〈環境生態相關報導〉彙整頁面 - Page 6 of 7

Costco starts testing products for harmful substances

Costco begins testing for harmful substances in products American retail brand Costco recently announced a hazardous substance testing project called Smart Screening Program (SSP) for products on the shelves. At the strong request of many NGOs, Costco finally announced the implementation of this new hazardous substances management action. According to information on the official website, Costco has been conducting a variety of hazardous substance tests on specific consumer products, and ensures that the products at sales points around the world comply with local consumer regulations, such as the EU REACH regulations, the US TSCA and California Bill 65, etc. , under the newly launched SSP project, a list of more than 300 hazardous substances of concern (CoCs) has been established, and there is no doubt that hazardous substances exceed standards. However, the official website does not disclose which specific consumer products are tested for which regulations. According to a chemical substance management survey report conducted by the international NGO Safer Chemicals, Healthy Families (SCHF) on the 11 largest retail brands in the United States, Costco's performance last year was classified as failing, with only 9.5 points out of a possible 130. In this survey, Walmart and Target came out on top. SCHF pointed out that although Costco’s official website still cannot know the SSP inspection

2017-10-03

There is no better antibacterial soap; 200 scientists urge the US to tighten regulations.

There's no better antibacterial soap: 200 scientists urge stricter US regulations. Considering buying antibacterial soap or laundry detergent? Hold on. More than 200 scientists and medical professionals worldwide co-authored an article published on the 20th in the peer-reviewed journal *Environmental Health Perspectives*, pointing out that common antibacterial products are not only ineffective but may also be harmful to health and the environment. The article also urges consumers to be especially careful when using everyday antibacterial chemicals. Last fall, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) determined that 19 antibacterial chemicals, including the infamous triclosan and triclocarban, were ineffective and should not be available for purchase without a prescription. Now, these 200+ scientists say that the FDA's decision is insufficient to protect consumers and the environment. Antibacterial agents often appear in unexpected products, including paints, sports mats, flooring, clothing, food storage containers, home textiles, electronics, kitchenware, school supplies, and countertops. "People believe that antibacterial hand soap can prevent disease. But generally speaking, antibacterial soap doesn't perform any better than regular soap and water," points out Barbara Sattler, a professor of sanitation at the University of San Francisco. Consumer soaps and hand washes often use different additives. "I'm glad the FDA finally banned these additives in soap. But now the products sold at my local pharmacy contain worse additives than before," says Dr. Arlene Blum, executive director of the Green Science Policy Institute. "Consumers may think that antibacterial agents can reduce infection."

2017-10-03

American toy manufacturer Radio Flyer joins chemical footprint project

American toy manufacturer Radio Flyer joins Chemical Footprint Project. Radio Flyer, a well-known American toy family business, has disclosed its safe chemical management policy in the Chemical Footprint Project (CFP). As early as 2015, Radio Flyer partnered with the American NGO Clean Production Action (CPA) and the Lowell Centre for Sustainable Production at the University of Massachusetts to promote CFP. CFP, as the name suggests, records the amount of hazardous substances used in all products. CFP can also help assess a company's management of hazardous substances in its products, information disclosure, and commitment to replacing them with safer chemicals. Eric Selner, Director of Operations and Sustainability, stated that Radio Flyer's products include battery-powered cars, rideable toy horses, strollers, tricycles, and balance bikes, with a very diverse range of raw materials and a global network of suppliers, presenting numerous challenges in implementing its chemical footprint. The biggest challenge comes from communicating chemical information within the supply chain. Requiring suppliers to provide the chemical composition of materials is a trade secret for many companies. However, Radio Flyer, through repeated supply chain communication consensus meetings and...

2017-10-03

New York State releases green procurement guidelines for furniture.

