Hz)
N2: Spindle K-complexes (12 to 14 Hz/ 11 to 16 Hz)
N3: increased amplitude and delta rhythm regularity (0.5 to 2 Hz)

Polysomnography is used to detect any kind of abnormality in the sleep-wakefulness cycle.

Working of the EEG machine

The workings of the EEG machine revolve around the differential amplification mechanism. Voltage differences between two particular points and among two electrodes are the basis of the workings of the EEG machine.

Ideally, there is a reference far electrode point and an active exploring electrode, and the difference between the two.

Stored EEG recordings and dream interpretations?

Dreams have always captured the fascination of different individuals. The REM (rapid eye movement) sleep pattern is closely related to the scientific studies around dreams. However, scientists have also noted that dreams don’t just appear in REM sleep but also in non-REM sleep.

Several neurophysiological studies have been undertaken and have been used for dream analysis and interpretation.

These studies have shown that a lesion in the brainstem does not hinder with dream recall efficiency of a person during REM sleep generation.
However, patients with a lesion in the focal forebrain did not have a problem with REM sleep but were not able to carry out the dream recall mechanism.
The dichotomy between REM/non-REM sleep is now a concept of the past. What remains is another fact about the dream contents between REM and non-REM (NREM) sleep.
Theta wave synchronization is a concept that seems to originate from neuronal changes that take place in the hippocampal (long-term memory storage and retrieval of memory) and neocortical structures (cognition, sensation, action, and consciousness) of the brain.
Theta activity is shown to increase during the previous information retrieval phase. Intracranial EEG in patients has shown that theta wave generation has a primary role in the formation of dreams and memories.

What happens when there is increased theta wave production?

Anyone with increased theta wave production will show the following kinds of changes:

Successful recall of different words and lists
Optimal memory was associated with a clear coordination of spike timing in relation to theta oscillations.
A higher level of theta hippocampal cortical phase and their coupling could help people successfully retrieve memory. When it happens in the Fz, F3, and F4 channels, it is known as the frontal midline theta.

Neurophysiological finings around dreaming

Several neurophysiological findings around dreaming involve (from Yukiyasu Kamitani’s experiment) and the following findings:

Frontal lobe damage was not associated with dream loss.
Parietal lesions showed complete dream loss or dream cessation instead.
Dream loss was also evident in ventromesial frontal white matter damage.
Global anoneria was associated with complete dream loss and cessation.
Recurring nightmares were found to be a condition associated with temporal-limbic seizures. They are also associated with paroxysms

The current functioning of the EEG machine in interpreting dreams

A recent milestone was achieved in the way dreams can be interpreted by a human using a machine.

Most articles talk about successful dream interpretations by the Japanese team. It is far from the truth, but it is also not the truth that they haven’t headed anywhere about their dreams

Breakthrough organization

Yukiyasu Kamitani of the ATR Computational Neuroscience Laboratories in Kyoto, Japan.

Number of people scanned

Scanning was done on 3 people.

Type of scanning used

Electroencephalogram (commonly known as EEG)

Findings shared at

Society for Neuroscience in New Orleans, Louisiana, in October 2012.

Test procedure

A polysomnogram (Gold Standard) was used for analysis.

Step 1: The patients were put to sleep after attaching the electrodes in the right place.

Second Step: The patients were woken up each time the sleep onset brain pattern was detected.

Step 3: They were asked to briefly describe the objects seen in dreams. Further, they were allowed to go back to sleep.

Fourth Step: Every three hours, they repeated it 7–10 times, and it was also done on different days for different participants.

Every hour, the participants were woken up ten times.

Step 5: Participants informed me they dreamt 6-7 times in each hour.

A total of 200 dream reports were generated in this way by the research team.

Interpretation of dreams

Dream interpretations were undertaken after the reports were collected together.

The explanatory part of Yukiyasu Kamitani’s so far- on his way to interpreting dreams

These were shown to the participants while their brains were scanned to understand the wave pattern generated during their viewing of the object.
The brain activity patterns were matched with the already pre-recorded sleep patterns recorded by the participants before waking them up from sleep.
V1, V2, and V3 data from the brain were analyzed.
Early stages of visual processing and basic features of different visual scenes were analyzed, like contrast and edge orientations.
They also looked at other higher-order visual functions of the brain, like object recognition.
After doing all of it, in 2008, Kamitani and his colleagues reported that they were capable of deciphering and reconstructing earliest-stage visual processing images through the right processing of images.
In recent times, they have found out different activities in the higher-order visual regions and stated that even object recognition can also be predicted.

According to Kamitani, their model could work with 70–80% accuracy in determining if the subject in question was dreaming in the last 9 seconds before waking the subject from the dream. Also, they can predict the category of content that the subject was dreaming about through their model.

Current deep image reconstruction is ongoing in the Kamitani Lab. Details are being shared on YouTube, and the last update shared was in December 2023

Interpreting dreams and how they work?

When we dream, which parts are involved in making our dreams?

The dream mode

Involvement of different brain centers when interpreting dreams?

Brain region	Functions
Frontoparietal cortex	Future planning, internal state processing, taking decisions, memory (prospective and the current working memory)
Ventrolateral prefrontal cortex	Emotions around self-consciousness, regulating emotions, planning actions, and decision making
Dorsolateral prefrontal cortex	Meta-cognitive evaluations, higher consciousness levels, working memory building, decision making, and selective attention
Parietal cortex	Choosing information that you want to process, attentiveness, neural integration, semantic understanding, language processing, self-awareness, episodic, and working memory
Temporo-parietal cortex	Memory of words and communication, integration of information, self-consciousness, and body imagery
Precuneus	Reflective self-awareness, self-imagery, episodic memories, and visuospatial imagery
Cuneus	Reflective self-awareness, visual perceptions, processing, and association of visions
Occipito-temporal cortex	Visual & body-part perception, processing, decision making, prospective and working memory formation

FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)

Recording and Interpreting Dreams by Electroencephalography

How much time during the night does an individual spend dreaming?

An individual would spend anywhere up to 2 hours dreaming during sleep. Usually, now we know that it’s not just REM sleep where we dream; we can also dream in NREM sleep.

How long can a dream last?

According to neurocognitive physiology, a dream can last anywhere from 5 to 20 minutes at a stretch. The beginnings of a dream are usually something no one can recall correctly, no matter how accurately we measure our memories, but the ends are what we almost always remember very well.

What kind of time related concept do we experience when we are trying to interpret dreams?

We usually feel the time is longer than it actually is, and, in our dreams, we often experience what is commonly known as time dilation.

Conclusion

Neither Interstellar nor Reminiscence are still realities, but such experiments might find a way of interpreting dreams. We might someday actually dive into understanding the meaning of our dreams. The interpretation of dreams is essential, as they could be the next gateway to our future.

If you have anything to share about dreams, please follow us here and write to us.

Rea more of TST blogs here

Green walls: Make your home sustainable and eco-friendly

Posted on January 26, 2024 by Snehashree

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A harmless way of trying to save the environment is by planting a wall or all walls full of plants. Green walls are akin to green walls, a concept that is working best for almost all homes. Nothing can nourish your tired brain and swollen heart like plants can. Keeping them close is becoming a challenge with each passing day.

We are in the middle of a crisis- an environmental crisis that’s galloping towards us at mammoth speed. What needs to be understood here is that at this speed, within the next 100 years, we would be far from the place where we could have tried. Trying can happen even where you sit- from your home or even from your office.

Green walls are ensuring children don’t just end up amid concrete. They are ensuring people get an ample supply of oxygen from within their homes. The green walls would help reduce the carbon load added to the environment from each individual residence or home.

What is a green wall?

A wall made of green, living plants that perfectly fit into your home’s décor.

A green wall can be made of grass, ferns, or other supple plant species that can easily thrive under the shade and grow healthily, producing more and more oxygen.

Green walls have recently been recognized to have several benefits. Rather than harming your environment, these living walls can make your life easier. Healthy people can benefit, and so can those who are sick from the rising air pollution levels.

Asthmatics, dysfunctional breathing disorder sufferers, and patients with allergies can benefit hugely from the presence of green walls.

Benefits of green walls

Once you build a green wall, you will need to maintain it over the years. The benefits of a green wall are many, and only when you have one will you know how it is benefitting you every day.

1. Green walls serve as temperature controls

We all know and carry the lore that people have used the shades of trees to save themselves from the sun’s rays.

Peak summer temperature reduction can go up to 2-9°F (1-5°C) by evapotranspiration alone or combined with the effect of shading.

Shaded parts of a home like your green wall can deliver a temperature of 20 to 45^oF (11-25^oC).

When the temperature in your home is controlled, it is far easier to experience a reduced heat condition.

Plants work by absorping the sun’s heat and rays. Concrete walls reflect more heat and light. It is the sole reason why planting trees and large numbers of plants can absorb most of the heat and light and cool down the surface easily.

1. Decrease in energy costs

There is a simple and straight relationship between green walls and decreased energy costs. If you have a soaring energy consumption cost, then you need to understand that by planting trees, you can reduce it commendably. A green living wall can help cool your house, and that way, the amount of energy consumption that goes into maintaining an air conditioner is reduced commendably.

Also, regular cleaning of your air conditioner is a tedious job which is not the case with green walls. To reduce the cost of energy in countries and places that experience heat throughout the year, planting of trees can do a magnificent job.

2. The ability to purify the air around you

Plants can clean the very air that you breathe in and out. What you simply need to do is find out how well it can work for you or which plants work best for you.

Here is a bit of data that you might want to read about the air purification process carried out by plants.

Bill Wolverton conducted a study at NASA back in 1989, in which he stated that it was not possible to guess how many plants would be required to purify the air around them. But purification of the air and its contaminants is still the best foot forward when bringing plants home.

According to him, two decent sized plants in every 100 square feet of internal space could make all the difference. Boston ferns were recommended as the best plant to remove air pollution, but they can’t be grown indoors. Golden pothos is also an obvious choice that can work well on plants.

Plants can remove volatile toxins and 28 different indoor plants were reviewed by a study team under the 2009 study.
Just one plant can improve the air quality by 25%. Two plants could improve the air quality by 75%.
For a large room (26 x 26 feet), 16 plants could improve the air quality by 75%. With 32 plants, you could expect the best results easily.

3. Removal of smog

Vertical gardens can’t remove smog but when you use the plants over your windows, you can easily create a curtain thick enough to prevent the smog from entering your home.

Function of green walls?

Green walls are living entities within your home. They have a multitude of functions other than just cleaning your air and removing volatile components from the air.

1. Improves the aesthetic appeal

We have always liked greenery, and green walls are always attractive. They improve the way we look at life and appear as a bright side in our homes. The aesthetic appeal of a home is not just in its colors or design but also in the way you bring life into it. Making children aware of plants is tough these days. City dwellers have children with zero knowledge in terms of the plants that once grew around us. Keeping small plants is a way to provide essential information about them. Also, these small plants can dab into one’s curiosity, and a child’s curiosity can definitely be aroused using the living wall in your home.

2. Reduces the noise level

City people know how harmful noises can be and also endure intolerable sound levels. By creating green walls, one can reduce the noise level immensely.

According to the University of Tennenese, planting two to three levels of plants can reduce the sound level by 7 Db.

Leyland Cypress is the best for homes as a living green wall. Plant species that can be used in gardens as noise reducing plants include Cryptomeria radicans, Indian hawthorn, dwarf buford holly, and oakleaf holly.

Plants can absorb sound energy and convert it into chemical energy through different physiological processes.

3. Increases biodiversity

Biodiversification is essential. I understood the fact when I met a child who knew the names of only three plants at the age of 5. It was shocking that the family had not invited the child to understand more about plants and insects.

Biodiversification is not possible in city life because of how parents make peace with their child’s lack of knowledge. They also know the names of more video games than plants. The reality of children is changing, but the most aware parents are often finding a way to keep up with a child’s knowledge.

When you place a living wall, you are not just inviting the green plants home but also the insects and worms. These would also lead to increased pollination, biodiversifying the environment within your home.

1. The façade life span can improve immensely

The lifespan of the walls can improve immensely if you use green wall technology. Living plants can prevent direct damage to the walls, increasing the lifespan of the walls by some more years.

Dust, rain, and sunlight can damage the external structure of your walls quickly and can harm the internal structures as well. With a green wall, this quick decay can be reduced considerably, prolonging the life span of the structures.

2. Absorbs rainwater

External living walls can absorb the rainwater sufficiently. They can also evaporate some of it easily. Excess rainwater can be absorbed by the plants. Green walls can become self-sufficient when harvested with rain water.

3. Growing vegetables and plants

Most of us these days don’t have the right to eat right. We buy from the local markets, which sell vegetables heavily laden with fertilizers. If you make a green wall, you can try growing small and big vegetables in it for yourself.

Green vegetables, flowers, and fruits that grow on vines can bring a kind of joy to your life that you will love to have.

4. Lowers the dust content within the room’s environment

Green walls can make the environment cleaner and can capture the dust. Usually, plants would capture dust and create a clean environment. When you water them, you return the dust back to the soil. If you want to use the green walls for capturing the dust, you have to build them close to windows and doors that accumulate the dust.

5. Trapping particulate matter

Trees do what filters do to us. The only difference between the two is that trees are living and filters are made of dead matter. Trapping the particulate matter inside is a way they help clean the environment. Exactly how much particulate matter can they trap within themselves?

The dust load will be calculated based on the formulas here.

W = W1 – W2/A (W= amount of dust; W1 is the initial weight of the leaf with dust and W2 is the leaf weight without dust).

The percentage of dust capture is considered low if it captures less than 10% of the dust. Medium for those that capture 11–20% of dust, and high if they capture more than 21% of dust.

Certain plant traits, like spiral, alternate, and wholesome leaf arrangements, trichomes or prominent veins, shorter internodes and petioles, and a broader lamina, are responsible for increased dust load.

Plant species like Albizzia lebbeck, Bougainvillea spectabilis, Ficus religiosa, Swietenia mahagoni are capable of capturing more dust than others. There are a whole lot of plants that can filter dust better.

Kinds and types of green walls

The kind and type of green walls are based on the way they are laid. There are various ways in which a green wall can be created. Modular panels are what people use to create a green wall.

Types of green walls	Characteristics
Media-free green walls	Steel frame, less maintenance, media, or water-free system, and promotes harvesting of these plants.
Freestanding media	Portable, biophilic benefits; hydrophobic technology can save up to 75% of water; and self-irrigation options are available with moisture sensors in place.
Loose medium	Loose soils can grow without any physical media erosion. These can’t be grown in areas with seismic activity.
Mat media	Water-inefficient systems require a water recirculation system. It is best suited for small installations and works best at no more than 8 feet in height.
Sheet media	Polyurethane sheet media with egg-crate patterns. Roots are cleansed of the mud when inserting the substrates into the urethane medium.
Structural media	Active living walls can force air to air flow through the plants. These are growth mediums that are neither loose nor mats and have the best features of both sheet and mat type media.

Common plants that can be used as living walls.

