Who hasn't heard the saying: my home is my castle? Is this really so in modern world? Why is it that allergies or other more serious diseases most often overtake us within our own walls? Trying to make homes cozy, carrying out European-quality renovations, buying new furniture, few people think about how important environmental safety is at home.

With what enthusiasm everyone began to replace the old window frames with plastic ones. On the one hand, there is grace: there is no need to glue the windows for the winter, paint the frames, the tightness has improved, and on the other... The debate about whether there is any harm to health does not subside. Manufacturers are trying to reassure people by stating that the lead used to make windows is absolutely harmless and that sunlight does not contribute to the release of dioxin and polyvinyl chloride, since this is only possible at temperatures above 200 degrees.

Opponents of this innovation cite published data from various examinations as an argument that plastic frames impede the flow of fresh air and, in the absence of sufficient ventilation, an increase in the concentration of dust, humidity and temperature occurs, which is clearly harmful to human health. Scientists associate the increase in the number of diseases such as asthma, allergies and even cancer with disruption of the microclimate in homes. We can discuss the pros and cons for a long time, but progress cannot be stopped; plastic is used everywhere in our lives. Let's better think about how to minimize possible harm to health, because they are inextricably linked.

Do not order installation plastic windows from a company whose only argument is the low price. It is desirable that the manufacturing company has already been known on the market for several years and has well-functioning production that guarantees the quality of the product, which is necessarily confirmed by a certificate. By the way, many manufacturers have abandoned the use of lead in the production of windows, replacing them with zinc or calcium. This can be easily verified by looking at the relevant technological documents. At the same time, find out if the profile has valves supply ventilation. But even if you have such devices, do not forget to ventilate the premises daily.

One of the main attributes of the so-called European-quality renovations is wallpaper. In the store we choose them according to the “like it or don’t like it” principle. But here, too, environmental safety rules should be provided, since the beauty of wallpaper can be dangerous. Vinyl wallpapers, which are popular because they can be washed, release toxins, a large list of which includes the well-known formaldehyde. And if it occurs to you to put up phosphorescent wallpaper in your children’s room, which glows so beautifully like stars in the dark, know that you are creating a mini Chernobyl with your own hands. Such wallpapers emit a radioactive substance - radon. Paper wallpapers are considered the most environmentally friendly. So what if they are short-lived! But after a few years, after re-pasting the wallpaper, you will update the interior, which will have a beneficial effect not only on your health, but also on your psycho-emotional well-being.

Environmental safety at home is also important when choosing furniture. In this case, do not forget to find out what materials it is made of, for example, cushioned furniture or a mattress on which you are going to have sweet dreams. The fact is that the foam rubber used in production can emit toxins that are not at all safe for human health, because this material is just a foamed polymer. Foam rubber is especially dangerous in case of fire due to the release of hydrocyanic acid. Fans of smoking in bed should remember this. The rules of environmental safety are simple - do not buy furniture with foam padding. Or ask whether it was impregnated with special substances - fire retardants, which, however, is also not very safe for humans.

I remember recent times when a large number of carpets in an apartment indicated the wealth of its inhabitants. Thank God, a “revaluation of values” has occurred in people’s minds and you rarely see carpets hanging on the walls anymore, although the floors are covered with them. Carpets are the main dust collectors in the apartment. The dust particles accumulated in them provoke diseases of the respiratory system and allergies. A ? These microscopic creatures, feeding on keratinized particles of human skin, cause many health problems. The body's reaction to them can manifest itself not only in the form of sneezing, nasal congestion, skin rashes, but can even lead to bronchial asthma.

In this case, the environmental safety of the house will consist of: next steps:
— it is desirable that the carpet is not synthetic, although in our time this is unlikely. Therefore, beat and clean the carpet as often as possible. It’s winter now and it wouldn’t hurt to take the carpet out into the snow and walk over it with a beater;
- throw away all old cotton mattresses and blankets. Feathers and down pillows replace with padding polyester. Such pillows wash well, but experts still advise changing them every two years. In the summer, take the time to “fry” not only pillows and blankets, but also mattresses in the sun.

Environmental safety rules are not at all complicated, the main thing is to show common sense when taking actions to improve your life, so that life within your own walls becomes more comfortable, and does not turn into a “minefield”.

Environmental safety at home– the topic is quite extensive. I hope to develop it further in future articles, so stay tuned, there will definitely be...