New York State has issued green procurement guidelines for furniture. Several municipal and state governments in the United States are currently working to limit or discourage the inclusion of hazardous chemicals in furniture. New York State recently adopted a green procurement guideline specifically targeting harmful chemicals in furniture, requiring all public agencies and authorities in the state to comply. This guideline was developed under the authorization of the New York State Executive Order on Green Procurement and Institutional Sustainability (Executive Order 4), guiding state agencies to focus on procuring furniture that reduces or eliminates risks to human health and environmental safety. This standard applies to the procurement of furniture for public meeting rooms, dormitories, libraries, offices, and schools. The regulations also specify several restrictions and limits, including: – Limiting the polyvinyl chloride (PVC) content to less than 1% by weight; – Prohibiting lead content in all products except for electrical components and electronic products; – Prohibiting the intentional addition of perfluorinated chemicals (PFCs) used for stain-resistant, water-resistant, or oil-resistant treatments; – Ensuring that composite wood products comply with California formaldehyde regulations; – Prohibiting most chemical antimicrobial agents; – Encouraging the avoidance of certain phthalates, including DBP, DIBP, BBP, DnPP, DEHP, DnOP, DINP, and DIDP; – Avoiding the intentional addition of flame retardants within the permitted range of flammability requirements. The state government determines which chemicals need to be restricted when deciding on these restrictions.

2017-10-03

Environmental protection concepts are gaining traction, and green accommodations are becoming increasingly popular.

Environmental awareness is gaining traction, and green travel is becoming a trend. According to Booking.com's latest "Global Sustainable Travel Report," the percentage of travelers willing to choose environmentally friendly or green accommodations increased from 34% in 2016 to 65% in 2017, showing a significant increase in travelers willing to take concrete actions to support environmental protection and care for the planet. Nearly 70% (68%) of travelers said that environmentally friendly accommodations would increase their willingness to book. The survey showed that 43% of travelers would choose to use public transportation, and 42% would try to reduce their carbon footprint by walking or cycling. When asked if they would be willing to adjust their accommodation services for environmental reasons, most travelers agreed: 94% would be willing to stay in accommodations that use energy-saving light bulbs, 89% would be willing to stay in accommodations where air conditioning and heating are only turned on when someone is present, 79% would be willing to reduce the frequency of changing toiletries, and 75% would be willing to reduce the frequency of changing sheets and towels. A Booking.com survey revealed that over half of travelers, when they hear "sustainable tourism," immediately think of choosing environmentally friendly accommodations. Solar power, sustainable water supply systems, low-flow showers or toilets, organic restaurants or food, and the availability of recycling bins were the top five environmental factors when selecting accommodations. This survey, conducted by Booking.com in 11 global markets, interviewed over 1,000 travelers in each market. Respondents were required to be at least 18 years old and were interviewed in 2016.

2017-10-03

Ford develops bamboo fiber materials to achieve its vehicle lightweighting goals.

Ford develops bamboo fiber material to achieve vehicle body lightweighting Ford Motor will work to find sustainable materials for automotive manufacturing, according to a news release earlier this month. Currently, Ford has begun evaluating the use of bamboo fiber to strengthen plastics and apply them to storage boxes or siding. Ford has been actively seeking and developing new application materials globally in recent years. Instead of the previous centralized procurement, which transports materials found from various places to a factory for R&D and manufacturing, Ford has introduced a low-carbon concept to produce locally produced sustainable materials in the shortest transportation distance at local manufacturing plants and supply them to assembly plants in the same region. By resorting to new forms of production and manufacturing models, Ford will help Ford improve the efficiency of automotive materials, reduce negative environmental impacts to regions with abundant and sustainable materials everywhere, and strengthen local social and economic benefits through Ford's supply chain. Bamboo fiber is not only a renewable resource, but also a better alternative to the fiberglass used by traditional industries to strengthen the strength of plastics. And compared to fiberglass, the weight is 15-20% lighter, therefore, for automakers, body lightweight is one of the key points for refining car performance. Not just automakers, but brands in other industries are beginning to require their supply chain manufacturers to meet international sustainability requirements, especially the sources of key raw materials. General Motors has committed to working with the tire industry to ensure that its tire raw materials come from sustainable sources. The apparel manufacturing industry focuses on building sustainable supply chains, such as Levi Strauss & Co. investing funds to assist supply chain innovation.

2017-09-28

Apple's sustainable forests are sufficient to supply the product packaging materials needed.