Find the commonest plants that can be best used as living walls, and find out why.

1. Aechmea

One of the best bromeliads, these plants can tolerate drought very well.

Distinctive features:

They can grow very well in the shade and can grow well in extremely dry and desert-like environments.
Known to be air purifiers and radiation absorbers, these can clean the air around radiation-emitting instruments and apparatus.

2. Tillandsia

Evergreen in nature, these are from the family Bromeliaceae. They are primarily found in forest areas, mountains, and deserts.

Distinctive features:

The plants are covered with special cells called trichomes, which allow rapid absorption of water by the plants.
They close the stomata during the day and open them at night. Thus, these plants release oxygen at night and absorb carbon dioxide. A great choice for indoor green wall formation.

3. Vriesea

Another stunning bromeliad that can bloom and grow well.

Distinctive features:

Vriesea poelmanii is the plant species that will purify the air and also absorb radiation. High radiation zones can easily be those sites where this plant type can be placed.

Useful plants for green facades and plants for the sun

The useful plants that can be used as green facades are below.

1. Basil

Basil is one of the distinctive plants that can work wonders as a living wall.

Distinctive features:

Edible plant, which means you can add it to your food, chew it when stressed, and also smell it to reduce anxiety.
They can grow in full- or part-sun environments.
Basil is shown to increase cortisol levels in the blood and induce improved sleeping patterns.

2. Chamomile

The plant is best known for improving different body functions. It is known to improve our respiratory, gastrointestinal, neuropsychiatric and infectious conditions.

Distinctive features:

It can grow well in shade and light.
The plant can grow in a container and can easily soften rock wall edges.
The soil in which chamomile is made to grow needs to be moist, and not wet.
They can thrive well in summer weather, and they are extremely drought-tolerant plants.
There is no need to add fertilizer to the chamomile plant.

3. Lavender

Lavender is a wonderful plant known for its fragrance and the color of its flowers.

A green lavender wall is a source of delight for those who have it.

Distinctive features:

Drought-tolerant plant.
Maintenance features are low for the plant.
The plant is known for its herbal benefits and has been used for ages to heal, treat, and strengthen the functions of the human body.

4. Strawberries

They are a delicious lot of fruits and do extremely well in vertical gardens.

Distinctive features:

They can grow in soggy soils and do not require a water content that’s higher.
At home, the strawberry plants are safe from snails and birds and can yield a fresh supply.
They are extremely versatile in nature and are hardy plants.
Absolutely low-maintenance plants by nature.

5. Spinach

Easy to harvest, spinach grows great in vertical gardens and is being tried by many already.

Distinctive features:

Spinach grows very well with aeroponic farming facilities.
Gardening spinach becomes super easy.
Spinach never requires a lot of light and can grow very well in shades.
Water monitoring is not an issue to address when spinach is grown on the green walls.

6. Lettuce

Lettuce is a hardy annual plant that can be cultivated very easily.

Distinctive features:

It can grow in 90% less water conditions when grown in a vertical garden.
They are good greens, and the harvesting and growth are quite close.

Even shade plants can be chosen if you are planning to plant them on walls that receive less than 10% of the light from the external environment.

There are many plants that people use, and these are the most common house plants, specific to their atypical characteristics. The list goes as follows:

More commonly used plants

Succulents, vines, and herbs like oxalis are the best plant sources.

7. Ferns and grasses are a great option

Fatsia japonica
Asplenium scolopendrium
Dryopteris erythrosora
Polypodium vulgare

Grass types:

Heuchera Marmalade
Heuchera Cezanne
Heuchera Villoma Autumn Bride
Heuchera Sugar Frosting
Blue fescue, Festuca glauca
Pheasant’s tail grass, Anemanthele
Lilyturf, Ophiopogon planiscapus
Ribbon grass, Phalaris arundinacea picta Feesey

Can we conclude on green walls?

It is highly impossible to conclude on green walls. Living walls have been automatically present within us and every old, dilapidated building always had one. If you ever have been near them, you might have felt their cool, instantly refreshing touch and that is what makes me write about bringing them back in our lives.

In this age of concrete, green walls could be a passage to your old ways and practices. Forgetting plants or trees won’t make us an advanced race but knowing how to keep them with us even in these changing times would surely help.

If you want to find out more on green walls, you can connect us and we can help you connect to appropriate people in this trade.

Solve Energy Crisis – Decide Biofuels / Solar by 2030

Posted on January 23, 2024 by Snehashree

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Biofuels are fuel sources obtained from biological wastes. The remains of a biological process become the raw material for producing biofuels. Learn more about its demand and supply, different types and also compare it with solar energy through this article.

We can either choose solar energy or biofuels. Biofuels are a combination of fuels whereas solar energy is the most penniless resource available to us.

Our need would be fulfilled only by striking the right balance between the two kinds of energy sources.

But biofuels still require the use of resources, mostly waste ones. In the near future, if these same resources find some more essential use other than solving the energy crisis, they might get into a demand crisis zone.

Here is a simple evaluation of what can work best, in what way and why. Also, we would see how the consumption and production of biofuels will see a massive change.

Solar energy facts- number 1 solution to energy crisis

The sun will live for another 5 billion years.
The sun’s total energy output received by the Earth is 0.00000005%.
1361 W/M² power is the solar constant.
1361 W/m² arrives on top of the Earth’s atmosphere annually as solar radiation.
Almost 174,000 terawatts of solar radiation touch the outer atmosphere.
30% of it goes back to space, and we know it as reflection.
The rest, 70%, reaches the earth’s surface.
The estimated amount of energy released is 384.6 yotta watts.
Almost 71% is absorbed by the Earth’s surface.
The atmosphere absorbs 23%, and the surface absorbs 48%.
The atmosphere radiates 59%, and the surface radiates 12%.
Due to less radiation from the surface, maximum heating takes place around the surface, and radiative cooling happens in the atmosphere.
A total of 340 watts of solar energy fall per square meter of Earth’s surface.
1% of it is used by plants all over the world for photosynthesis.
Solar panels are merely 20% efficient, and the ceiling of solar panel cell efficiency is 29%–33%, also known as the Shockley-Queisser limit.
Above everything, there is no production cost for solar power, and what needs to be done is to build the system from the top instead of at the bottom of the atmosphere. A technological advancement is what can make it possible. Right now, experiments are underway.

Biofuel Facts: number 2 solution for energy crisis

Biofuels will use resources.
Recently, in May 2022, India could blend 10% ethanol in petrol.
The farmer’s income received a boost of USD 8.7 million.
Carbon dioxide was reduced in the atmosphere by 40 million metric tons. This was the lowest achieved in a nine-year span.
By 2030, blending would be done with up to 20% ethanol in gasoline.
Bioethanol is made from fermenting crops of sugar and starch; biodiesel is made from vegetable oils; biogas is made from anaerobic digestion of fecal matter; and e-fuels include e-methane, e-kerosene, and e-methanol. They are produced from solar, wind, and decarbonized electricity sources.

The best biofuels for solving energy crisis in the near future

1. Dimethyl Ether: A Recyclable Biofuel Source

Manufactured from: Made from methanol and natural gas

Use: Propane and butane substitutes

Benefits: It can be used to run vehicles and can work as a magnificent chlorocarbon replacement.

Manufacturing process: obtained by processing methane.

2. Bioethanol

Manufactured from: fermenting sugar and starch crops like corn, sugarcane, and wheat.

Use: gasoline substitute

Benefit of use: Improves the air quality and performance of the vehicle.

Manufacturing process: afermentation process similar to the process of making beer.

3. Biodiesel

Manufactured from: derived from animal fats, rapeseed oil, vegetable oils, and recycled restaurant grease.

Use: Primarily suitable for running boats.

Benefit of use: prevents people from being exposed to diesel exhaust.

Manufacturing process: primarily from a chemical reaction between oil and alcohol.

Sustainable Bio-Fuels for solving the energy crisis

India will achieve energy independence by 2047 and that will happen since India will solve the energy crisis by then.

Net zero by 2070.

The most sustainable fuels are grey, green, and blue hydrogen.

1. Grey hydrogen

Manufacturing processes:

Steam methane reformation (SMR) of natural gas or
Methane (grey) or
Gasification of coal or lignite (black or brown)

Carbon Footprint: High

2. Blue hydrogen

Manufacturing processes:

gasification of natural gas or coal
carbon capture storage (CCS) or carbon capture use (CCU)

Carbon Footprint: Low

3. Green hydrogen

Manufacturing process:

Electrolyzing water uses electricity that comes from renewable resources.

Carbon Footprint: Lowest

Current sustainable sources being studied for creating biofuels to solve energy crisis

1. Rice straw

Byproduct of rice production.

It is capable of producing 205 billion litres of biofuel, which is about 5% of the entire global consumption. Cellulosic biomass can be converted easily to fermented sugar, which further leads to the production of biofuel.

2. Algal biomass

The microalgae used are Chlorella spp., like pyrenoidosa, vulgaris, emersonii, minutissima, protothecoides, Botryococcus braunni, Nannochloropsis sp., Neochloris oleoabundans, Schizochytrium limacinum, and Scenedesmus obliquus.

3. Lignin and lignocellulose

Lignocellulose biomass is composed of lignin, hemicellulose, and cellulose.
Biodiesel is produced from lignocellulose.
Oleaginous microorganisms can use lignocellulose to produce biodiesel.

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Increase in the use of biofuels over the years to solve energy crisis

Demand for biofuel over the years

Demand will depend on the need, and the need will depend on rising Net Zero expectations.

Year	Biofuel demand (liters per year)

2014	131
2020	146
2026	186
Accelerated in 2026	239
2026 NZE (Net Zero)	342

Biofuel consumption ranking of countries

By 2032, close to the first Net Zero border, a lot of changes are being predicted. A comparative charting of the use in 2022 is present for further understanding.

Biodiesel production

Biodiesel production and consumption will also undergo a massive change. Here is a graphical estimation of the data to understand the stance of biofuels amid energy crisis better.

Choose if biofuel or solar could do good to you and the people surrounding you. Understand how things need to be sorted out before going out for making the energy crisis choice. Ultimately, people will choose biofuel or solar and this is a brief outline.

Artificial intelligence and environment: 12 operational projects

Posted on January 14, 2024 by Snehashree

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Learn about the correlation between artificial intelligence and environment in this article. We present you with different ways in which artificial intelligence can make you and break you. But we also try to tell you more about how it can make you focus on the positive!

The very earth that we are trying to connect to is in grave trouble. She is bearing more children every day and that number is way more than what she can carry. Being her children, we are always demanding more and more from her. We need food, space to live, and water indefinitely to help us solve the riddle of our existence. In pursuance of what really matters to us, we have come to a point where we have begun building.

Building is a part of our civilization, and we are building every day. But what we are now building is more unique than what we have built before. Migrating from building buildings, our babies, universities, and homes, we have migrated towards the creation of a super intelligent force- the real summation of our human existence- artificial intelligence.

Artificial intelligence and environment: constant combat

Creating artificial intelligence has tripped the world for the worse. Increased resources are being consumed in trying to create it. But as humans, we have learned that what destroys us when it’s built can also relieve us when it’s a complete asset. We learned it from our children. Each of our children brings a certain kind of change that often seems destructive to us. But with each, some of our children come together to elevate us and our existence.

The question is, will there be anything like artificial intelligence and environments in the future?

What is artificial intelligence?

According to coordinator David Jensen of UNEP’s Digital Transformation subprogram, AI is a machine system that can typically operate with the help of human intelligence. They are being put in place to help create a more coherent way of operating than humans can currently render and deliver. Over time, artificial intelligence would learn to adapt and intelligently improve. They would do it by coordinating information together and learning more perfect ways of coordination and skilful adaptation.

The term artificial intelligence was coined way back in 1956 by John McCarthy. AI was supposed to be a step ahead of machines – intelligent machines.

Nishant et.al. and Duan et al. state that AI can perform tasks for humans and learn while performing tasks- a trait quiet similar to humans. The best part of AI is that it can adjust to new points overriding its previous points on the same fact to create a more wholesome database of information. It can do so while dueling the environmental challenges that come its way better than humans.

What would happen if artificial intelligence and the environment were in one box?

Environment and sustainability are terms we are hearing more and more about now. Environmental sustainability as per the UN document, Our Common Future, commonly referred to as the Brundtland Report, defines sustainability in a certain way.

Sustainable development is the ability of our generation to meet our needs while also not disturbing the environment enough. The goal is to allow future generations to meet their needs while we meet ours.

The environmental crisis has driven people towards the concept of sustainability.

Artificial intelligence is currently being developed faster to meet the gap created by human activities towards meeting the above-mentioned objective.

The use of environmental factors is paving the way for artificial intelligence. Sooner, artificial intelligence and the environment are expected to get coined under a unique banner where AI gives back to the environment.

Two roadblocks towards collaborating on artificial intelligence and the environment

What do you need to consider when thinking of creating the next masterpiece?

The use of energy for creating it and the switching of electricity and power goals for devising a cleaner environment are crucial factors.

Here is a breakdown of the points for you to consider.

The quoted decline in GtCO2 by 2050 as per contributing industries (electricity, industry, transport, buildings, and others) is charted below.

Data from IEA (International Energy Agency)

· Net-Zero needs to be kept in mind:

You can see the difference in carbon emissions between the Stated Policies Scenario (STEPS) and the Announced Pledges Case (APC) here. One only needs to know that by creating artificial intelligence, supercomputers and even robots can tip this balance off easily. The GtCO2 decided upon, as per the APC, is drastically lower than what is anticipated to come with the addition of artificial intelligence building and generation.

· Country-wise distribution of electricity over decades.

Find out what or how the consumption of electricity will change over time. This change will need to be considered when generating energy for AI building during these active years.

Artificial intelligence and environment- several levels of operations

The goal of building artificial intelligence is to support our existence. Our existence, artificial intelligence, and the environment are tied together in a circle. It won’t be wrong to say that it could just be like one end and another begins.

Artificial intelligence is currently being tested and implemented at three different levels.

1. Artificial Narrow Intelligence (ANI):

A machine is trained to make decisions and perform only a specific task. As an example, you could count Google searches as fitting this definition.

2. Artificial General Intelligence (AGI):

The true synthetic intelligence of a machine and its development come under AGI. Under this level, a machine can think like a normal human towards a specific task and perform it with an accuracy equal to or more than the human performance level. Visualize through the example of driving cars with AI controlling the wheel.

3. Artificial Super Intelligence (ASI):

At this level, an AI machine will be smarter than a human in every field of operation. This process would involve the conglomeration of general wisdom, social skills, and scientific knowledge.

Already, robots are being thought to be the best individuals to solve the problem of waste removal from the environment.

There are different domains where artificial intelligence and the environment can be brought together to promote sustainability.