Creation date: 2013/11/28

Construction Materials

Environmentally dirty houses are not the fantasies of scientists and specialists, but a real fact from which many people suffer. It often happens like this: a person returns home and begins to be bothered by headaches, runny nose, and sore throat. The thought of “allergy”, which is so fashionable now, immediately comes to mind. But it’s worth going out Fresh air, and relieves all ailments as if by hand. And at home I feel disgusting again, and then I have aches in the joints or insomnia. When all this happens regularly and no doctor can help, the reason must be sought in the ecology of your home. In medicine there is now even a new diagnosis: sick building syndrome, and in sanitation - new topic: environmental safety of the home.

Let's start with building materials. Some of them are very dangerous to health. Thus, over the past few decades, many new ones have become firmly established in everyday life - from pressed boards with synthetic resins to plastic and artificial carpeting. And they release many active organic compounds that are not at all harmless to health. Even widely used linoleum coverings are recommended by hygienists to be used only in places where people do not visit very often. Relatively cheap plastic walls, wood fiber and pressed chipboards are especially unfavorable for the indoor environment. But they have almost completely replaced wood from our homes and offices. Hardboard is also not harmless. The binders in these materials are phenol or urea-melamine resins, which release decomposition products into the environment - into the air of the premises where we live and work. And when the production of chip-pressed products proceeds in violation of technology, then phenolic fumes are the most a short time can lead to serious poisoning. Of course, there is nothing better for indoor use than solid wood, although it has now become significantly more expensive. As a last resort, if there is no other way out, particle boards must be coated with paint or varnish with some durable compounds that prevent the release of harmful fumes into the air. The recent discovery was especially unpleasant for many. It turned out that the walls of houses made of concrete, cinder blocks, and polymer concrete are radioactive (a radioactivity level of up to 50 μRn/h is considered safe for health). The radium and thorium contained in these materials, even in microscopic quantities, constantly decay with the release of radioactive radon gas. Regular ventilation of rooms significantly reduces the radon content in the air. You should not block the ventilation vents in the kitchen, bath and toilet with things. The release of radon and volatile organic polymers from the walls is reduced thanks to plaster, dense paper wallpaper. Washable wallpaper with a polymer surface is also not environmentally harmless, but it reduces the content of radon and volatile polymers in the room by almost 10 times. Concrete plates pose another danger: in new houses they actively absorb moisture from the air. This is known to many new residents. And the dryness room air causes not only discomfort, but also diseases of the upper respiratory tract, leading to brittle hair and peeling skin. Static electricity discharges more easily in dry air.

In the air of residential premises there are sometimes more than 100 impurities simultaneously present, such as ethers, alcohols and other organic compounds, as well as aerosols containing lead, mercury, cadmium, zinc, nickel, chromium and other metals. Four groups of pollutants can be distinguished:

• substances coming from outside with polluted atmospheric air;
• products of destruction of construction and finishing materials;
• anthropotoxins;
• household gas combustion products and human waste products.

High-rise buildings cause particular concern due to their impact on the human body. Such houses are built, as a rule, from the most environmentally hazardous building materials - concrete, block structures. These buildings are characterized by unstable air exchange, insufficient ventilation, uneven heating of rooms on the upper and lower floors, and a high concentration of environmental pollution with anthropotoxins. Pollution air environment in such buildings is 2-4 times higher than pollution atmospheric air. With thickness brick building 10 cm, the ozone concentration inside it is reduced compared to the outside air by 60-95 times, and in a building made of reinforced concrete - by 250 times.

Interior

The interior of the premises has a significant impact on the human condition. A properly formed residential interior will create mental comfort, good mood and will contribute to a pleasant stay. Great importance at the same time, it has the placement of furniture and household items, lighting, colors, textures of finishing materials, i.e. design in general. The correct arrangement of things and furniture in the rooms promotes the necessary air circulation and room lighting, otherwise the air exchange in the apartment is disrupted, which can lead to dampness and harmful household insects. Living quarters must be clean - large amounts of dust cause allergic diseases. Particular care must be taken to comply with the rules for keeping pets, which are a source of indoor pollution and can also cause allergic diseases. An important factor influencing a person’s mood and well-being is the color scheme of the premises. It is known that an abundance of red color causes headaches and quickly leads to fatigue. More tiresome dark colors, gray and black, as well as white, but green is calming. Color can also influence the sensations of space: “cold” colors (blue, light green) visually increase the space, and “warm” colors (red, orange, brown, etc.) reduce it. To create comfort in an apartment, good lighting is necessary. In low light conditions, visual fatigue quickly sets in and overall performance decreases. Correct lighting protects our eyes, creates so-called visual comfort. Insufficient lighting causes excessive vision strain; high brightness also tires and irritates the eyes. Different activities require different lighting.