Apple's Sustainable Forests Supplies Enough for Product Packaging Apple recently announced that its 320,000 acres of forest in mainland China have been certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC). Therefore, these sustainable forests not only maintain the local ecosystem and environment but also provide sufficient raw materials for all Apple product packaging. Apple's forest conservation program, launched in 2015 in partnership with the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), aims to gradually convert over one million acres of forest land in southern provinces of mainland China into sustainable forests by 2020. Apple's first goal in this program was to increase the area of protected and FSC-certified forests to over 300,000 acres through sustainable management, a goal successfully achieved within two years. Apple attributed this rapid and successful achievement to its partnerships with two major paper manufacturers in Hunan and Guangxi provinces, as well as WWF. WWF assisted these two companies in establishing forest sustainability management systems and trained their employees to identify forests of high conservation value; these are two of the most important core concepts required for FSC certification. Apple stated that it continues to consider how to make its packaging smaller, develop technologies for more efficient paper use, and use recycled paper whenever possible. In 2016, Apple used 131,000 metric tons of fiber.

2017-09-28

The Global Impact of China's Rejection of Foreign Waste

The Global Impact of China's Ban on Imported Waste: China's massive waste management industry forms the basis of waste recycling systems in most countries worldwide. Therefore, the announcement of China's strict ban on imported waste sent shockwaves through the global recycling industry. China will ban the import of various solid wastes by the end of this year (2017). In a document submitted to the World Trade Organization (WTO), the Chinese government stated that it had discovered "large amounts of highly polluting waste and hazardous waste" mixed in with imported waste, and therefore will ban the import of specific types of waste by the end of this year, including certain types of waste plastics, unsorted waste paper, waste textile materials, and vanadium slag. Mainland China and Hong Kong import large quantities of waste from around the world. According to data from the United Nations Comtrade database, in 2015, more than 70% of the world's waste plastics and 37% of waste paper were exported to China. European countries and the United States are the main sources of these wastes. China's quality requirements for imported waste were previously not stringent. According to statistics from the trade group Plastics Europe, China's plastic production accounted for 15% of the world's total in 2009, increasing to 28% in 2016. However, due to the lack of a mature plastic recycling industry in China, it has to rely on importing recycled waste from other countries. This economic model is also favored by waste-exporting countries, as they can conveniently use containers previously used for importing finished products to transport the waste for recycling back to their manufacturing bases.

2017-09-27

Can a circular economy improve the global water crisis?

Can the Circular Economy Alleviate the Global Water Crisis? Since 1991, the International Institute for Water Research in Stockholm has hosted World Water Week annually in Stockholm, providing a platform for exchange among academics, industry, politicians, and citizens. With the continued increase in the global population, human activities are rapidly escalating the demand for water resources. Therefore, the World Economic Forum (WEF) warns that water scarcity will be the greatest risk facing humanity in the next decade. However, given the current trend of countries promoting the circular economy, can humanity mitigate the water crisis? This year's (August 27, 2017 – September 1, 2017) World Water Week theme was "Water and Waste – Reduction and Reuse." A key focus of the forum was the integration of systematic planning and management into the global water use industry while promoting the circular economy. The circular economy emphasizes the reuse and recycling of materials, while reducing waste generation. More broadly, the principle of the circular economy is to improve the quality of life for the public and protect the most precious natural resources, while providing more employment opportunities in local communities. Take the Del Monte food group as an example; its most famous product is canned pineapple. Through a design and planning collaboration with Arup, they use anaerobic reactors to centrally treat wastewater from washing pineapples and production line wastewater into a relatively safe environment.

2017-09-27

Construction waste transformed into roadbed: Beijing's first road cross-section regeneration structure.