Domains	Role of domains
Machine Learning	Statistical analysis of past data and experiences put forth by humans.
Artificial Neural Networks	Using different parallel variables for predicting and forecasting water resources is possible.
Robotics	Aligning the cognitive behavior of humans with their emotions (IQ + EQ). They can be used for cleaning debris and fixing problems where human reach still remains questionable.
Natural Language Processing	Joining computer vision with NLP to allow machines to pick data from speech and visual occurrences
Fuzzy Logic	It can be used, as it is currently being used for deciding which problems appear from rooting.
Expert Systems	Using Fuzzy logic with ML to aid the decision- making process, as seen in separate studies.

When different levels and domains come together, a unique product, preferably called artificially intelligent beings, could arise in the near future.

Present AI modelers to solve the issues of the environment

Artificial Intelligence and environment are equanimous to Artificial Intelligence and climate change and there are many tools which come together to solve these differently existing problems.

Here is a list of them you might want to consider when looking up for Artificial Intelligence and the environment.

Artificial Intelligence Models	Area of work
ARIES	Biodiversity monitoring and conservation
MIT Lincoln Laboratory Supercomputing Center (LLSC) (Area neural network, expert systems, pattern recognition and fuzzy logic)	Energy conservation, use and distribution
Intelligent Traffic Management System (IMTS), AIMS, IoT, ANN (Machine learning, computer vision)	Traffic management and safety in public transportation system
Artificial neural network (ANN): Neuro-fuzzy inference system, support vector machine (SVM) as the major Machine learning (ML)	Forecast stream flow and generate analysis of different water quality parameters
Different monitoring models	Towards creating a sustainable environment

Next, we would see what kinds of AI models are already being used for generating a new future. The current running AI models that are here to solve the environmental issues are right now being tried and tested in many different niches and areas.

12 current operating projects of collaboration of artificial intelligence and environment

These are the 12 collaborations that are being tried by people in terms of bringing the artificial intelligence and the environment closer. Also, understanding each of them briefly is what we have placed here for your reference.

1. Planetary Computer by Microsoft

Storehouse of multi-petabyte catalogs of data around our environment with super intuitive APIs (Application Programming Interface). It will allow users to use this data to answer different global questions.

Hurricane Maria damaged thousands of acres of rainforest. Ecology, Evolution, and Environmental Biology professor of Columbia University’s Maria Uriarte and Tian Zheng, a statistics professor at the Data Science Institute, received a Microsoft grant to use AI to study the effects of tropical storms on the distribution of trees in Puerto Rico.

2. Department of Energy’s SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory operated by Stanford University

Using machine learning to identify grid vulnerabilities, failure management of grids enables quicker restoration of power during failures.

3. Researchers at the Department of Energy and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)

The organization uses artificial intelligence to understand and deal with different atmospheric conditions to increase the energy output of wind farms.

4. IBM’s Green Horizon project

They use artificial intelligence to forecast air pollution and track different pollution sources. In this way, they will be able to provide potential strategies to combat it.
Another of their projects aims to learn better ways of combating heat waves. Understanding how well to develop the city’s flora and fauna based on the heat wave assessments is what they aim for.

5. Ocean Data Alliance

The Ocean Data Alliance is working towards data collection to support surveillance of shipping, ocean mining, fishing, coral bleaching, or the outbreak of a marine disease.

6. Nature Conservancy partners with Microsoft

They are planning to map the ocean’s wealth to understand more about seafood harvesting, tourism, carbon storage, and so on.

7. Pittsburgh transport monitoring system

They implement AI at 50 intersections (plan for more than 150) and have brought down the traffic time level by 25 minutes already.

8. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)

Averaging climate models is being initiated to give equal weight to all the currently running models. Artificial intelligence is helping determine which models can work better than others.

9. Autonomous tractors

Tilling to satisfaction, ploughing the land, calculating the planting of seeds precisely to avoid wastage of resources and seeds, soil composition and quality monitoring, and spraying fertilizers.

10. Plantix, PEAT GmBH

A free app to diagnose different diseases in plants through simple photos taken through different mobile devices.

11. UN AI Advisory Board

The UN AI advisory board, launched on October 19, 2023, by Secretary General Antonio Guterres, will work to keep a check on the risks and benefits, as well as opportunities, from the use of these technologies. The board is supposed to regulate the international governance of these technologies.
They would also help achieve 17 sustainable development goals that will serve as the blueprint for a greener and cleaner world.

12. Adaptation to Climate Change in Sub-Saharan African Humanitarian situations

Adaptation to Climate Change in Sub-Saharan African Humanitarian Situations. The project covers Burundi, Chad, and Sudan. Use of AI for the mitigation of climate change vulnerabilities among internally displaced communities and refugees facing climate risks in these three locations.

FAQs (Frequently Answered Questions): Artificial Intelligence and Environment

Artificial intelligence and the environment?

How does artificial intelligence help the environment?

Artificial intelligence can expand the scope of healing the environment manifold. What we humans cannot do alone might become a reality if two forces join hands. Artificial intelligence and the environment when brought together, can wholesomely change each other in indefinite ways. Becoming better at something might no longer be under the dictates of money but under the dictates of artificial intelligence going forward. Every sector useful for humans can undergo a sea change with the inception and incorporation of artificial intelligence in it.

Is artificial intelligence good for the environment?

The current prospects of artificial intelligence being good for the environment are dim. There are a lot of challenges: carbon emissions, net-zero, increased use of power sources, and also water as a resource. But once and if AI can circumvent this challenge, there could be a huge scope of artificial intelligence helping the environment recover. But no one is still prepared enough to tip the balance of the environment by such incalculable numbers that there can never be a return.

What is the environmental footprint of artificial intelligence?

It is a huge leap from where we stand as an 8 billion + population. You can add a few more billion of populational resource use if AI is developed the right way. The coming of supercomputers and robots might change the whole of our ecosystem for the worse, as their manufacturing processes will take up a huge amount of energy.

Conclusion

Artificial intelligence and the environment are like a lizard eating its own tail. If you have to think about how to make artificial intelligence work in the right direction, you will need to envision some bypasses. These bypasses will ensure the development of artificial intelligence does not take much, yet gives back ten times what it takes. It should be designed in the same model the current world uses to utilize human resources.

Thus, without carefully considering what it can and cannot do, investing in artificial intelligence might not be the right step forward. Artificial intelligence for climate change is an essential step, but the step has several roadblocks, and each roadblock is a mammoth problem in itself. How fast to change the equation and what to do to make things better need to be considered carefully before going further.

Why should you reduce meat consumption in 2024?

Posted on January 5, 2024 by Snehashree

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If you want to cut down on one thing this year, target cutting down on meat. Reduce meat consumption in 2024 and save the world from getting into far more perilous states of living. Read why it’s important for your health and how it would influence the GDP and people globally?

The clock is ticking, and more and more get added to Earth each second.

Talk of the town

A Japanese scientist, Mitsuyuki Ikeda from the Okayama Laboratories, has created protein steaks from human poop.

Tokyo sewage approached him to combat the Tokyo sewage issue, and he found that the Tokyo sewage has an immense amount of protein in the mud due to the growing bacteria in it.

They say the steaks would be juicy, delicious, and yum if they arose from grass-fed humans.

Do you see how the market can slowly find the switch to turn people to more lab-grown products?

Soon, industries might have the option to choose between ethically produced lab meat or going vegan for their consumers. The industries are still going to profit, but the mode might change slightly.

If every average American shares a portion of the meat they consume every year, the world could feed 2.5 billion more people.

It is no longer a need but a dire necessity as the world population meter keeps ticking and more and more people struggle to earn their living.

If the capable ones shared their lives with the less capable ones by refusing to take more, we could easily bridge this gap. However, most of us know it is not going to happen. To mitigate the problem, more animals are slaughtered and more lives are put on the line.

There are three points that will come out of this discussion:

Health implications of consuming more and less meat
Socio-economic impact of consuming more meat
Impact on animals and on the global ecosystem

A bit for the start!

Why would it be pertinent to reduce meat consumption in 2024?

Impact on Carbon Dioxide levels

How does meat consumption increase the carbon dioxide level. A high-meat food diet will yield 10.24 kg whereas a vegan diet will produce 2.47 kg as per the reported link below.

Use of land for meat production

The amount of lands razed to raise the livestock can tell you why you should reduce meat consumption in 2024. As per reports in BBC, high meat production area is 16.78 sq. meter and vegan food production are is only 4.37 sq.Meter.

Need for more water for high-meat diets

The water amount used for producing each kind of food is a reason why you should reduce meat consumption in 2024.

Either find a way to use less water for raising animals or reduce meat consumption in 2024- a viable way to look at it. According to BBC from LEAP project/Nature Food, water requirement is as high as 890 liters for high meat food production while for vegan food it is only 410 liters.

Different standpoints before you decide to reduce meat consumption in 2024.

1. From the ecosystem’s standpoint

A food climate policy expert with the World Resources Institute, Richard Waite, claims that going vegan is not on the list, but making substantial dietary changes is. The reason cited by him revolves around the global weight meat consumption is creating. Almost one-fourth of all global greenhouse gas emissions derive from cultivating, growing, and transporting food resources. But the majority of this quarter comes from global meat and dairy consumption. A total of 37.55 GtCO₂ is emitted in 2023. Meat production requires vaster areas of land and resources than vegetables and livestock, which is a definitive addition to the increase in greenhouse gases.

It is a good reason to reduce meat consumption in 2024 if you are really concerned about the fate of your children.

Every year, 70 billion land animals alone are sacrificed for our food.

Image credit: Faunanalytics.org on UN data.

Growing your own food is healthy, and killing your animals is unhealthy.

2. From the health standpoint

The most frequent meat consumption issues worldwide stem from overconsumption of meat.

Red meat is bad, but chicken is not good either when consumed in large amounts.

1. Meat sweats

2. Feeling of increased lethargy and a sense of tiredness

3. Dehydration could set in anytime.

4. Weight loss enthusiasts could slow their progress due to excessive meat consumption.

5. Cardiovascular disorders could set in faster.

6. Constipation is a common problem in people who consume meat more regularly.

7. The increase in free radicals is more associated with excessive meat consumption.

8. Clogging of arteries and veins with excessive fat deposits.

3. From a socio-economic standpoint

Socio-economically, it was observed that meat consumption is higher at high income levels than at lower income levels. Bourdieu’s theory of distinction is followed here in this scenario. Higher income levels guarantee an increase in meat intake, and then there is a decline in the meat consumption level, leading to a U-shaped curve in the population among the people with money.

Per year, how much meat is consumed by a single meat-eating individual is given below in the table.

Country	Meat consumption per person in Kg
The US	124
Australia	122
Argentina	109
New Zealand	101
Spain	100
African nations	<20

Do you see the disparity between the developed nations and the developing or poor nations in terms of meat consumption alone? Sharing meat with the less fortunate by consuming less on our part can prevent people from suffering from protein-deficient disorders globally. Also, it can reduce unnecessary demands from raising heads here and there every now and then.

Reduce meat consumption in 2024 for:

By killing more animals for food, we are somehow unbalancing nature, where man was supposed to be less to accommodate other species. But with fast-evading forests and thinning landscapes, our population seems to be becoming the predator of the rest.

If we are to be seated at the top of the food chain, we need to understand every aspect of preservation well. False domination and a sense of fulfillment arising from it must be curbed by all means.

If you know there are other animals that are being slaughtered everywhere else. Even a lion, tiger, and cat are not spared, so why are we doing this? This is the question that bothers people writing around it more.

We are slaughtering all forms of animals.

The animals in the ecosystem play a very significant role. We are unbalancing it more by killing them without using the right judgement.

Every animal here is assigned a task to which they stand true, and here is a bare minimum list.

Did you know that!

1. Lions: Apex predators made to balance the herbivores. They keep the ecosystem in balance.

2. Zebras: They can feed on hardened grass that is too difficult for other animals to feed on. The tender and new grasses and leaves can only come up when the land is clear of crusty vegetation.

3. Rodents: They disperse seeds and pollinate different plant varieties.

4. Donkeys: The most stupid of all of us can find water holes. They can decrease the distance between water holes for species. The water they find is much cleaner and cooler on most occasions.

5. Horses: They help increase plant diversity and provide a source of natural fertilizer. They can sense from afar alerting animals to evident danger in the forests.

6. Elephants: They disperse seeds, create clearings, and provide manure for plant growth. Thinning trees competing for life come alive as they help remove dead and damaged trees, releasing land and increasing carbon capture. If there are as many elephants as there were previously, the land could be freed of carbon dioxide by as much as 6,000 metric tons per square kilometer. The economic value of land could increase way more. The value of elephants would also go up more than what their ivory teeth can render.

In India, Jharkhand is a land where elephants are what we have grown up with. Jharkhand was created to protect the flora and fauna of the region, and not just let the human tribes get better opportunities.

Chutzpah

The last elephant killing happened due to them short-circuiting when a herd came into contact with the electric wires. The government needs to remove hurdles from animal corridors to make their passages safer and prevent poaching for less money. Basically an industrial town, Jharkhand boasts Tata and Jadugoda Uranium Mines and copper, gold, and coal outlets. To keep these industries from taking a toll on human health and to keep the land as healthy as they are known in the tribal lore I have grown up hearing, it is important to save these elephants. It is a much-needed step that the government needs to look at. Immediate measures are essential in this respect.

How can you reduce meat consumption in 2024?

After dealing with the why part of the question, where we tried showing how reducing meat consumption in 2024 can help people and the world, we will come to the how part.

Modest meat-based diet reduction can reduce the carbon footprint by 75%.

Carbon reduction is being attempted by many, including an attempt to use gene editing therapy to use animal gut microbes to re-engineer pollution.

But how do you reduce meat consumption in 2024?

By incorporating a few essential steps in the process of meat consumption, you can reduce meat consumption in 2024.

Growing plants is easier, and using their protein needs to be explored better.
Choose eggs or fish, but space them nicely over the week. Remember, even overfishing is an environmental concern here.
Regular meat eaters, especially in hot and humid environments, can easily forego meat for days without any health impacts. The same cannot be pursued by people living in cold countries as the cold environment increases metabolism in the body. Fix a day and then keep increasing one day to two and then three in a week. Try it over the whole year, and you will succeed. Remember, it can’t be done in a day.
Try more vegetables, as they are healthier for your gut. Try meat substitutes like soy protein, mushrooms or even Indian cottage cheese.
Try different recipes for vegetables other than the ones you usually try out.
Shift from beef and mutton to chicken.
Don’t waste leftovers. An estimated 1.3 billion tons of food are wasted every year, worth $1 trillion. Do not be a part of this waste.
Eat more climate-resilient foods like amaranth and kelp. You will need to like what you eat, and if you don’t like it, you may not try it. Experiment with every food before you decide what you’d like to settle with.
Choose composting and either start by composting your food in the backyard or try joining a non-profit organization.
Use your scraps and peels to create organic dyes. With your leftovers, start creating fresh dyes and using them to color different objects. Experiment with colors to create more stable color solutions.
Try food that is stored in climate-friendly refrigerators. In that way, fresh food is guaranteed, which seals quality within. Many people feel they are not capable of getting enough nutrition from vegetarian meals.
Do not stray from your grocery list, and I can assure you that you will start eating more veggies and less meat.
Grow your own veggies in the backyard, and that way you will eat them fresh. Prepare your own compost and start using whatever little land you have, or switch to tubs. Most vegetables grow in tubs comfortably.
If and whenever you are in doubt, think of the world first, about your future first, and then think about yourself as an individual.

FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)

Reduce meat consumption in 2024

What will happen to your body if you stop eating meat regularly?

If you stop eating meat regularly, you can improve your gut health and heart health and also help with the weight management process. It will also help prevent tooth decay and manage your liver and gall bladder better. Plant starch and carbohydrates, along with the fruit build, are easy to digest and less harsh on your body. But those using an animal diet should not completely switch to a vegan diet immediately. Rather, switching to an omnivorous diet is more advisable, as per medical advice.

How does reducing meat consumption benefit the environment?

Greenhouse gas emissions, deforestation, and soil degradation are a few of the adverse effects of excessive meat rearing and slaughter.

1. Increase in biodiversity is possible with meat consumption reduction.

2. It saves water in every way. A lot of water is required to rear animals, slaughter them and to even wash the meat before preparing it. Far less water is consumed by plants on the contrary.

3. Companies deforest to increase meat production and companies like KFC, Walmart, McDonald’s even Pizza Hut and Burger King clear rainforests to raise cattle for their hamburger.

4. A decrease in greenhouse gas emissions is a direct and proportional result of reducing meat consumption.

5. It prevents the degradation of soil in different ways.

6. A study shows that 65% of nitrous oxide comes from the farm animal sector. It also includes 37% of all methane emissions.

7. Increased freeing of land would help in the growth of wild flora and fauna, and at the same time, it would help free up space for growing agricultural products.

8. We are suppressing our conscience nonetheless and not using enough logic while killing these animals. We don’t think how much waste comes out of their killing, and our ability to enjoy their dead flesh is a beastly attempt to call ourselves humans.

If we are capable of digesting everything, then why don’t we reduce their consumption? Why don’t we start eating like other animals? Even the biggest carnivores eat and kill only when hungry. Even they store their food and get back to it when they need to eat. How do we, as humans, not follow our needs? What makes inhuman killing a joy is a problem in our mental setup. Why it exists is not known, but leaving this problem aside is very much possible. Reduce meat consumption in 2024 and take a step ahead.

How will the meat-producing industry be impacted by the reduction in meat consumption?

The meat-producing industry will be heavily impacted if and when people start choosing vegan food. Most people might find market leaders fighting to stop people from eating vegan food. But if you can stop your temptation and yet grow your own food, then it would not be hard for you to follow your vegan diet.

Their industry will see a decline in the next few years, given that people are starting to go vegan now. Not to leave the market is the target of these industries, as you find vegan food alternatives with the meat kings of the last decade. The future, however, is getting tested in the labs, where lab-grown meat is being considered as a replacement.

How do I stop my meat craving?

To stop meat cravings, you will not succeed instantly. Slowly but surely, you would succeed.

Start using tempeh, seitan, tofu, mushrooms, soya, feta cheese, mushrooms, lentils, and jackfruit.

Begin by using the grill.

Use meaty seasonings for your non-meat recipes, like sage, BBQ sauce, miso, soy, or other sauces. Use parsley, oregano, and all that you do to your meat; try it on your vegan recipes.

Lastly, maintain a day when you’ll either fast or eat vegan.

Be kind to yourself, and always remind yourself of one essential logical rationale: Why are you unnecessarily killing an animal? Try anything else that does not require slaughtering another animal.

Last of all, imagine the scream of a goat, cow, sheep, and the chickens when they are being slaughtered for you.

Next, imagine our children and you’d still be sitting and watching it? Is it not violence in small form or rather a bigger one when it’s irrational

But be kind to yourself.

If someone is sick or needs meat, do not try to stop them from having it.

Conclusion

If this is not enough encouragement to stop eating meat or reduce meat consumption in 2024, then you might need to find your own ways of stopping yourself. Most of us might find one or two of these points matching us, but if you don’t find yours create your reasons but do reduce meat consumption in 2024.

If you don’t reduce eating them, you are doing bad to your environment. Think again if you want to put your child’s future at stake?

40 eco-friendly business ideas for students

Posted on December 31, 2023 by Snehashree

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Find effective eco-friendly business ideas for students here. Understand what can work best in your favor and why by knowing more about the benefits of being in this sector.

Eco-friendly business ideas for students are many, which means if you are one, you can start being a young entrepreneur right now. How you do it and what or why you start it will be important to know. Thus, with this blog, we will chalk down the major benefits of why beginning with eco-friendly business ideas for students can serve you well if you are still studying and exploring your best foot forward.

Their only way to save the world is to-

“Eat green, think green, do green, walk green, fake green, and sleep green.”

Only then, maybe, just maybe, there is a chance. To help these younglings, there is nothing much that I can do since I am not the whole world and I cannot fight it alone. What I can do instead is provide some aid to their thinking by helping them identify eco-friendly business ideas for students so that they can start doing and thinking green.

I am a social activist and cum artist, and the reason why I am able to leverage both segments together is the fact that I began early. When I was in college, I began a small business around selling worn clothes in good condition for $5. Every piece I would handpick, dry-clean, iron, and re-clean at a cost of $1 to $2. I would make $3 profit, and there were a lot of my college friends who grabbed clothes from me. Sometimes, when I wanted to do a giveaway, I ran a discounted price, and this way, in the four years of my college life, I made some friends who helped me become a dress designer. Now, I sell eco-friendly clothes and live my life in peace. I still don’t make a huge profit after 7 years of business, but I am happy with the way it’s taking shape and growing every single day.

Esther Rose

Benefits of doing green business

But, first, let’s discuss the benefits of doing green business to motivate even those kids who are still deep asleep within the comforts of their families. Rise up for your generations and also for the ones to come.

Jumping back to the benefits of doing green business, here are a few essential factors to be considered. Why should you do green business? Why not climb the normal ladders?

1. Increased investments from people and businesses

To understand how the sector is catching fire, you need to know these points:

The investments have reached USD 16.50 billion (expected) by this year, 2023, and are expected to grow up to USD 61.92 billion by the year 2030. A CAGR of 20.8% is forecasted during this period, and it’s huge.
$111 billion was raised by green tech companies alone in 2021 through different public markets.
China is the biggest investor in green tech. Investments increased in the Middle East and North Africa by 16% and in the United States by 21%.
Corporate investments have already reached $165 billion in 2021.

Public markets have invested through IPOs, SPACs, and others in the $165 billion amount.
Venture capital and private equity interests have contributed almost $53 billion.

Do you see the growth opportunities? If you want to start a business in the green sector, now is the time. Chances are, with growing efforts and an increase in awareness, the average man will contribute more towards green products in the coming years.

One of the key reasons why starting a green business very early can be a wise step ahead. Eco-friendly business ideas for students could propel college and school students in a direction that could lead to increased chances of growth and business related risk mitigation in the future.

2. New global legislations supporting green business expansion

Here is what every one of us must know if someone is interested in eco-friendly business ideas.

Several laws are being put in place to protect the environment. Those industries that deal with green products need to prove in the EU that their products did not originate from any recently deforested land or wildfire-affected regions. In this way, strictness can prevent businesses from misusing goods.
Consumer protection laws have also come up wherein definitive and reliable information needs to be given by businesses on their product labels. The product labels need to be detailed as per the new environmental labeling scheme.

Global legislation	Reasons
Scope-3 emission law	Every business needs to now address the Scope 3 emissions to remain clear of environmental pollution mismanagement acts and laws.
Digital Product Passports	These passports will have details on the digital product’s environmental sustainability. These verifiable QR codes will likely pull back the greenwashed curtains. They will also act as an incentive for brands to improve the sustainability of their products and operations.
Decree-2022-748 AGEC (Anti-Waste for a Circular Economy Law)	According to this law, any business having more than 25000 products produced annually needs to declare to their consumers the following: Traceability Microfiber related information Recycled material incorporation
The New York Fashion Act	Clear reporting will be necessary in the following sectors; Greenhouse gas emissions Water use and plastic use Due diligence in supply chains GHG emission reductions Material production volume disclosure, like leather, cotton, and polyester
The German Supply Chain Due Diligence Act (LkSG)	Setting up corporate due diligence to promote sustainable corporate behavior.

3. COP26-COP28 discussed milestones by member nations

It’s not just Article 6, but a lot of other essential implementations that will make a difference in the way trade and commerce were pursued earlier. If you want to start a green business, knowing this COP-26 to COP-28 summit details can change your understanding. Also, you can better approach a business and understand why a green business is what you must start. It is the need of the hour and is heavily backed by everyone. All you need is an idea in place.

Laws	One-line details
Article 6.2	Bilateral carbon to carbon trading
Article 6.4	Centralized international carbon market
Article 6.8	Non-market approaches

4. Other benefits that add value to starting a green business

Read from this infographic slide why a green business or an eco-friendly business idea has more chances of success today.

Next comes what you can do. If you by now know the benefits of doing an eco-friendly business are, and if you are a student, you might want to read further.

40 Eco-friendly business ideas for students

While you make your mind over the benefits, you can easily follow the next segment of ideas to understand which of these ideas can work best for you as a student. Here is everything you can know about eco-friendly business ideas being suggested, especially for school and college going kids.

Eco-friendly business ideas for students in the creative industry

You are getting ready to make the world a more creative place, and as you move towards your journey, a job today might help you better fortify your life. To do a job responsibly, you will need to understand how the market works. But it would be even better if you could align yourself as a creator with the evolution of the Earth and help mitigate its current problems. What can you become that can help you move yourself in this direction? Find out from the suggested job options below.

1. Reusable shopping bag business

Most states and places are banning plastic bags. If you want to do green business, you can grab this chance, and start collecting these, and start pouring your creativity forward. If you are a creative person and see the world differently, you could make a good business out of it.

2. Grow a nursery

It does not take a lot of space to grow plants. A terrace or a small, single-barren room can be enough. Start planting vegetables or flowers, and in that way, you can not only clean your home’s air but also earn a few bucks in no time. DIY (Do-It-Yourself) videos and a lot of other gardening resources can help you start with a very small amount of money.

3. Bookstores made of used books

If you have a lot of old books, you can open a small bookstore within the comforts of your home. You can also collect old books from bookstores selling used books and open a library. Try better: open a physical and digital library together. A small website citing used booklists and sending it across to people you know and slowly spreading the word.

Even try opening a consignment shop with Amazon.

4. Environmental Publications

Try something that can educate people about sustainability. A newspaper or a magazine would fit well, and you’d be contributing to people’s knowledge. Try it out as a business model if you think you have an artist in you.

5. Green Florist

Sustainable and organic floral arrangements are a craze now, and you could benefit from them. Create a green florist outlet and sell eco-friendly flowers and plants.

6. Environmental grant writer

Start writing proposals to draw in clients for your customers in the green market. Start by honing the skills of writing, and then move ahead with your experience in this direction.

If your clients want to welcome investors into their innovations, a good proposal is what will count. Without it, their services would not get their due. Find out the business scope, learn the skill, and start writing for your clients.

Eco-friendly business ideas for students in the technical industry

Technical students can gain a great deal from hands-on experience. As students divert themselves and take up different courses, there is a high chance that you can make some quick bucks out of the business model or that you might find a firm foothold in it for yourself.

1. Printer ink refill

Computer printer cartridges are a form of non-biodegradable waste. To reduce it and earn at the same time, you could begin a cartridge refill business. There are many places still where papers are being used, including homes and hospitals. Your business can thrive if you can find the right business outlets that cater to it.

2. Make eco-friendly paper bags

Start creating eco-friendly paper bags at home. You could start by collecting paper stocks that you can use for creating these bags. You can make them in your spare time and sell them through an online shop or through word-of-mouth.

3. Try developing green apps

Try creating green apps. An app that works to fulfill an environmentally friendly purpose is what would be called a green app. A vegetarian recipe app or a water bottle refill app is some examples.

4. Rent your bike or bicycle

If you have a bike or a bicycle and there are students around you in need, rent it to them. These rented vehicles can help your friend cover their distances without much hassle. Even if you have a car, you can rent that too.

5. Start a technology refurbishment business

Refurbish an old piece of technology and bring it back to life. You will have to work on its appearance and functioning. It does not require a great deal of investment, as you will only have to work with cheaper alternatives, but you also have to know ways in which you can turn them around.

6. Start installing solar panels

Solar panel installation would mean finding a job with an organization dealing with them. If you want to work in this direction of setting up a business for yourself, you might want to start dealing with them while you are still a student. Learn the business by taking up a solar panel installation job and finding out where you can fit yourself in its market.

Eco-friendly business ideas for students in the agricultural sector

In the agricultural sector, students are preparing to understand ways in which they can not only reap good harvests but also ways in which they can make the land more fertile. Several business opportunities exist for students who want to set up an eco-friendly business in this sector.

1. Begin a composting service

Compost is a rich fertilizer that people can create out of the waste they accumulate. Kitchen scraps, yard waste, and other such daily activity wastes can contribute to composting. The first point is to identify the place where you can start your composting business. Next, you will need to find out who can regularly give you their compost. Once you have identified a suitable client base, all you need to do is establish a composting business. An inexpensive way, it will not require much monetary input or time. Identify proper sellers who are ready to pay you decently for the good manure you take to them.

2. Do beekeeping

Honey is a worthy food, and many people all over the world use it every day in some way or another. You can have honey to counter your nutritional needs and also sell the wax to the cosmetics, pharmaceutical, polishing, and candle-making industries.

Beekeeping can be done from your home, and all you need is a secluded area where you can grow their colonies. Harvesting honey is a wonderful way to earn money. It is quite a lucrative business today and can be done with a minimum investment.

3. Start a green cleaning business

Do you know ways in which you can make your home green? By using natural ingredients, you can clean your surroundings efficiently. A lot of DIY videos are available on this front. If you are practicing these techniques at home, you can practice them outside as well. Turn your experiments into a full-time business and earn by cleaning places the green way, chemical-free.

4. Do a lawn mowing business

Lawn mowing is not a simple task but is something that cannot be attempted by every age group. If you know how to mow lawns, start extending your services to others, including your neighbors and surroundings. A lawn mowing business involves knowing how to use a lawn mower and also knowing various possible ways of mowing a space. Using designer ideas and making a good contribution to them works in your favor.

Identify old people’s homes or homes where people live busily with no time to mow their lands and offer your services to them.

5. Plant delivery service

Delivering plants is unlike delivering other goods and even different from fragile good delivery. If you want to do a green business, you can start transporting plants within the city or even outside the perimeters of the city and you’ll have a flourishing business in a few years.

6. Become a vendor for the farmers

Contact organizers and start talking to real-time vendors. Find work under them to learn the work, and once you do, you can establish a vending business yourself for the farmers. Understand what would make a farmer come to you, learn different ways of being better than other vendors, start something unique, and avoid competition with others by all means to grow.

