Useful tips

Green tips for children

1. Do not waste paper - We cut trees to make paper. Saving paper saves trees.
2. Walk, cycle or take the bus to school. It saves fuel and reduces pollution.
3. Turn off the water while taking bath and brushing teeth. It saves water.
4. Start an organic garden at school and create compost for it. You can learn how to use natural resources effectively.
5. Turn off lights and appliances/electronics when not in use. It saves electricity
6. Eat seasonal fruits. You save nature and money too.
7. Plant trees. They keep your environment green and healthy
8. Reduce waste by using less of packaged goods and disposables. You can keep your environment clean.
9. Spend your play time with nature instead of video games/TV. You can save energy and by healthy too.
10. Be an ambassador to save nature. Spread these tips to your friends too.

Eco friendly ways to beat the summer

1. Drink plenty of water. Avoid bottled water as they add on to waste and deplete natural resources
2. Avoid caffeinated drinks. Drink natural coolants like butter milk.
3. Wear light-colored clothes, preferably cotton clothes.
4. Drink a lot of fluids to avoid dehydration. Some of the natural fluids are lemon juice, tender coconut, fruit juices, etc. Tender coconut water contains sugar, fibre and proteins along with vitamins and minerals.
5. Eat a lot of salads and fresh fruits that naturally contain water, like water melon. In fact this fruit contains nearly 92% water and up to 14% of Vitamin C. This helps replace moisture content that is lost through sweating. Small amounts of Vitamin B and potassium are also found in this fruit.
6. Drink water that is stored in earthenware pots.
7. Avoid eating oily food and especially avoid eating cut fruit from vendors as it may have been exposed to flies and dust.

Source: Portal content team

Simple tips to identify adulterated petrol

Consumers are the sufferers of the malpractice of adulteration. Any quality conscious consumer has the right to be assured of the quality of the products and if one desires, s/he can get his/her sample checked for adulteration. Some easy and important checks can be conducted at the retail outlet for Motor Spirit (MS) (Petrol) /High Speed Diesel (HSD). The following are the tests.

Filter Paper Test - For Motor Spirit (Petrol)

• First the mouth of nozzle is cleaned to remove stains.
• Then, a drop of petrol is put on the filter paper from the nozzle.
• The petrol dropped on the filter paper is allowed to evaporate for 2 minutes.
• The petrol should evaporate without leaving any stain on the filter paper. If the colour left on the paper is pinkish, it is the colour of MS and not a stain. Dealers are expected to provide filter paper to customers on demand.

Density test

• This is a very simple test for both MS and HSD. The test takes approximately 5 to 10 minutes.
• Product is taken in a glass jar and then a Hydrometer (separate Hydrometers for MS and HSD) available with the dealer is immersed in the product.
• A Thermometer is also immersed into the product jar simultaneously without touching the walls of the jar.
• The readings of Thermometer and Hydrometer are taken.
• Then, with the help of a conversion chart, the density is converted to 15^oC and this is compared with the recorded density/reference density, which can be seen from the density register maintained by the dealer. If the variation between the observed density and recorded/ reference density is within + 0.0030, then the product density can be considered to be correct. If the difference is more than + 0.0030, then it indicates possibility of adulteration.

Water contamination checks

For both MS and HSD can be done with the help of a dip rod and water finding paste, available with the dealer.

In case of lubricants

The customer must check the seal of container, date of manufacture and name of the manufacturer. For convenience of 2/3 wheelers, retail outlets provide 2-T dispensers / 2-T mix dispensing units and also keep tamper proof 2-T pouches.

Source : Central Pollution Control Board

Simple tips to prevent Pollution

Turn off Sound pollution

1. Keep the volume of your TV, music system low.
2. Honk the car horn sparingly.
3. Discourage use of loudspeakers.
4. Avoid the use of band, crackers in wedding processions.
5. Get all to practice laws regarding Sound pollution.

Vapourise Air pollution

1. Keep smoke emission from homes, factories, vehicles to minimum.
2. Avoid use of firecrackers.
3. Dispose garbage in bins, do not bum it.
4. Use spittoons or flowing drains for spitting.
5. Get all to practice laws regarding Air pollution.

Purify Water pollution

1. Never dump garbage near communal taps, wells and other water bodies.
2. Do not tinker with public water pipes.
3. Immerse holy idols in authorised places.
4. Get all to practice laws regarding Water pollution.