Beijing's First Road Cross-Section Recycling Structure Created Using Construction Waste as Roadbed. The Fangshan Branch of the Beijing Municipal Commission of Transport's Road Administration Bureau announced today (9th) that the major overhaul project of Gu Ba Road in the district has for the first time utilized construction waste and waste asphalt to create a road cross-section recycling structure. This effectively addresses the application of waste materials, saves energy, and reduces emissions. Gu Ba Road starts at Gu Ce Village and is an important road for residents along the route. It also connects important production enterprises such as Yanhua Chemical Plant, Chemical Plant No. 4, and China Railway Fangshan Bridge Plant. Running from south to north, it runs through the G5 Beijing-Kunming Expressway, Yanzhou Road, Jingzhou Road, and Dajian Road, making it an important north-south longitudinal road in central Fangshan District. Construction workers explained that the road surface uses hot recycled asphalt concrete; the base layer is emulsified asphalt cold recycled asphalt concrete; and the base layer is made of environmentally friendly materials such as recycled construction waste aggregate inorganic mixture. Among these technologies, recycled asphalt accounts for 25% of the total materials in hot-recycled asphalt concrete, 90% in emulsified asphalt cold-recycled asphalt concrete, and 80% in the recycled brick-concrete base course. Xu Shifa, a professor at the School of Civil and Transportation Engineering, Beijing University of Civil Engineering and Architecture, stated that the application of these three technologies greatly improves the utilization rate of waste materials, increasing environmental protection while ensuring the road's service life remains unchanged. (Source: Environmental Information Center, August 9, 2017)

2017-09-27

Focus on greenhouse gases, achieve a win-win future.

Focusing on Greenhouse Gases, Achieving a Shared Future. The Greenhouse Effect: Since the Industrial Revolution, the amount of heat-absorbing greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide emitted into the atmosphere by humans has increased year by year, thus strengthening the atmospheric greenhouse effect (also known as the "greenhouse effect," a common term for the atmospheric warming effect). In the long-term evolution of Earth's climate, greenhouse gases were of natural, not anthropogenic, origin in the early stages of climate change or in geological periods. However, with the development of human industrial activities, their main sources include the following three aspects: First, the use of fossil fuels and the emission of greenhouse gases such as CO2 increase the concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, thereby strengthening the greenhouse effect and affecting the climate. This is the main driving force behind global warming caused by human activities. Second, greenhouse gases such as CH4, CO2, N2O, PFC, HFC, and SF6 emitted by agricultural and industrial activities also enhance global warming through the greenhouse effect after entering the atmosphere. Third, changes in greenhouse gas sources/sinks and changes in surface albedo caused by land use changes further affect climate change. This includes deforestation, urbanization, vegetation alteration, and destruction. Most greenhouse gases remain in the atmosphere for a long time; for example, CO2 can remain for about 120 years, and perfluorocarbons (PFCOs) have a lifespan of about 50,000 years. This means that the exhaust gases released today will not disappear for a century or even hundreds of centuries. According to the 2007 IPCC (The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) assessment report, if the atmospheric CO2 content...

2008-06-10

The ice sheet is melting 1.4 times faster than it did ten years ago.

New scientific research has found that the amount of Antarctic ice melting each year is now approximately 80 billion tons more than in 1996. Experts used satellite measurements, which showed that the rate of ice and snow loss in the western half of Antarctica is 140% faster than ten years ago. Earlier studies suggested that the total amount of Antarctic ice could increase over the next century due to increased snowfall. However, the latest research overturns this assumption. The current estimated annual ice and snow loss across Antarctica is 196 billion tons; the worst-affected area is West Antarctica, where the estimated loss in 2006 was 132 billion tons, an increase of 49 billion tons compared to the 83 billion tons lost in 1996. In the Antarctic Peninsula, the rate of ice and snow loss is even faster, with the estimated loss increasing from 25 billion tons to 60 billion tons. It is believed that the ice and snow loss in East Antarctica is much lower, at 4 billion tons per year, and has remained unchanged since 1996. An international team of scientists is currently observing changes in the ice and snow cover along 85% of the Antarctic coast. Professor Bonma of the University of Bristol stated that scientists' observations in the area have revealed significant and dramatic changes in ice thickness, indicating that climate system changes are rapidly impacting Antarctic ice sheets. Bonma further confirms a global trend of shrinking glaciers in mountains worldwide, including Greenland, the Patagonian Plateau, and Alaska. While it cannot be definitively stated that global warming is the sole culprit behind glacial melting, it is widely believed that the loss of ice and snow in Antarctica is accelerating.