7. Be in the green pest control

Controlling pests does not come easily, and people often end up using harmful chemicals to kill them, harming plants, animals, humans, and the environment. People can suffer from different health hazards if they ingest or inhale chemical pesticides, and so can animals.

If you have learned the art of green pest control, you can start a business out of it by talking to different people around you. Do pest control in a green way that does not harm plants, humans, animals, or the environment.

Eco-friendly business ideas for students in the fashion sector

Image Credit: LivaFluidFashion

The fashion industry is recently at the center of attention, and governments understand the weight of their carbon emissions. Thus, if you are training to become a fashion designer, you might want to go through the list of businesses to find out what you could do best as a student? You’d do it not just to earn money but also to manifest the needs of the environment, which is to go green.

1. Open a green salon

Those who love to dress others often open their own creative salons. If you are thinking of opening one, try a green salon where whatever you use should come from the green world. Use the least toxic products and sell more organic and home-grown products. Help people establish the benefits of going green and educate them on the benefits. Also, experiment on ways that can improve customer satisfaction with these products.

2. Create or sell organic beauty products

Make beauty products out of organic material. Using a lot of aloe vera, and plant materials can make you a green person. Start creating green products by growing the raw materials in your backyard or any other such place.

Start selling locally, and then expand worldwide through your brand. In this way, you can contribute to the decline of the use of harmful chemicals and help preserve men and women better.

3. Create eco-friendly dresses

Merino wool, hemp, organically produced cotton, and bamboo are some of the options you could try for creating eco-friendly dresses. Even recycled polyester, nylon, and synthetic materials can be used for them.

Start with a single dress and spreading your business ahead could be a good start. Plan small and spread wide if you think dress-making is your calling.

4. Open a second-hand clothing storefront from the house

You could work towards sustainability by introducing second-hand clothing stores from home. Start a small outlet where you resell used clothes that are in good condition. After thorough cleaning, you can put a price tag that’s cheap. Using these techniques, you will not only be able to earn money but also add to sustainability by cycling sustainable living out of it.

5. Sell eco-friendly dresses

If you are not a dressmaker, you could be a dress seller. Selling eco-friendly dresses could help people making eco-friendly dresses expand their seller’s worth. At the same time, you get to start a green business for yourself.

6. Custom-crafted clothing business

Customize your business by crafting clothing for people as per their needs from eco-friendly materials. In this way, you’d do something unique for your area and circle. The customized clothing business can not only minimize clothing demands but also give you a fresh way to create something for yourself while you are studying. You have to introduce yourself to the supply chain and the market and start learning about the business while you study.

Eco-friendly business ideas for students in the business sector

1. Try sustainable travel

Start a business whereby you take care of your city by preventing harm from unnecessary garbage. Most places where tourists arrive every year complain of increased garbage after the end of the tourist season. While you take care of tourists, preventing them from contributing to your city’s garbage bins, you spread and make this positive difference in a way that is deemed fit for you. Sustainable travel is a part of the tourism industry and is a fast-spreading concept.

Try it and learn to grow it while the world struggles to improve the environment.

2. Become a bicycle tour guide

A bicycle tour guide means spreading less pollution. Shun the huge vehicles and take up a bicycle. Show your city slowly to tourists and travel light without spreading air pollution. Enthusiastic tourists can make a huge difference to your business.

3. Start an energy auditing business

Become an energy auditor!

Determine the energy efficiency of your building and find ways in which it could use less energy for the same job. With an audit, you can understand the electricity consumption of your building and also drive the energy efficiency assessment. In this way, you can find alternate ways to cover your energy needs, thereby saving electricity consumption from your end.

4. Become an urban garden planner

Garden planning is not easy when there is less space and a lot in mind. Urban homes love to have a plush garden but do not have the space to create it. Take up such a responsibility and start creating gardens, and work towards their planning by becoming an urban garden planner.

5. Minimalist consultant and training

How to live minimally is a lost art, and amid all the extravagance, people have forgotten the whole idea of being a minimalist. Train people to become minimalists and tell them or guide them to adopt the approach.

You could really do well with people if you knew how to switch people from using complicated equipment to simple ones. Life is not about what you wear, but what you do with what you wear. How you live matters, not what you live with.

6. Herbal health treatments

Start herbal health treatment salons, spas, or simply begin one from the comforts of your two-room flat. It is by using some simple ingredients that you can satisfy people the same way they get satisfied with toxic chemicals and harmful ingredients. Try it your way and spread the word about your business. Also, try to harvest your own supply.

Eco-friendly business ideas for students in the legal sector

Are you training to become a lawyer? Start by becoming a green advocate or an environmental lawyer.

1. Become a green advocate and educator

Spread awareness about the laws and legal dealings available around the world. If you understand it better, you might be the right person to make others understand what it could be to safeguard what we are left with in this world.

2. Start by becoming an environmental lawyer

Start by taking up cases that deal with the green world and its constant decline. If you could protect even an acre of land from being destroyed, you might live peacefully thereafter, knowing that you made a contribution towards the needs of the current world.

Eco-friendly business ideas for students in the interior decoration sector

The interior decoration industry uses a lot of products that are responsible for polluting the industry. Metal waste and plastic waste also contribute to this industry. Start by making suitable changes in the industry, and the only way to do it is by starting a business in this sector.

1. Furniture recycling

Start by reselling recycled furniture. You can mend them for a small fee and sell them off to people at a price that suits a particular market. Understand what kind of furniture people love using, and also understand the market you wish to cater to.

For example, people living in vans would want to have lightweight furniture, and people living in plush homes might want to have heavy and gaudy furniture sets.

2. Duct cleaning

Cleaning again is an art, and cleaning dirt can make you a good amount of money. If you are not allergic or don’t have a disease, you can try to take up duct cleaning in houses where there is no one to clean them well.

3. Sustainable toys

Making sustainable toys is a way to move ahead. Try selling sustainable toys to the world by creating them at a very low price and by selling them to people who understand the meaning of going green. If you know where to place a toy in one’s home, you could locate a business where you make toys and guide people with their placement in homes.

Sustainable toys come from natural materials, and many small-scale industries are already functioning in this direction. Find out more about the way the industry works and go ahead with it.

4. Green building

If you know where to place a plant and have a good knowledge of them, start assisting civil engineers and contractors with your skills. A green building is a way to use more plants in the building so that the building itself can generate the amount of oxygen needed by the inmates of that building. In this way, a building becomes a green building or a self-sufficient support system.

5. Tiny home builder

Start by building tiny homes and planning around them. You can always create beautiful homes and help people live happily, even by going small. The use of less space and resources is the main motif behind delivering such tiny homes. Built at a lower cost, these buildings can also be used for different purposes. Oxygen and electricity generation are places of improvement where you can pitch in, thereby reducing their dependency on outside resources and making them more fuel efficient.

6. Wood worker

If you have an idea about woodworking, you could take it up and make a business of it. People are innovating every day, and you could contribute by reducing the need for wood and also producing materials that help replace the use of wood in the world.

You could actually show people ways in which they could go green easily.

7. Sustainable architect

The use of sustainable products to create and design a home is what civil engineers and architects aim for. Using less wood, steel, and concrete and yet creating durable structures is a work of art and imagination. Try finding the best ways to become a sustainable architect, contributing to this industry in different ways.

FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)/Eco-friendly business ideas for students

What are some DIY business ideas for students?

Try the toy-making world or add spice to your life by selling new and different kinds of plants. You could try making money by creating organic cleaning agents and beauty products.

What is the best business idea for students?

The best business idea for a student depends on their knack and interest. Depending on what they prefer becoming, one could choose accordingly.

How do I start an eco-friendly business?

Plan a space, invest less, and call all your friends to help you with it. It is only a matter of time before you start your own business.

How should a student be environmentally conscious?

By practicing eco-friendly goals and developing habits that soothe or nourish the environment, Also, by generating habits that at least do not harm it in any way; a student could work towards eco-friendliness.

Conclusion: Eco-friendly business ideas for students

An eco-friendly business idea would mean making the world more eco-friendly. If you can do it, you are running one. Start contributing to the environment. Stop and think about whether your activities are harming the environment in any way. Find out what works for the environment and what doesn’t. Become more aware. Start running a business or any business with some environmental goals, and you’ll be amazed at how much change you could contribute to the world. Above all, live consciously and make your choices consciously.

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15 eco-friendly packaging for small business units (9 tips)

Posted on December 27, 2023 by Snehashree

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In this article, we are about to discuss 15 eco-friendly packaging for small business units. If you are a small business and are in search of cost-friendly yet creative packaging materials, refer to this blog.

79% of consumers are shifting their purchase preferences and moving towards environmentally friendly goals, making every attempt to decrease the environment’s load.

65% are actively and vigorously coming out and choosing natural goods and items. Everyone is trying to prevent the earth from getting overloaded by nothing but plastics, garbage, and sewage.

86% of the 15,000 European consumers surveyed agreed to pay more to make the switch to sustainable packaging options.

Some data will bring you back to reading this article as we begin.

Every human on this planet ends up using 69 kg to 221 kg of plastic waste.
Globally recycled plastic still amounts to only 9%.
Mismanaged plastic waste is 22%.

Countries with the highest mismanaged plastic	Amount in %
Africa other than North Africa	64%
India	46%
Eurasia others	40%
Other non-OECD Asia	45%
Latin America	42%
Middle East and North Africa	40%

There is a lot of scope, with those countries having the highest mismanaged plastic waste. Putting these waste plastics to good use is a way to re-beautify the world and prevent it from becoming a sewage dump for humans.

Countries that have most decently organized their plastic waste include:

Countries with the least mismanaged plastic	Amount in %
OECD Asia	2%
United States	4%
OECD EU countries	5%
OECD Oceania	7%
Canada	7%
Other OECD Europe	8%

It means all of it can be recycled to produce something more meaningful, something that will be put to good use by humans. In an attempt to understand what works best, we are putting together a list of 15 eco-friendly packaging for small business units.

Use recycled plastic to generate what can work better for humans rather than leaving them in dumpsters and uninhabited areas. Knowing how seriously we have unbalanced our earth’s ecosystem and how deeply wounded our seas are, it is time to rise and shine in the other direction.

Use what is thrown away and you could in another 100 years be living in a world that is greener, healthier, and fertile. Lead your generations to a better future!

What are eco-friendly packaging materials?

When you use materials for packaging that do not add to the burden of this world’s dump yard, you are using what is known as green packaging options. The Revised Green Guides by the Federal Trade Commerce say, businesses should not only use eco-friendly packaging but should also explain what makes them fall under this category. Using eco-friendly packaging in the right way is possible only when users know the best way to dispose of it. They should not be contaminating anything else and must be eco-efficient as well as sustainable.

A report by the Global Footprint Network shows we are using the resources of 1.75 Earths instead of one. Consumption is more than production and it is costing us heavily, as we know!

According to the United Nations, when the Earth reaches 2050, our population will stand at 9.3 billion, equivalent to three Earths. Resources need to be manipulated, mechanized, and recycled to reduce waste and improve the planet’s ability to hold fast the human population.

The packaging industry uses almost 40% of the 353 million tons, which is approximately 141.2 million tons.

Some examples would include cardboard, plant-based materials, recycled plastics and paper, peanut packings, among many others.

Next, we must understand why using them could benefit small businesses.

Why should they be used by small businesses is essential to know.

There are several benefits of implementing eco-friendly packaging by business owners.

1. Improve brand perception

Eco-friendly packaging for small business units increases your creative meter and metrics. Your brand gets known not just for your products but also for the care you take to package them. People love to be handled with care, and care is the most instantaneous USP you can bring to any table. Your goods and your brand perception can change in no time.

Just watch the way Amazon is changing its packaging with every passing day. Sometimes, I just collect and keep these cardboard boxes, shelving them for future use. They are taking great care with what they use to stuff their products.

2. Expand sales options

People are attracted to their brand when you personally talk to them in some way or another. A customer can come back to you again and again if they find a personalized touch that they can’t ignore.

3. Small businesses can save money using these kinds of packaging options

You can save a lot of money by choosing effective, eco-friendly packaging options. All you need to do is switch to a kind you like, check its supplies, and ensure you can go on with the packaging option for a long time.

4. Add to your company’s creativity

Creativity counts in every sector, and when your individuality and creativity take precedence, your originality can make people flock to your site.

Let’s jump to the next segment, where we will provide you with a few options for different industries. The sky is the limit, but you can begin by choosing our options.

15 Eco-friendly packaging for small business units

1. Eco-friendly food packaging

Eco-friendly packaging for small business units in the food industry could be made of glass, biodegradable, and compostable packaging materials.

Glass is recyclable, reusable, durable, easy to clean, transportable, and minimizes the environmental impact heavily.

Bioplastics, cellulose, mushroom mycelium, bagasse, and seaweeds are some plant-based products that can be made into food packaging products. Most of them are thrown away as waste and are easily decomposable, recyclable, resistant, environmentally friendly, and sustainable.

Metal for food packaging is another alternative. Metal waste and recycling account for US$271780 million, and by 2029, they will go up to US$390680 million. During the forecasted five-year period, the CAGR will amount to 5.3%. You can imagine how much metal waste is on our planet from the above data, and the good news is that metal scrap is not wasted as much as plastic.

Aluminium scrap recycling to generate virgin aluminium amounts to only 5% of energy use. It means there can be 95% energy savings. It is a great way to get things right. Using aluminium food packaging can thereby reduce the cost of packaging easily. Recyclable, resistant, and strong these could support food transport across different kinds of conveyances.

Seaweed packaging is a wonderful option. You can eat them, dissolve them, or throw them away to decompose. The packaging material has a shelf life of two years and can be printed, branded, and colored. Packing noodles, cereals, single-serving coffee powder, milk powder, and even burger wraps are some of the best ways to use these.

Image credit: Evoware; Material district

2. Sustainable jewelry packaging

There is sustainable jewelry packaging techniques already being used by different jewelers across different countries. Eco-friendly packaging for small business units in the jewelry industry prefers cloth, plastic (hard and soft), and Kraft paper materials. The entire packaging industry has gained a huge boost through the use of waste product recycling.

Cotton made drawstring bags have caught the interest of jewelers’ long back. A lot of cloth waste generated by the fashion industry and tailors all around is being stitched and sewed into different items. In this way, a lot is getting regenerated every day preventing fabric waste from reaching the dump yards to a large extent.

Plastic and recycled paper packaging is also great options for jewelry sold in stores. But they can’t be used to transport jewelry through states and countries.

Eco-friendly-packaging-for-small-business-units

Kraft paper or brown paper boxes can be used to create jewelry boxes. These, with cushioning, can travel long distances.

3. Eco-friendly cosmetic packaging

Cosmetic packaging is mostly made of recycled and fresh-made plastic. Those who wish to find out what else can be used as effective packaging materials will have to browse through this segment. Eco-friendly packaging for small business units in the jewelry industry would include natural products like bamboo and cornstarch packaging. The plastic industry is costlier than natural and recycled industries, and as small businesses, one can reduce their production prices through the use of alternate packaging options.