Dust in the home

From an environmental point of view, ordinary household dust poses a serious danger in homes. Dust enters our homes through doors and windows and is generated indoors as a result of our activities. It is very difficult to realize how much of this kind of dirt has accumulated until you see it with your own eyes. Surely each of us remembers how a thin ray of sunlight peering into the twilight of a room highlighted golden dust particles floating in the air, which, however, are not as harmless as it might seem at first glance.

Dust particles are capable of collecting and holding on their surface volatile toxic and radioactive substances that enter the air of residential premises in various ways. Dust, for example, is the main source of the most powerful known poison, dioxin, entering the human body. When toxic dust settles on food and enters the respiratory tract, it has an adverse effect on our health.

Carpets collect the most dust soft upholstery furniture, books. In the fight for cleanliness in the apartment it is traditionally used wet cleaning, wiping furniture and vacuuming. You should pay attention to the fact that not every vacuum cleaner model is capable of effectively removing dust components. To do this, the vacuum cleaner must be powerful enough and not have any unwanted side effects in the form of emissions from overheated plastics and a torch of fine dust through imperfect filters. Recently, there have been models of vacuum cleaners that can flawlessly remove dirt from our apartments.

Is it easy to breathe in our home?

The expression “I can’t breathe” is increasingly found in the conversations of most citizens of our country. Recently, experts have been alarmed by the deterioration of indoor air quality, and especially in our apartments. This concern is quite justified, given that we spend a significant part of the time at home, and if the air is polluted with toxic substances, our health is constantly damaged. Naturally, the quality of the air in our home is largely determined by its condition in the city as a whole or in individual its areas, and major air pollutants, such as exhaust gases, penetrate indoors, but much depends on us. According to environmental experts, the air inside homes can be tens of times more toxic than outside. Its pollution indoors is higher than on the streets, according to almost all indicators taken into account. Air pollution is especially high in new buildings where glue, carpets and furniture emit large amounts of volatile organic compounds, which can cause cancer and other diseases.

Radiation

Today a person cannot imagine his life without a TV, refrigerator, telephone, microwave oven and other electronic equipment used in everyday life.

No doubt, all this necessary items, but we must not forget that they are sources electromagnetic radiation. The energy of power lines, radars, television and radio stations is added to the energy of household and industrial equipment that we use. Modern man lives in a vast ocean of electromagnetic fields, which some experts propose to call electrosmog. This name is not accidental. It highlights the dangers of this type of environmental pollution for our health and for other living beings.

Electromagnetic waves affect any living organism. Depending on the frequency and power of radiation, this influence has its own characteristics. But in any case, they force the molecules that form living cells to move, and as a result, the tissues, although slightly, heat up. Remember what happens to food in a microwave oven. In addition, electromagnetic fields disrupt the natural processes of bioregulation, carried out due to biocurrents of very small magnitude.

Scientists have recently discovered that portable radiotelephones are unsafe. The electromagnetic waves they emit damage nerve cells and reduce the formation of the hormone melatonin, which regulates the rate of development in the body. Animals are much more sensitive than humans to electromagnetic fields. When irradiated chicken eggs within a few hours, defective chicks emerge from them. Rats exposed to electromagnetic fields develop malignant tumors. Insects try to avoid places with high electromagnetic background.

To reduce the negative impact of electrosmog on the body, you should not stay near high voltage lines power transmission, near television and radio transmitting devices. At home, you should make sure that there are no people near your bed. Digital Watch, stereo system, TV. When working on a computer, you should use a protective screen.

Radon danger

More recently, scientists have found that the most dangerous of all natural sources radiation is radon. It is a heavy, colorless, odorless gas. Most of it enters the human body along with inhaled air. Radon comes out of the earth's crust everywhere, but its concentration in the air varies markedly in different areas of the globe.

It is important to know that a person receives the bulk of the radiation dose from radon while in a closed, unventilated room. In countries with a warm climate, living quarters, as a rule, do not have good insulation from the outside air, and the concentration of radon in them is significant. In countries with a temperate and especially cold climate, such as Russia, the content of this gas in houses can be tens of times higher than outside.

The entry of radon into a room can occur in different ways. It can seep out of the earth's crust or be released from building and finishing materials used in the construction of the house. For decades, alumina, phosphogypsum, and metallurgical slag have been widely used in the production of building materials in many countries. Unexpectedly, it turned out that they have increased radioactivity. Excessive sealing of the room for the winter is also of great importance. It makes it difficult for radioactive gas to escape and contributes to its accumulation in the premises.