Dispose off Chemical pollution

1. Prefer organic manure to chemical fertilizers, paper to polythene, cotton, jute to polyester.
2. Dispose polythene bags through proper channel.
3. Plant more trees and vegetation.
4. Get all to practice laws regarding Chemical pollution.

Prevention and Control of Vehicular Pollution

Tips to fight PC (Personal Computers) radiation

Studies claim that the electromagnetic radiation emitting out of your PC and its related parts like printers, modem and Wi-Fi devices can cause damages ranging from sleep disorders to allergic reactions to heart diseases. For instance, an old CRT computer monitor emits as high as 3 milligauss of radiation at 30 cm and 4 milligauss at the sides.

Here are a few tips to help you avoid that harmful PC radiation.

1. The first thing to do is to let go of your old PC, especially if it still has a CRT monitor. According to studies, the old box-shaped cathode-ray tube (CRT) computer monitors emit high levels of radiation. LCD monitors relatively emits less radiation. According to reports, LCD screens create an EMF (Extremely Low Frequency) of 0.3 milligauss at 30 cm, from the front or back and practically nothing at the sides. Reports also suggest that old computers release upto twice the amount of radiation compared to the new models developed using advanced technologies.
2. Attaching a radiation filter on the computer screen can also reduce the effect of computer radiation. Also, avoid placing any metal substances near your PC as they reflect electromagnetic waves.
3. Set your computer screen brightness to a level that is comfortable for viewing. According to reports, the brighter the screen, the highest the radiation and viceversa. Also, make sure the screen brightness is not too low as it may be harmful for your eyes. An ideal viewing distance should be 50 to 75 cm away from the screen.
4. To reduce harmful PC radiation you must decide where to place your system. It is advised not to place your computer's back overlooking someone sitting. According to studies, the computer's back releases strongest radiation while the front of the screen releases minimal radiation.
5. To reduce harmful PC radiation you must decide where to place your system. It is advised not to place your computer's back overlooking someone sitting. According to studies, the computer's back releases strongest radiation while the front of the screen releases minimal radiation.
6. The computer screen emit carcinogenic substances which can be extremely harmful for your health. This can be minimised by ensuring proper ventilation in the room. Also, putting a ventilated cooler/fan near your PC may help. Also, frequently rinse your face to remove some electromagnetic radiation particles that may stick on your face while you are working on computer. Simply doing this can help you get rid of as much as 70% of radiation.

Source : Times of India

Tips to Reduce Cell Phone Radiation Exposure

Cell phones emit radiation to send voice and text messages to the other caller. Health risks aren’t confirmed, but some (not all) studies of frequent cell phone users suggest increased risks for brain and mouth tumours and children’s behavior problems. To be on the safe side, follow the tips below to reduce exposures.

1. Buy a low-radiation phone - Understand the radiation level emitted by your phone. Consider replacing your phone with one that emits the lowest radiation possible and still meets your needs.
2. Use a headset or speaker - Headsets emit much less radiation than phones. Some wireless headsets emit continuous, low-level radiation, so take yours off your ear when you're not on a call. Using your phone in speaker mode also reduces radiation to the head.
3. Listen more, talk less - Your phone emits radiation when you talk or text, but not when you're receiving messages. Listening more and talking less reduces your exposures.
4. Hold phone away from your body - Hold the phone away from your torso when you're talking (with headset or speaker), not against your ear, in a pocket, or on your belt where soft body tissues absorb radiation.
5. Choose texting over talking - Phones use less power (less radiation) to send text than voice. And unlike when you speak with the phone at your ear, texting keeps radiation away from your head.
6. Poor signal? Stay off the phone - Fewer signal bars on your phone means that it emits more radiation to get the signal to the tower. Make and take calls when your phone has a strong signal.
7. Limit children’s phone user - Young children’s brains absorb twice as much cell phone radiation as those of adults. EWG joins health agencies in at least 6 countries in recommending limits for children’s phone use, such as for emergency situations only.
8. Skip the “RADIATION SHIELD” - Radiation shields such as antenna caps or keypad covers reduce the connection quality and force the phone to transmit at a higher power with higher radiation.

Source :http://www.ewg.org/cellphoneradiation/5-Safety-Tips

Related Resources

1. Low carbon lifestyles booklet(1.8MB)
2. Power management of Desktop Computer System(21.3KB)
3. EWG's Guide to Safer Cell Phone Use: Cellphone FAQs