2008-03-28

The collapse of the Antarctic ice shelf is larger than two Taipei cities combined.

A collaboration between the Geodynamics Research Center at National Cheng Kung University in Taiwan and research institutions in the United States and the United Kingdom has confirmed through satellite imagery that the Wilkins Ice Shelf (ice shelf) on the Antarctic Peninsula has experienced a massive collapse due to the effects of global warming. This is the largest ice shelf observed to have melted and retreated in Antarctica to date, larger than two Taipei cities. The National Snow and Ice Data Center at the University of Colorado Boulder issued a press release on the 25th, stating that satellite imagery shows the ice shelf, covering a total area of 13,680 square kilometers, has begun to disintegrate due to rapid warming. Researchers stated that the Wilkins Ice Shelf is a large ice floe located 1,609 kilometers south of South America. Dr. Scott Scomber, chief scientist at the National Snow and Ice Data Center, who first discovered the collapse in March, said, "We believe the Wilkins Ice Shelf has existed for hundreds of years, but it has begun to disintegrate due to the influence of warmer air and ocean currents." Satellite photos show that the Wilkins Ice Shelf began collapsing on February 28th, with a large iceberg breaking off from the southwestern end of the ice shelf, triggering a series of collapses affecting an area of 405 square kilometers. According to a report by the Central News Agency, Taiwanese scholars, at the invitation of the U.S. National Snow and Ice Data Center, used the Formosa-2 satellite on March 8th to capture images of the Wilkins Ice Shelf disintegrating. Liu Zhengqian, associate professor of the Department of Earth Sciences at National Cheng Kung University, said that the disintegration area of the Wilkins Ice Shelf is larger than two Taipei cities, and it is now supported only by a long ice block about six kilometers long. Updated: 2008/03/27 08:00 Compiled by Wang Xiantang

2008-03-28

Antarctic ice sheet cracking: a warning sign of escalating warming

Satellite images taken by the National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC) at the University of Colorado show that the vast Wilkin Ice Shelf in Antarctica has begun to disintegrate under the influence of global warming. A massive iceberg, covering an area of 414 square kilometers, located in one corner of the ice shelf, suddenly broke apart recently. Scientists indicate that this was caused by an iceberg 41 kilometers long and 2.4 kilometers wide breaking off from the southwestern leading edge of the ice shelf on February 28th. This is the largest break since 2002. The Wilkin Ice Shelf is a vast perennial ice sheet, covering an area of 12,950 square kilometers, located in the southwest of the Antarctic Peninsula, about 1,609 kilometers from South America. Due to recent continuous ice breakup, including larger-scale cracks in 2002 and 1995, the remaining part of the ice shelf is currently supported only by a thin ice column located between two islands. Scientists noticed the satellite images within hours of the ice shelf breaking apart and immediately ordered satellite cameras to turn around, even circling overhead to capture rare photos and images. According to scientists involved in the filming, giant ice blocks the size of small houses were scattered everywhere, resembling a bomb explosion. NSIDC Chief Scientist Scalpers said in a statement, "If [the ice shelf] continues to retreat, this last support will also disintegrate, and we could lose half of the entire ice shelf in the coming years." He pointed out that the crack in the ice shelf was filled with water and was breaking and disintegrating. Scientists from the British Antarctic Survey, who participated in the investigation...

2008-03-28

Global warming could cause dengue fever to cross the Tropic of Cancer.