Bamboo packaging material is turning out to be a cornerstone product for the cosmetic industry.

There are a few essential facts that contribute to its wholesomeness:

No insecticide or pesticide is used for growing bamboo.
Different kinds of species are available.
It provides a lightweight packaging option.
They make a very durable product when it comes to containing and transporting cosmetics.
External bamboo jars coated with glass or acrylic as the inner coating are wonderful containers for cosmetics.
They can also be used for screen printing, hot stamping, and engraving.

Cornstarch packaging perfectly alternates plastic. A more organic and eco-friendly way of packing cosmetics comes from the use of cornstarch. They are made of poly-lactic acid (PLA) and are derived from cornstarch or sugarcane. Supply chain constraints exist around them; however, there are chances to produce more of them through different means.

Biodegradable, recyclable, non-toxic and emission free the cosmetic industry is incorporating it as a suitable alternative to plastic.

Beeswax packaging is also serving as an invaluable alternative for the cosmetic industry. Containing beeswax, jojoba, coconut oil, and their essence is captured in the cotton coating. Beeswax is eco-friendly, affordable, anti-bacterial, and serves to provide protection and durability.

4. Sustainable product packaging

Plant-based packaging is a kind where every type of system or microsystem is used for packaging material production. Once you unpack your goods, these packaging solutions can be degraded without having to worry about their aftereffects..

The mycelium of the fungus and the foam equivalent to the polystyrene foam are stronger and more durable. They give birth to breathable, resilient, hydrophobic, and flame-resistant materials. Once you have the package, grow the mushrooms in your backyard.

Eco-friendly packaging for small business owners

Rice husk is a by-product of rice production. Our world has some of the largest rice producers in the world, and rice husk is found abundantly. It has been found that rice husk is not just an eco-friendly alternative; it is also high in its bio-adsorbent properties. When used as an alternative to styrene, it can prevent pollution from passing through systems by trapping or absorbing it.

Check out the rice husk packaging of AORUS X17 gaming laptops!

Eco-friendly packaging for small business owner

Bio-based plastics and bioplastics are confusing terms, and to laymen, they might sound like a single term. But the terms are used to quantify plastics on the basis of their sources.

Bioplastics refer to plastics manufactured completely or partially from biomass.

Biodegradable plastics are primarily bio sourced and biodegradable at the same time.

Examples of bio-based plastics are PE, PET, and PA.

Bioplastics cover PLA, PBS, PHBV, PBAT, and PCL.

5. Eco-friendly gift wrap

To make your gift wraps innovative, we can try something new. I remember that gift wraps used to be my favorite papers, and their deep, rich colors enticed me more and more. But then I realized some of them were plastic and non-biodegradable, and despite my desire to have them with me, I knew I would bring harm to the environment if I had them more and more.

I have slowly shifted to gift wraps that are completely biodegradable, and I am fine; they are sometimes duller than their non-biodegradable versions.

Seed paper is an example where the seeds are embedded in recycled paper. If and when you plant the seed in a hydroponic substrate or in the soil, the seeds will germinate and grow into the soil. Seeds in paper are one of the most eco-friendly packaging materials for small business units. When you sow these seed papers, nothing can change the way we feel.

The excitement lasts longer when the seed sprouts into a plant.

Seeing a living thing take life and form is a joy in itself that just does not come from your child but from everything that takes birth around you.

Image credit: Botanical Paperwork

Shirt packaging boxes can be changed into coat hangers and have a Google patent on them.

The rectangular box is unfolded, and the two opposite side and end plates are attached to a bottom plate. In this way, by slowly arranging it appropriately, the packaging box soon becomes a coat hanger. Use once and then use twice and you won’t be disappointed by the results. One of the most innovative packaging and gift wrapping technology is on the way and we would soon get to have more of them. It could be an attractive eco-friendly packaging for small business units and can serve better.

Sources of eco-friendly packaging materials

Most of the sources of biopackaging come from our normal resources, which include our everyday waste.

Bagasse from sugarcane
Mushroom mycelium
Recycled plastics and paper
Brown paper recycled
Beeswax

All these sources, or at least most of them, are biodegradable waste that is used for no other purpose. Refurbishing and repurposing waste is becoming a booming business at a time when waste is rapidly filling the earth.

There is an adage that says that in the days of war, start selling guns and hammers, and you’ll be rich even in dark times.

In this age of dimness when waste is procuring more land and is being used for landfills and in numerous other ways, packaging it could be productive. It could be the birth of an industrial sector that can become the backbone of creativity and growth.

In this way, we could also reuse what we waste and prevent the earth from getting choked under the load of our waste. Even better: preventing ourselves from sinking in our own waste!

Is eco-friendly packaging for small business units a cost-effective way?

The waste management industry has still not found its wings. The waste cannot be left, and the waste is not yet welcomed by all. Thus, even though innovative means and sources are taking birth every day, the industry is still not becoming a brand that sells at huge prices.

Not just its lack of acceptability, there is also an abundance of raw materials. Thus, the eco-friendly packaging materials cannot be priced very high.

The third reason for the lower prices of these products is due to the ill-organized nature of the industries. Organization of the industry is a must before charges can increase.

But, as this process molds in the right way, we get to see small businesses benefiting hugely from it. They are becoming much more cost-effective wrapping methods, and every new jeweler, designer, and small-scale food and gift industry is benefiting extensively from creative packaging option priced at a price that does not outgrow their pockets or stretch them by any means.

9 tips for eco-friendly packaging for small business units

Here are some tips from us on how to try eco-friendly packaging as a small business unit for your customers.

Offer carbon neutral packaging for your customers.
Do not ship products singly but try shipping your products in bulk
Alongwith carbon neutral packaging, try sustainable packaging.
Ask your customers to return the packages to you after extracting their products.
Try recycling even for your suppliers.
Attempt transporting shipping-friendly items.
Use wholesalers instead of trying shipping for individual items.
Try more compact packaging options to prevent better waste management.
Start using compostable mailer options that decompose on their own.

Eco-friendly packaging for small business units (FAQ)

What is sustainable cold-chain packaging?

Reusable, recyclable, and eco-friendly thermal packaging is used to maintain sustainability goals. Products that need a temperature lower than 40 degrees Celsius during transportation can only be achieved through the active and passive cold chain packaging options available.

Active means are battery-powered or electrically powered to maintain a lower temperature. Passive means of transport include the use of polyurethane, polystyrene, or vacuum-insulated panels that can keep the product at a set temperature for 96 hours (4 days or more).

What packaging is the most environment-friendly?

Those packages that are made of waste can be the most environmentally friendly. They are naturally degradable and can easily go through the process without any issues. Bagasse, beeswax, and rice husk are all beautiful examples of environment-friendly packaging.

How can I make my packaging eco-friendly?

By choosing eco-friendly packaging products, you can go eco-friendly from this time to that time.

Is eco-friendly packaging cheaper?

Currently, they are cheaper and are doing great in every way for small business owners and units. They are made from abundantly found raw materials abundantly found and are also not set industries as of now.

Examples of eco-friendly packaging materials for the food industry

Eat your packages, or plant your packages, or hang your coat on them. With the abundance of raw materials, the world of packaging is more creative than ever before.

Conclusion

Eco-friendly packaging for small business owners is one of the best ways to go ahead with their creative world. Packaging structures that were increasingly being used are changing over time. Moreand more people agree to accept and embrace the change. The good news is that people are aware that there will be a positive change if they choose the right living ways and means.

Through this list, we tried segregating packaging options according to industries. The good part though, about eco-friendly and sustainable packaging is that they are not typically bound to a single industry type. There are many research projects underway where Google has a patent, and others are trying to create durable packaging for edible seaweeds. The next decade will see huge plummeted growth in this particular direction.

FDA Approvals in Oncology in 2023

Posted on December 24, 2023 by Snehashree

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Cancer is ever spreading. Environmental pollution and the rising pollutant metrics is making things worse for many.

There are some who might want to understand what could benefit them.

Here are 7 medicines which received FDA approval this year and as the year draws to a close, we bring you these 7 medicines.

7 FDA Approvals in Oncology in 2023

1. Dostarlimab

Indication: Advanced or recurrent endometrial cancer that did not respond to platinum chemo and has relapsed or recurred.

FDA Approval in February 2023

2. Dostarlimab-gxly (Jemperli): very important FDA Approvals in Oncology in 2023

Indication: advanced or recurrent endometrial cancer that did not respond or recurred due to resistance to platinum chemotherapy.

Tumors mismatch DNA repair and show a deficient nature in the DNA damage repair process. They might show high microsatellite instability (a relatively unstable genome marker).

Mode of action:

Dostarlimab targets the immune checkpoint protein PD-1.

The drug does not serve as a target for different molecular alterations, but it can serve as an indicator of sensitivity for a certain targeted therapy.

FDA Approval in July 2023.

3. Quizartinib (Vanflyta)

Indication: multiple-stage treatment of a newly diagnosed AML.

Mode of action: The target molecule is the mutated kinase FLT3.

The most common FLT3 mutation is an internal tandem duplication, in which the FLT3 gene is copied side by side multiple times.

FDA Approval in July 2023.

4. Pralsetinib (Gavreto): much needed FDA Approvals in Oncology in 2023

Indication: metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) where the RET gene has fused or merged with another gene.

Mode of action: The normal regulatory function gets disrupted, and expression can happen at non-typical places and times.

FDA Approval in August 2023.

5. Combination therapy (Akeega) consisting of niraparib and abiraterone acetate

Indication: metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer that has BRCA1 and BRCA2 gene mutations.

Mode of action: BRCA 1 and 2 participate in the homologous recombination pathway, which works as a critical DNA repair pathway. With mutations in BRCA genes, the recombination pathway fails to function properly. In this way, the tumors rely on a non-homologous end-joining form of DNA repair.

Niraparib (Zejula) acts as a PARP indicator and obstructs the NHEJ pathway. Abiraterone acetate blocks the production of testosterone. Prednisone mitigates some adverse effects of this combination therapy and is part of the regime.

FDA Approval in August 2023.

6. Bosutinib (Bosulif)

Indication: Chronic myelogenous leukemia for pediatric patients

Mode of action: BCR-ABL kinase results in an abnormal fusion of genes. Bosutinib targets BCR-ABL and harbors the fusion protein.

It can only be prescribed if the patient is resistant or intolerant to prior CML therapies, and the cancer must be newly diagnosed.

FDA Approval in September 2023.

7. Two BiTEs

Indication: Certain relapsed or refractory B-cell lymphoma.

FDA Approval in the third quarter of 2023.

Conclusion

Cancer is destruction.

If you want to share love, you must share what you read with people who need it the most. These are the seven most essential FDA Approvals in Oncology in 2023.

A bit of new information can go a long way for many.

Sustainable Christmas Gift Ideas for 2023 for a difference

Posted on December 23, 2023 by Snehashree

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Sustainable Christmas Gift Ideas for 2023

This post contains affiliate links, which means I’ll get a commission if you purchase through my link, and there are no extra costs to bear for doing so.

Quick Summary: The sustainable Christmas gift idea for 2023 given here in this article serves as a spark to light your inner fire. You can use these gift ideas even for New Year’s gifts and giving. Use them for any and every occasion, and you will do a favor to yourself, your coming generations, and your future.

I know Christmas and year-end are just around the corner—in fact, just three days from today! Yet most of us are still working and following our daily struggles.

But when I stopped for a while to look at what I could gift my friends this Christmas, I was in a fix. Everything else was already gifted to them. Something new and unique was what I wanted to pursue. Then my eyes fell on the Sustainable Christmas Gift Ideas for 2023 list rolling from one end to the other on one of my friends’ desks. I picked it up quickly, where she had quickly jotted down in terrible handwriting some gift names.

But then I memorized it, tugged the paper under a heavy bunch of books on the left corner of her table, and whisked it off.

I would say I was feeling partly guilty for not being original, even this time when it came to knowing what to gift to whom.

But I was determined to create my own list, and I looked at every other option.

I was trying to refer, borrow an idea without permission and gift her some of her own ideas perhaps. Some of which I bring to you if you too think you want to start somewhere immediately for sustainable Christmas gift ideas in 2023.

Find the 40 eco-friendly sustainable Christmas gift ideas for 2023 celebrations.

40 Eco-Friendly sustainable Christmas gift ideas 2023

What would you want to gift your friends and family? Clothes, jewelry, and other gift items are passé. Try the new sustainable Christmas gift ideas in 2023 and for this X-mas, and you might only be loved more; accolades would pour more if you followed these gift ideas as I did to become more loved.

Here goes the list of sustainable merchandise products.

1. BOTL’s – Short Clear Drinking Glasses – 300 ml

sustainable Christmas gift idea for 2023

Clear glass, a unique shape, extreme heat resistance, and the ability to withstand sudden changes in temperature are some of the essential features of these glasses.

Why should you gift them? You will be using upcycled beer bottles and they are nothing but nature friendly products. It is a new kind of gift that might save the world a bit and make it an even better place.

Amazon Affiliate Link

2. CLADD INTERNATIONAL Vegan Leather Docking Station Mobile Stand Desk Organizer

What would you need to practice neat storage? Special compartments that serve you well, like the one here. Store your mobile, smart watch, wallet, and sunglasses; these are perfect for the office or bedside table. They are scratch-resistant, and cleaning can be done easily. They have a smooth and wonderful texture and come with an anti-skid feature.

Why should you gift it?

It’s made of vegan leather, which means it will decompose naturally.

The gift will take you a step towards choosing sustainable goods over artificial ones. It is a way to save the world, and you can choose to not harm animals in the process.

Amazon Affiliate link

3. HEELIUM Bamboo Gift Box, Women Ankle Socks, Hand Towel & Bandana Set

A pair of soft socks made from bamboo with a smooth finish, great grip, and supreme comfort. Soft, anti-odor, anti-bacterial hand towels that can give you a comfortable feel! With a bamboo fiber bandana, you can get a super thermoregulatory effect. Bamboo stuff will resist odor and fungus even when you are in a humid, rich environment.

Why should you gift it? Sustainability is at its best and is an easy answer to climate change, pollution, and waste. The biodegradable fabric emphasizes a circular economy with deforestation mitigation and harmful emission prevention. These are absolutely eco-conscious products. They fit you very well, as they are all sized at UK 7 for the product displayed.

Amazon Affiliate Link

4. Creative Eco-kits

If you want to give eco-kits, try to gift notebooks, paper products, and notepads. All the beautiful eco-kits are made of recycled paper. They also donate to charitable organizations.

A pen and paper are even an old man’s friends. Try to gift them sustainable, handmade papers and participate in a sustainable Christmas gift idea for the 2023 crowd.

Be a part of the ideas that can change the environment!

Affiliate links-VCommission

5. Naturally-made Toys

If you have children on your gift list, you can gift naturally made toys.

Every year during Christmas, I send out a small part of my earnings to an organization.

This time, I too have sent them naturally made toys.

