A Green Blog (by DeBass Recycling)

Cows create almost 20% of the world’s greenhouse gases.  That’s more than trains, planes and automobiles combined!  Other livestock contribute as well, but when you measure gas emissions, cow flatulence heats up the earth like nothing else.  In fact, the methane that cows discharge has 23 times the warming potential of carbon dioxide.

Consider that one cow releases about 10 lbs of methane per month and there are 100 million cows just in the US.  That’s 12 billion pounds of methane emitted into the atmosphere every year.

SOLUTION:

1.  Well, if you’re a rancher - change what your cows eat.  Feeding them garlic neutralizes the bacteria in their stomachs and cuts their emissions in half.

2. As an individual, reduce your intake of red meat.  A University of Chicago study found that each beef eating America contributes to pumping an extra 1.5 tons of CO2 into the air every year.  Almost all of that emission is created by raising cattle and processing beef.  It’s equivalent to driving an extra 5,000 miles every year.

Also known scientifically as caulerpa taxifolia is the most resilient species of seaweed. This plant used to be highly popular as an aquarium plant because of its ability to thrive in almost any aquatic environment.  Unfortunately, this plant competes with its cousin seaweed species - generating a toxic chemical that keeps other fish from eating it.  As a result, it creates large swamp areas of the sea that can’t support fish.

A few years ago, Killer Algae appeared off the coasts of Australia and California and in the Meditteranean.  The spread was allegedly sparked by an aquarium owner who disposed of it in a storm drain.

SOLUTION:  Dispose of algae and other aquarium items in dry trash - keeping the two eco-systems separate.

To date there are 17 million pet birds in America and ownership of pet birds is growing at a rate of 5% per year.  Unfortunately, the most popular bird to own is a parrot.  Because parrots are in high demand and hard to capture (approximately 70% die in captivity in an effort to export them to the US for pet ownership) they are being pushed to the edge of extinction.

SOLUTION:  Help limit the trade of illegal parrots and adopt from a shelter.

Tropical fish make great pets because of their beautiful colors and exotic looks, but did you know that some tropical fish are caught using methods that are bad for the environment?

The two most aggregious methods are “poison fishing” and “blast fishing”.  Poison fishing is most popular in Bali and the Philippines.  In poison fishing, divers squirt cyanide into a coral reef to disorient the fish and then saw into the coral and grab them - leaving the coral and the other fish to die.  In blast fishing, divers throw a stick of dynamite into the reef to stun the fish.  The diver captures the disoriented fish and leaves behind a dying coral reef, disrupted swimming patterns, destroyed eco-systems and multiple dead fish.  Unlike poison fishing, blast fishing is illegal - this however doesn’t stop people from doing it.

As a result of detrimental tropical fish harvesting like the aforementioned methods and a host of other poor environmental practices, 25% of the world’s coral reefs are dead or dying and an additional 30% are in immediate danger of the same fate. The death of coral reefs affects the many countries who depend on the reefs for food, livelihood and medicine.  In fact, many of today’s AIDS and cancer medicines are made from coral reefs.  Additionally, coral reefs serve as the backbone of the ocean - protecting the coast from sunamis and flooding.

SOLUTION:

Considering purchasing fish from businesses that are MAC (Marine Aquarium Council) certified.  Businesses that are a part of this organization are aligned to collecting tropical fish under the most sustainable methods possible.