Global warming could cause dengue fever to cross the Tropic of Cancer. Experts are concerned that the global greenhouse effect is continuing to expand, potentially leading to a surge in dengue fever outbreaks. If this spreads across borders, regions, and into the new year, it could become uncontrollable. The world should respond promptly and implement preventative measures. The first Taiwan-UK Young Scientists International Exchange Program is holding a three-day academic symposium in Taipei starting on the 18th, focusing on the globally relevant topic of "infectious and immune diseases." Given that dengue fever outbreaks occur in Taiwan on average once every ten years, coupled with the global greenhouse effect, Dr. Anderson, Director of Epidemiology at Imperial College London, warned: "The dengue fever epidemic may shift northward, posing a major threat to humanity." Dr. Anderson, who will assume the presidency of Imperial College London this August, visited Taiwan during the SARS outbreak to assist in controlling the epidemic. He pointed out that Aedes aegypti mosquitoes inhabit warmer environments and typically thrive between the equator and the Tropic of Cancer, rarely crossing the Tropic of Cancer. However, due to the greenhouse effect and rising global temperatures, Aedes aegypti mosquitoes may cross the Tropic of Cancer, causing dengue fever outbreaks to spread northward. Professor Hsieh Shih-liang of the Institute of Microbiology and Immunology at Yangming University stated that because Taiwan straddles the Tropic of Cancer, high summer temperatures easily attract mosquitoes; as temperatures drop in autumn and winter, mosquito activity decreases, and the outbreak will subside somewhat. The problem is that with global warming in recent years, if temperatures continue to rise, mosquitoes will roam year-round, spreading across years and regions, making outbreaks uncontrollable. Dr. Anderson emphasized that countries must establish real-time video monitoring systems to comprehensively control global epidemics such as dengue fever and avian influenza. Hsieh Shih-liang reminded the public to...

2008-03-19

Asia’s economic and social development will regress due to climate warming

The "Up In Smoke" coalition, comprised of approximately twenty major international environmental and development organizations, warned in a statement yesterday that unless immediate countermeasures and actions are taken to address the threats posed by climate change to humanity and the environment, global warming will set back the social and economic development of the entire Asian region by decades. The "Up In Smoke" coalition, comprised of international non-profit organizations such as ActionAid, the London-based International Institute for Environmental Development, and Greenpeace, made the above statement at a press conference in New Delhi yesterday. The statement cited the coalition's report, "Up In Smoke: Asia Pacific," which said that the impacts of climate change are already beginning to appear in several parts of Asia; for example, last month, a typhoon struck the southeastern coast of mainland China, affecting five million people. According to a report cited by the "Nothing to Be Gone" alliance, established four years ago, Asia, home to more than two-thirds of the world's population, will be the first to suffer the devastating consequences of climate change. More than half of Asia's population lives in coastal areas and will be direct victims of rising sea levels caused by global warming. Many Pacific island nations, such as Vanuatu, are already in crisis. The alliance report states that 87 percent of the world's 400 million known small villages are located in Asia, and these villages, relying on regular and reliable rainfall, are particularly vulnerable to the effects of climate change. For example, increased drought in northern China is destroying the livelihoods of local farmers; furthermore, ten high-altitude glaciers in western China...

2007-11-20

Climate change may harm Asia-Pacific the most

Thirty-five environmental and humanitarian aid groups released a research report on the 19th titled "Will the Asia-Pacific Region Be Destroyed?", warning that if countries worldwide do not pay attention to climate change, the Asia-Pacific region will be the hardest hit, and decades of economic and social development could be wiped out. The report points out that increasing research shows that temperatures in Asia will continue to rise this century, with negative consequences including more unpredictable rainfall and monsoons, severely impacting crop yields, stronger typhoons and tropical storms, and rising sea levels threatening the survival of Pacific island nations. Small farms will be hit hardest. The study found that Asia accounts for 87% of the world's 400 million small farms, and these small-scale agricultural operations are most affected by climate change; if nighttime temperatures rise by one degree Celsius during the harvest season, Asian rice production will decrease by 10%, and wheat production will decrease by 32% by 2050. Furthermore, the boom in biomass energy crops will accelerate deforestation, exacerbating global warming. Floods and droughts are causing crop losses. By country, island nations like Vanuatu, Kiribati, and Tuvalu are already threatened by rising sea levels, and the four billion people along Asia's coast may also be affected. Bangladesh, where 70% of the population is agricultural, is already impacted by changes in temperature and rainfall patterns, affecting crop yields. India faces both devastating floods and drought in some areas; "if left unchecked, India will lose 30% of its food production." China, threatened by drought and other factors, may see a 37% reduction in major crop yields by the end of this century. The report calls on developed countries to take steps to reduce...