They are not costly, are 100% natural, and yet they quench a child’s curiosity very well.

This is a brilliant sustainable Christmas gift idea for 2023, and the children you gift it to will understand how important a role they are playing, and they will be proud of your gift.

VCommission Affiliate link

6. Phone chargers powered by solar power

Phone chargers need electricity, and if you are somewhere outside, what do you do?

Let your phone run out of battery!

Nope! You try eco-friendly technology products instead!

You bring a charge that gets charged directly by solar power.

There are many companies that sell such solar power chargers, and this Christmas, gifting them to someone who’s always working out of charging stations, homes, and offices might be a gift worth remembering.

You can even try solar energy power banks instead of phone chargers if you want.

7. Areca Leaf Palm Dinner Plates

When you are a traveler, you will find these dinner plates an indispensable gift set.

What would you do if you had a bunch of them?

It will make your or THEIR life easy (when you are gifting to someone) and form an irresistible, sustainable Christmas gift idea for 2023.

During the year-end holidays, most of us love exploring. What do you eat? Most of us pack paper plates with us.

This year, try something different; try these beautiful leaf palm dinner plates made from the leaves of an Areca nut tree.

They are disposable, microwave-safe, sturdy, and can carry all kinds of food items while you gobble them up hungrily.

8. Biodegradable Scrubbers: sustainable Christmas gift idea for 2023

Made of pitch pits and 100% reliable cotton, sponge, and hemp sponges, they can make great biodegradable scrubbers.

Though you can’t gift scrubbers to people, you can gift them along with some other household items, like a pair of Areca nut leaf dishes and a pair of scrubbers, to your best buddy.

9. Solar LED Lights: sustainable Christmas gift idea for 2023

LED lights are a wonderful addition this festive season and are a sparkling, sustainable Christmas gift idea for 2023. What could brighten and lighten our lives other than the beautiful yellow lights glimmering and shimmering by your window while you sit peacefully watching and soaking up the festive mood around you?

Gift them to your neighbors, old relatives, and children in the family, and find that twinkle back in their eyes. It’s always good to gift something that brings light into people’s lives.

Remember, LIGHT IS PURE ENERGY!

10.Adidas PrimeBlue Shoes and Clothing

Now, we are coming back to the brand Adidas!

You might be wondering why Adidas comes in between sustainable gifts.

Yes, you have caught the right thread of thought!

Adidas is trying its best to reduce plastic waste piling up on beaches.

They upcycle the plastic waste and use it to make shoes, shirts, and shorts under the Parley Ocean Plastic range.

You will do a favor to the oceans if you buy something from them, and you will help reduce a little bit of plastic waste from the oceans.

11.Nimble Phone Cases: sustainable Christmas gift idea for 2023

The company Nimble makes these phone cases using 100% recycled plastic bottles. Plus, if you buy a Nimble product, you will be donating 5% of your purchase to different environmental causes through them. Coral Reef Alliance, Carbonfund.org, and SeaSave.org are some such sites where you can make a small change.

Think about the environment as you shop!

12.Beeswax Food Wraps: sustainable Christmas gift idea for 2023

What are you wrapping your food in right now?

Mostly aluminum sheets, butter paper, or simple A4-size papers.

But now you might have another option!

Try the Beeswax Food Wraps, a definitely far better sustainable Christmas gift idea for 2023 for food wrappers.

Made of organic beeswax, tree resin, jojoba oil, and pure cotton, you can gift it to a friend who lives on sandwiches or burgers.

By gifting them, you would have made a positive difference to their health as they would move towards a healthier habit.

13.Rechargeable batteries: sustainable Christmas gift idea for 2023

If you have someone checking their blood pressure frequently during the day, gift them these rechargeable batteries. Tossing drained batteries away might feel like a waste, and what if you could reuse them after charging them up for some time?

It’s a great idea and will save you a lot of money. When you make use of these batteries, you are contributing towards a sustainable Christmas gift idea for 2023 and helping preserve sustainability and eco-friendliness.

Also, gift it to someone who has a lot of old wall clocks, even to date.Buy a Fire TV, Echo, Fire Tablet, and other smart home products.

14. Buy a Fire TV, Echo, Fire Tablet, and other smart home products

Did you know Amazon uses 75% recycled plastic, 100% recycled yarn, 100% recycled aluminum, and 90% recycled magnesium? All of these recycled product uses make these eco-friendly technology products.

If you are planning to gift your loved ones some or any of these, you will make a great positive change by embracing some of the best available in-line sustainable products.

15.Recycled Tetra Pack Products: sustainable Christmas gift idea for 2023

Recycled tetra packs can make a wonderful sustainable Christmas gift idea for 2023, and you can use them as gifts that work!

Believe it or not, you can actually find gifts made from recycled tetra packs.

Small cartons are shred to make tables, chairs, serving trays, and so many other products.

Which is your favorite of these? Grab one and gift it quickly to your favorite person.

16.PET fabric recycled products

Since we cannot do anything with these PET plastics, we can put them to good use instead of throwing them into landfills.

PET fabrics are created by shredding these PET plastics and then weaving them into yarn.

Rugs, mats, cushion covers, bags, backpacks, and much more can be made with these.

Try one, at least for yourself or your home, and you won’t be disappointed.

17.Jute products

Jute products: sustainable Christmas gift idea for 2023

When Jute Mills died off, there were many who couldn’t manage another job. Even though India is the largest producer of jute, with almost 1.349 million tons of it coming into the market every year, people got stuck with the ways they had learned to use jute.

But then a new renaissance came, and things and thoughts changed around the way jute was getting used.

Keep the industries alive, as people have now put their heads together and are making products attempting to revive the lost beauty of jute products.

Buy some jute products from West Bengal, Bihar, and Assam, and you will love them.

Backpacks, rugs, and even jute bags are made of jute, the most biodegradable fabric you can every meet. These pieces are a stunning sustainable Christmas gift idea for 2023 that can serve nature-loving friends very well!

18. Desserto products

Desserto products: sustainable Christmas gift idea for 2023

Did you know bags and wallets can be made from cactus pulp?

Yes, buy them from select stores and keep them close to you.

A cactus plant or even its products are reminders of hard times and that you need to have a soft, pulpy heart to endure the heat and desert of life. Create a sustainable Christmas gift idea for 2023 by gifting people wallets made of cactus pulp.

19. Khesh, recycled cotton cloth

There are industries that are shredding old cotton clothes and weaving them again with a warp of new cotton and old cotton fabric strips- brilliant example of biodegradable fabric. Mostly made in West Bengal, industries are using them to make fabrics, bags, wallets, and even belts.

These are beautiful additions to one’s closets, and if you think you love cotton, try this new variation and enjoy the feeling of contributing positively to the environment.

20. Plantable seed stationeries

When you think of this product, it will closely resemble one of your childhood imaginations. Most of us played and imagined around our stationeries as children. These stationeries will turn into plants like mine, which turned into lions, tigers, and centaurs.

These stationeries have seeds that grow out whenever you plant them, and they are one of the most innovative sustainable Christmas gift ideas for 2023.

Diaries, calendars, pencils, pens, gift tags, and so much more!

Try gifting your friends something that is going to take away their carbon tension and generate a fresh breath of oxygen.

21. AllBirds Sweet Foam

A big carbon footprint is being left by the footwear industry.

The flip-flops made by this company are sustainable and made from sugarcane.

Sandals made from sugarcane!

The sandal can absorb carbon dioxide from the environment and offers a carbon-negative environment.

Do buy yourself a pair, and it will be worth it.

22.Water bottles

All of us have family members who drink a lot of water throughout the day. There are medical needs for some of us where a lot of water needs to be gulped in, or there could be some special needs like camping or hiking in dry, arid regions. Clean water or cleaning the water in certain circumstances may not be a choice for some of us.

What if you could gift a bottle to them that kept itself and the water clean from microbes using UV light?

Wouldn’t you save your friend a few minutes more during the day spent on washing the water bottle and scrutinizing it carefully after washing?

Those who want sustainable water bottles can try the bottle from LARQ.

23.Bird and Lime Bikes

How many of you believe electric bikes and scooters are better?

I do.

If you too want to find out more about how you can benefit from riding an electric scooter, you can try getting one or gifting one to your sister orr….brother….

Eco-friendly, pollution-free, and with absolutely zero carbon emissions, it is one of the best ever conveyance means from one place to another.

Try them, and you might not want to miss them at all. Believe it or not, it is one of the brilliant, out-of-the box sustainable Christmas gift ideas for 2023.

24. Honeywell Lyric T6 thermostat

Conserve energy by using a smart thermostat that knows when everyone’s home and adjusts the temperature accordingly.

If you want to reduce the hassle of switching on and off your heating devices when you are planning a vacation, use a smart thermostat.

This way, whenever you come back home, you need not wait for the heat to turn on, and when you leave, you don’t have to worry about electricity bills either.

Use this thermostat, and your life can follow a new direction when you realize the amount you are able to save on your electricity bills.

25.Sustainable watches

Watches are an all-time favorite gift item- a part of the eco-friendly office gift idea huddle.

What if you knew you could get sustainable watches too- an ecofriendly gadget, a time keeper to count the time to holocaust? A way bit more imagination…..brrr…..rather….

Wouldn’t you be excited to buy one for the best person in your life?

These watches are handmade.

The maker uses recycled wood.

Offset carbon with each watch, and the company also uses the money to plant 10 trees.

The watches come in zero-waste packaging.

The watch straps are also manufactured from recycled wood, and those who already have the watch can even order a pair of straps.

26.Carry-on-closet

Do you struggle to place your things every time you visit an offbeat site? Why not carry your closet together? With this fresh idea, you can always have a place to keep your things together.

Each of these closets will clean 2.7 kilograms of ocean plastic from the coasts and communities. These closets are made of unbreakable polycarbonate cases and have:

Frictionless wheels
USB charging port
A three-digit lock

Gift it to perennial backpackers, serve well as the sustainable Christmas gift idea for 2023, and bring them the freedom to camp anywhere, even beside a pool, lake, in a desert, or on top of a mountain.

27. Hemp Clothing

Which industry comes second in polluting our environment?

Of course, the fashion industry comes second in this aspect.

If they could only switch to hemp- primarily a biodegradable fabric variety and produce clothing lines that are not only durable but also naturally degradable, it could be a turning point for our world.

Cotton farming leads to increased use of pesticides, and pesticides are one of the largest pollutants in the world. Had the fashion industry not used cotton and other fabrics and fibres manufactured synthetically or through the destruction of the natural ecosystem, we could have prevented a huge amount of pesticide pollution from troubling the world.

Yesterday was cotton, today is hemp!

28.World Wildlife Fund rPET umbrella

World Wildlife Fund rPET umbrella: sustainable Christmas gift idea for 2023

Using consumer water bottles, these umbrellas are hard, durable, stylish, and, above all, eco-friendly.

Each umbrella will come up to save you from 5.2 recycled plastic bottles.

Do not believe the saying, “If you gift umbrellas, you are gifting a rainy day to people.”

Why not think of the shade it can bring to you when you are walking down a hot summer afternoon?

Try any color or design of your choice and use them for the welfare of animals as a sustainable Christmas gift idea for 2023!

29.Sand free beach towels

By using 20 recycled bottles, these super absorbent, fast-drying, and microfiber fabrics can make your life easy on the beach if you are a sunny person.

Not only do you do a favor to yourself, but you also save the environment. I have an aunt who wouldn’t ever leave the beach alone. If you too have one, gift her one, and you will be blessed by her.

30.Will + Bear Sustainable hats

Will + Bear Sustainable hats: sustainable Christmas gift idea for 2023

If you are looking for sustainable hats, try the brand that is making waves with its own set of hats. If you love hats and live in Australia, Africa, or even South America or Middle Eastern heat, you must explore this exquisite brand.

Those who can or want a hat to wear can try any of their sustainable hats. You wouldn’t just love them; you would want to find an excuse to wear them all the time. One of the sustainable Christmas gift ideas for 2023 is these beautifully woven hats that do justice to the world in a lot of ways.

Plus, you buy a hat, and they plant 10 trees for it.

Try it! Love it! Adore it! Admire it! All for the sake of biodegradable fabric!

31.Zero-waste laundry detergent sheets

For those families that have a long laundry day every week, gift them zero-waste laundry detergent sheets.

There is a certain amount of anxiety bottled up in these detergent bottles.

With every drop more, the heart sinks, as waste is something many of us cannot afford.

One of the most sustainable Christmas gift ideas for 2023, these are pre-cut, dissolve in seconds, easy on hands, and soft on clothes. There is nothing to worry about, as one washing machine is enough to clean your entire laundry.

No more anxiety!

It is nothing that you cannot gift to anyone. In fact, more than anyone, don’t we need them? So why not gift a pack to yourself this year-end and get relieved of anxiety, stress, and the guilt factor?

32.Sustainable swimwear

Whales, sharks, and dolphins are subject to a lot of pain through slow suffocation and painful deaths.

They help manufacture suitable swimwear and fishing nets from recycled plastic bottles. They are regenerating waste and helping clean the ecosystem.

Would you want to have one for yourself?

You can order as a sustainable Christmas gift idea for 2023 or even for your year-end celebrations.

33. Seljak Blankets

They use factory floor offcuts, deadstock yarn, and textile wastes, starting from woolen to cotton or any other fabric waste. In this way, they create quality products and are also striving to save the environment- a stunning example of biodegradable fabric.

Those who want to gift blankets to people in need can try these beautiful ones. Each of these blankets is warm, comfy, and soft for a warm night.

One of the sustainable Christmas gift ideas for 2023, these blankets have served me well.

34. Try Recycled Polyester Clothing lines

Recycled polyester clothing lines are a hot favorite.

Marks and Spencer offer beautiful trench coats. These are cotton-rich and rain-defying outfits that go well with all kinds of attire. These clothing lines are working beautifully to make the world a better place. The companies acquire recycled polyester and cotton and turn them into wonders we would love to wear.

35.Travel containers: great sustainable Christmas gift idea for 2023

sustainable Christmas gift idea for 2023- Travel containers

Silicone bottles, TSA-approved, leak-proof, BPA-free, and easy carriers—these containers can save you from a lot of hassles.

These are just not eco-friendly; they help you live sustainably. The bottles provide you with an effective way to move through your daily routines without worrying about spillage or unnecessary waste of your products.

Those of you who do not have an idea about what it takes to cover a 7- to 10-day trip can trust the size of these bottles. Each of these can serve you for a comfortable period of time.

36.Natural deodorants: sustainable Christmas gift idea for 2023

Plastic-free, aluminum-free, and cruelty-free, these deodorants are made of 100% natural ingredients. It is a brilliant sustainable Christmas gift ideas for 2023 and is for those who love to go without bathing for days. Gifting them such gifts can make a whole lot of difference in their lives.

If you love your friends and neighbors, support them by gifting them what is good for their health.

37. Reusable Sanitary pads

Women have found their freedom in plastic, while the environment suffers from it.

“One man’s food is another man’s poison.”