2007-11-20

Global warming should be addressed by providing a protective umbrella for the Earth, promoting nationwide tree planting and afforestation.

Global warming has recently become a widely discussed issue, with some scholars pointing out that Taiwan is warming at twice the global rate. Private enterprises have launched the "Protecting the Earth" campaign, highlighting afforestation as the most effective way to combat global warming. This year, warmer weather and the absence of the plum rain season have led to exceptionally rapid growth of various vegetables, causing prices to plummet. Due to rapid warming and overheated oceans, the Great Barrier Reef is facing a crisis of widespread coral bleaching. Global warming shows no signs of stopping, and scholars predict that the trend of ecological degradation in Taiwan may intensify. As the issue of global warming continues to escalate, the challenges facing Taiwan are unavoidable. The Earth's environment is changing gradually and cannot be ignored. Chen Chao-chen, Dean of the College of Agriculture at National Pingtung University of Science and Technology, stated, "This includes issues related to daily life, production, water resources, agriculture, and even health, all of which will face crises." Statistics show that the Earth's carbon dioxide concentration and temperature have risen sharply over the past 100 years, evidence of global warming. Experts recommend that afforestation is the lowest-cost and simplest way to mitigate the greenhouse effect. Chen Chao-chen stated, "By planting trees on the earth, we are essentially capturing carbon dioxide from the air and storing it in the tree trunk. In this way, the tree becomes like a green factory." The government and private enterprises are actively promoting forest restoration and a nationwide afforestation campaign, taking the first step to protect the planet—starting now. (Reprinted from Yahoo News)

2007-07-10

British report: Humanity will pay a heavy price for the consequences of global warming.

If governments continue to ignore the impacts of global warming over the next decade, humanity will pay a devastating price. A research report to be released on the 30th by former World Bank chief economist Stern indicates this cost could reach $6.98 trillion. Stern's over 700-page report marks the first analysis of global warming by a leading economist. The British weekly magazine *The Observer* published excerpts, suggesting that frequent floods and droughts could displace over 200 million people. Global economic growth will also be severely hampered. The magazine also quoted British authorities as saying, "Just as global warming sparked a frenzy in the scientific community two years ago, this issue will also generate widespread discussion in the economics community." The report states that the price humanity pays for global warming will exceed that of World War I and II or the Great Depression of the 1930s. Even if governments immediately stop polluting the planet, accumulated carbon dioxide emissions will continue the warming effect for another 30 years, and sea levels will continue to rise for the next century. With global warming becoming an urgent issue, Stern suggested that countries should sign a new agreement following the Kyoto Protocol next year, instead of waiting until 2010 as originally planned. Stern urged the world to establish international standards not only to halt the rapid rise in temperatures but also to reduce the carbon footprint of the atmosphere. He stressed that decisive action from the international community is essential to solving the problem. (Reprinted from Yahoo! News)

2007-06-27

Promoting waste recycling creates a huge business opportunity for global warming.

Global warming also presents business opportunities. Besides LEDs, solar energy, and other alternative energy sources, efficient waste recycling offers immense potential. Take paper, for example: Taiwanese people consume over 300,000 tons of paper daily just from reading newspapers, and globally, approximately four billion trees die annually from paper production, severely impacting the environment. If we properly utilize waste paper through recycling, it will not only be environmentally friendly but also present significant business opportunities. Some domestic companies have already obtained green certifications by promoting waste recycling, securing orders from major domestic and international manufacturers and successfully entering the global market. It's energy efficient, water-saving, and easy to do. Beyond waste paper, there's also the recycling of waste building materials, with the green building materials trend creating a surge in business opportunities. Fiberglass, recycled pulp, and building material scraps are all recycled. Even water vapor generated during the manufacturing process is carefully recovered. Although recycling and reuse are more expensive, the commitment to environmental protection results in healthier and more efficient products. The green trend brings numerous business opportunities both domestically and internationally. However, becoming a green member inevitably comes at a price, but for manufacturers who invest early, it's definitely a case of short-term losses followed by long-term gains. (Reposted from Yahoo News)

2007-06-27

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>Environmental and ecological related reports

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>Environmental and ecological related reports