Every year, a massive share of the plastic comes from worn sanitary pads.

But now you can wash your sanitary pads and reuse them. In this way, as women, you too can contribute towards unburdening the earth. If I put it this way, you can use them to not load more on Earth. Gaia is already dealing with a lot of our garbage.

Most of us now know it. Though it will not serve as a typical gift, you can always gift it to your mothers and aunts who have distanced themselves from both the good and the bad of the world. It is thus included in this list of sustainable Christmas gift ideas for 2023.

38.Biodegradable Rice Husk Lunch Boxes- Biodegradable packaging solutions

Most of the world eats rice once, and in this fast-paced world, we tend to carry rice in our lunch boxes to our offices. Most of us use plastic boxes to carry them with us.

But now, we can carry them in biodegradable rice husk lunch boxes and luncheon more healthily. The idea of gifting people with biodegradable rice husk lunch boxes as a sustainable Christmas gift idea for 2023 is quickly attracting people’s attention, as it attracted my attention. I would recommend we all gift each other these.

39.Sustainable yoga gear: sustainable Christmas gift idea for 2023

These beautiful yoga mats can be a beautiful addition to your daily needs- an example of biodegradable fabric.

They are made of 100% natural rubber and non-AZO dyes. Natural rubber is the most eco-friendly rubber in the world.

People who believe in meditation, yoga, and outdoor activities can easily be gifted sustainable yoga gear.

It does not skid, and you can even use it on moist ground without much hassle.

For your outgoing neighbor, this could be the best sustainable Christmas gift idea for 2023.

40. Plastic eyewear

Goggle-ogle!

Now we call them eyewear, and fashion has changed its course even with them.

Most of us love flaunting good eyewear, and when out in the sun, in the winter months, and during the summer, we love to use them every time until the sun sets.

Gifting your people plastic eyewear made from recycled plastic or biodegradable ones too would be a new and innovative idea.

Marine plastic is used to create eyewear and forms an indispensable sustainable Christmas gift idea for 2023.

These are super-comfortable and carry out all necessary functions like UV protection, lightness, and comfort.

If you use refurbished plastic, you save the planet!

FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions) on Sustainable Christmas Gift Ideas for 2023

How do you make your gift sustainable?

Examples of sustainable Christmas gift ideas for 2023 or the New Year would include anything that you can recycle easily.

It could be a refillable pen, a recycled paper notebook, or even a zero-waste candle.

What is the best gift you can give to the environment right now?

The best gift you can give to the environment right now is a recycled waste product. It can help remove excess waste from the environment.

You can also give biodegradable gifts that are capable of degrading through the natural degradation and composting processes.

Right now, the environment needs less plastic – plastics of all forms, sizes, and shapes.

By shunning their use, you will help the environment in many ways.

What do sustainable gifts mean?

Sustainable gifts are environment-friendly and help adhere to the benefits of nature. These gifts would help you use the earth’s waste, which has been created by human action for many long years. By using environment-friendly or environmentally-friendly products, you will do a huge long-term favor to the environment and nature.

What are the benefits of sustainable gifts?

They will harm the environment less, or they will help clean the environment better. Some products are made by using tons of plastic waste, and if you buy these products, you are literally giving back to the environment in the best possible ways.

Conclusion

A sustainable Christmas gift idea for 2023 is a step towards preserving nature. If you care, you must switch towards giving gifts that do not harm people or the environment in any way.

Sustainability and eco-friendliness go hand in hand. Generate some of the best Christmas gift ideas by referring to my list, which I have generated after going through my friend’s list. I gifted my friend some of what she had scribbled down on the sheet and she is happy, now that I had gone through her list. It happens she now has more products from the list for herself.

Image Credit: Amazon, Adidas, Prathaa.in (Khesh products), AllBirds (Sugarcane shoes), sustainable watch company, WWF (UK), Bok Beach Life (Sand Free Towels), Will & Bear Hats store, Oceanzen, Seljak Blankets, SaveGlobe, Sea2See.org.

More on sustainability can be found here.

The world of writing and the writer!

Snehashree

Pleasure toys and their impact on our health

Posted on December 13, 2023 by Snehashree

4 Comments

Pleasure toys are used by people during sex and also in absence of sexual pleasures. But then why would people want to use it and how are they impacting your health day in and day out is something you need to know.

Practicing different sexual forms and types is a choice many want to indulge in. Those who consider masturbation keeps people young and vibrant are those who prefer experimenting with pleasure toys in the current world.

What leads people to use sexual toys is a widely discussed topic. It envelops our mental health, our physical health and also our overall environmental needs.

Various scientists are trying to find out the exact causes behind people preferring sexual toys over real relationships.

Countries like India, where these were alien terms, are now quickly catching pace. According to this graph, you will realize the way different related pleasure toy terms have been searched over the past year in India alone.

Image credit: https://digpu.com/

Reasons pleasure toys see an increase in demand

Some of these reasons revolve around the following faculties;

Long distance relationships

There are many who don’t want to ditch their partners, but increasing distance between the two often puts them in a situation where pleasure toys seem to be a viable option. Our imaginations can bring us close, but there has to be a medium to create that influence. Most men and women use a pleasure toy to satisfy their physical needs.

Increased stress in the environment

While people are not able to satiate their pleasures with their partners on an everyday basis, indulging in a pleasure toy seems to help people. A rise in stress is leading to a rise in people’s need to suppress it. Sometimes gymming, cycling, and even partying are not enough to bring down stress hormone levels. In these periods and in people’s absence, pleasure toys are becoming an increasingly popular tool to look up to.

Busy schedules

Most people’s partners are busy. In such times, the other partner finds a pleasure toy as an important tool towards mitigating their desires and needs.

Increased sexual exploration abilities

Sexual exploration abilities have increased off late. People have found economic freedom, and with more and more people earning steadily, their needs are also seeing an exponential rise. Not only are people exploring their food and clothing, but they are also exploring different sexual ways.

The primary reasons for such increased sexual exploration can go back to people’s financial freedom and their increased ability to independently exhibit emotions and feelings.

People are more vocal about their needs

With people’s ability to become more vocal about their needs, there is an increased demand for pleasure toys. It is no longer an age when people’s desires meant nothing, and most often, a woman’s needs were almost blinded by society. In this current age, people have more freedom to be who they are without feeling ashamed or humiliated for it. Their needs are gaining prominence, and they are finding newer boundaries. There are groups fighting to extend the rights of humans in different directions. In such a positive environment, many prefer to come out with their newly found wings..

But before we do what we love to do, it is important to know what goes best for us and how healthy they are,

Benefits of using pleasure toys

The benefits of pleasure toys include not one but many points; however, not all the below-mentioned points have been proven by science and health. Some researchers, though, are moving in this particular direction..

It helps sleep

Boosts immunity

Relieves pain

Decreases stress level

Aids the sensual pleasures

It lowers the risks of prostate cancer in men

Heart attack risks are also reduced

It helps treat anorgasmia & erectile dysfunction

Pelvic floor dysfunction can be corrected

Restoring mental health conditions

However, these are various hypotheses and some journals and research manuals point to increased research and experimentation in this aspect. Increased collaboration within different medical sections is also imperative to carry out more research in this aspect.

What are the health risks of using pleasure toys?

Pleasure toys have different kinds of health risks associated with them. Using them is absolutely up to the user’s discretion, but knowing about the downsides can help you make better decisions.

Does vibration affect fertility?

Vibrations affect fertility in an indirect way. Most people using vibrators as sex toys need to know this bit of information. Phthalates are what you should be scared of. Like phthalates in plastic tupperware can cause cancer when used in microwaves, similarly, they can harm people through vibrators.

Thus, being aware can help you buy phthalate free vibrators.

Phthalates can get into your bloodstream via skin absorption, among many other ways. People using vibrators will obviously release phthalates through their continuous skin contact with the toy. The skin of our reproductive organs is soft and requires a lot of caressing.

Thus, regular use of vibrators containing phthalates will decrease the male sperm production ability. High exposure to phthalates can decrease the male sperm count by 20%.

According to a current study done, researchers found phthalates had adverse effects on the female reproductive system as well. Difficulty to conceive is a condition that women will face if they use plasticizers (including pleasure toys like vibrators) in different forms regularly.

Can pleasure toys cause cancer?

Apart from phthalates, HPV is another active component that causes cancer in women. If women use the toy in their vagina or in some other portion of the genitalia, then place it back in their mouth, it could be a plausible cause of HPV transfer. HPV transfer in this way can cause cancer in women, but not all HPV can cause cancer. If the genital HPV transfers to one’s oral cavity, there is a high chance that women can become susceptible to cancer, given that the HPV is a cancer-causing agent.

Can pleasure toys cause nerve damage?

Temporary desensitization is essentially what comes with vibrators and pleasure toys. If you want to masturbate for too long, you also need to remember that the desensitization of the clitoris might be more prolonged..

Using enough lubricants can save you from nerve damage and numbness of the clitoris. Too high setting values and using it for hours a day or daily might cause nerve damage.

However, some small studies and opinions from sexologists show that using the vibrator for a long time will not cause desensitization and is absolutely not happening to anyone.

But if the blunt end causes injuries or internal discomfort, you can easily seek medical advice.

Can silicone cause a yeast infection?

Lubricants can prevent nerve damage when used excessively, but they can also cause infections, most likely yeast infections. In medical science, benefit-risk ratio is a common term, and most often, doctors and other medical practitioners will make a judgment to accommodate this particular benefit-risk ratio.

They increase the risk of infection as they can be the source of yeast growth.
Cleaning sex toys can prevent yeast infections.
Choosing non-porous materials as sex toys can also benefit you.
Do not share your toys with others.

Common injuries due to the use of intimacy toys:

Discomfort and internal bleeding are the most common risks associated with the use of intimacy toys.

Tears to the vagina and anus
Broken penis
Burns on the back and buttocks
Foreign objects in the vagina
Heart attacks
Allergic reactions
UTI
Back injuries
STIs
Post orgasmic illness syndrome
Post sex depression
Genital burning

Pleasure Toys

What kind of pleasure toy materials to avoid?

Materials include ABS plastics, medical grade stainless steel, ceramics, pure silicone, pyrex, wood and steel.

Things to not use as intimacy toys?

Do not use pillows, stuffed animals and electronic toothbrushes.

How to maintain hygiene around pleasure toys?

Wash the toy with soap and water after every use. Avoid porous materials used to make toys.

Conclusion

We are changing and so are our lives. We can’t help often and find ways to put ourselves at rest. But avoiding health and hygiene over entertainment can always cost us dearly. It’s advisable not to use pleasure toys loosely and carelessly. Every life on this Earth is precious and meant for something more meaningful. Take measures, enjoy your life and live it to the fullest. Ensure choosing your pleasure toys can save your day and change your life to make it more complete, meaningful and efficient.

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TheScientificTriangle

What about the environment and science

Interpreting Dreams using EEG- Yukiyasu Kamitani so far

More on interpreting dreams

What is an electroencephalogram?

Understanding the interpretation of a normal EEG

Normal uses of an EEG machine

EEG interpretations in the sleep/wakefulness cycle

Working of the EEG machine

Stored EEG recordings and dream interpretations?

What happens when there is increased theta wave production?

Neurophysiological finings around dreaming

The current functioning of the EEG machine in interpreting dreams

Breakthrough organization

Number of people scanned

Type of scanning used

Findings shared at

Test procedure

Interpretation of dreams

Read more about the dream interpretation experiment here

What did they find out?

The explanatory part of Yukiyasu Kamitani’s so far- on his way to interpreting dreams

Interpreting dreams and how they work?

The dream mode

Involvement of different brain centers when interpreting dreams?

FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)

Recording and Interpreting Dreams by Electroencephalography

Conclusion

Green walls: Make your home sustainable and eco-friendly

What is a green wall?

Benefits of green walls

1. Green walls serve as temperature controls

1. Decrease in energy costs

2. The ability to purify the air around you

3. Removal of smog

Function of green walls?

1. Improves the aesthetic appeal

2. Reduces the noise level

City people know how harmful noises can be and also endure intolerable sound levels. By creating green walls, one can reduce the noise level immensely.

According to the University of Tennenese, planting two to three levels of plants can reduce the sound level by 7 Db.

Leyland Cypress is the best for homes as a living green wall. Plant species that can be used in gardens as noise reducing plants include Cryptomeria radicans, Indian hawthorn, dwarf buford holly, and oakleaf holly.

Plants can absorb sound energy and convert it into chemical energy through different physiological processes.

3. Increases biodiversity

Biodiversification is essential. I understood the fact when I met a child who knew the names of only three plants at the age of 5. It was shocking that the family had not invited the child to understand more about plants and insects.

When you place a living wall, you are not just inviting the green plants home but also the insects and worms. These would also lead to increased pollination, biodiversifying the environment within your home.

1. The façade life span can improve immensely

The lifespan of the walls can improve immensely if you use green wall technology. Living plants can prevent direct damage to the walls, increasing the lifespan of the walls by some more years.

Dust, rain, and sunlight can damage the external structure of your walls quickly and can harm the internal structures as well. With a green wall, this quick decay can be reduced considerably, prolonging the life span of the structures.

2. Absorbs rainwater

External living walls can absorb the rainwater sufficiently. They can also evaporate some of it easily. Excess rainwater can be absorbed by the plants. Green walls can become self-sufficient when harvested with rain water.

3. Growing vegetables and plants

Most of us these days don’t have the right to eat right. We buy from the local markets, which sell vegetables heavily laden with fertilizers. If you make a green wall, you can try growing small and big vegetables in it for yourself.

Green vegetables, flowers, and fruits that grow on vines can bring a kind of joy to your life that you will love to have.

4. Lowers the dust content within the room’s environment

5. Trapping particulate matter

Trees do what filters do to us. The only difference between the two is that trees are living and filters are made of dead matter. Trapping the particulate matter inside is a way they help clean the environment. Exactly how much particulate matter can they trap within themselves?

The dust load will be calculated based on the formulas here.

W = W1 – W2/A (W= amount of dust; W1 is the initial weight of the leaf with dust and W2 is the leaf weight without dust).

The percentage of dust capture is considered low if it captures less than 10% of the dust. Medium for those that capture 11–20% of dust, and high if they capture more than 21% of dust.

Certain plant traits, like spiral, alternate, and wholesome leaf arrangements, trichomes or prominent veins, shorter internodes and petioles, and a broader lamina, are responsible for increased dust load.

Plant species like Albizzia lebbeck, Bougainvillea spectabilis, Ficus religiosa, Swietenia mahagoni are capable of capturing more dust than others. There are a whole lot of plants that can filter dust better.

Kinds and types of green walls

Common plants that can be used as living walls.

1. Aechmea

2. Tillandsia

3. Vriesea

Useful plants for green facades and plants for the sun

1. Basil

2. Chamomile

3. Lavender

4. Strawberries

5. Spinach

6. Lettuce

More commonly used plants

7. Ferns and grasses are a great option

Can we conclude on green walls?

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