• When renovating an apartment or house, use only environmentally friendly building materials (wood, glass, metal)
• Eco-friendly interior - natural origin (wood, cotton, linen)
• Appliances(has a safety certificate)
• Plants (use chlorophytum, etc.)
• Animals (not recommended in apartments; allowed in private homes, but with careful care)

The main factors that have an adverse effect on the environmental condition inside the house: The main factors that have an adverse effect on the ecological condition inside the house: The influence of chemical agents Physical factors Biological factors Architectural and spatial solutions

Polymer materials are widely used in construction. - high molecular weight compounds, the molecules of which consist of a large number of groups connected by chemical bonds. - polymer-based materials. TO polymer materials include: adhesives paints and varnishes and coatings rubber, latex, rubber plastics Based on polymer plastic, roofing and floor coverings, Decoration Materials, fasteners and other building materials.

Chemical element. Radon as a simple substance in normal conditions is an inert colorless gas. Radon is radioactive and can pose a health hazard. At room temperature- one of the heaviest gases. Radon poses the greatest danger to private houses with an earthen underground (without a cemented covering). Seeping through cracks from underground depths, radon penetrates through the foundation and floor into living spaces. A person inhales it with air, and the alpha particles that this gas emits begin to bombard the internal tissues of the respiratory organs. As a result, irreparable damage is caused to human health.

A person washes his hands and face several times a day, takes a shower, washes dishes, and regularly washes clothes. Synthetic detergents made from petroleum, contain enzymes, phosphates, aggressive bleaches, synthetic fragrances, dyes, preservatives, thickeners, etc. Household chemicals - hidden enemy!

What are the dangers of chemical dishwashing detergents? Some contain caustic alkaline components such as sodium carbonates, silicates, phosphates, oxygen- or chlorine-based chemical bleaches, others contain enzymes. After washing dishes, 20 to 40% of the detergent remains on its surface, which poses a danger to human health. As numerous studies abroad have shown, with regular use of such drugs, a person acquires various serious diseases.

How do household chemicals pollute the environment? Chemical components: Surfactants, chlorine, bleaches, preservatives, disinfectants do not break down. Getting into wastewater, they destroy the life of water bodies. The terrible enemy of nature - phosphates in washing powders. In many countries, the use of phosphate SMS has been prohibited by law.

Why are melamine tableware so dangerous? The poison contained in melamine dishes acts slowly. Formaldehyde, which gradually accumulates without showing itself externally, will cause cancer and negatively affect the health of your future children. Formaldehyde hits bladder, kidneys, stones form, which ultimately leads to kidney failure. In addition, formaldehyde leads to the following diseases: Diseases internal organs: stomach, heart, liver, spleen; Diseases of internal organs: stomach, heart, liver, spleen; Allergic irritation of the mucous membrane of the eyes; Allergic irritation of the mucous membrane of the eyes; Skin diseases, eczema Skin diseases, eczema Disturbance in the hematopoietic and immune system. Disorders in the hematopoietic and immune systems. Very dangerous, it uses dyes containing heavy metals; cadmium, lead, manganese enter the body with food. Very dangerous, it uses dyes containing heavy metals; cadmium, lead, manganese enter the body with food.

“Look for your illness at the bottom of the plate,” the Chinese say. Food is a wide variety of food products that differ in their chemical composition and methods of preparation. Proteins, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins, mineral salts, and water enter the human body with food. All these substances in the body, like in a chemical reactor, undergo changes, as a result of which it receives energy and builds new tissues.

Proteins Sources of proteins can be not only animal products (meat, fish, eggs, cottage cheese), but also plant products, for example, legumes (beans, peas, soybeans, peanuts, which contain up to 22-23% proteins by weight), nuts and mushrooms. However, most of all in cheese (up to 25%), meat products 8-16%), in poultry (21%), fish (13-21%), eggs (13%), cottage cheese (14%). Milk contains 3% proteins, and bread 7-8%. Among cereals, the champion in proteins is buckwheat (13% of proteins in dry cereals), which is why it is recommended for dietary nutrition.

Carbohydrates occupy exclusively great place in nutrition. And the share in human food is 50-60%, and in the population of developing countries up to %. Relative sweetness of sugars in conventional units: sucrose - 100, fructose - 173, glucose - 74, galactose - 32.1, maltose - 32.5, lactose - 16, sugar - 130. For normal life functions, a person’s blood must contain 100 ml of glucose. A person’s need for carbohydrates is related to his energy expenditure and is equal to g/day.

Food additives have been used by humans for many centuries: salt, spices - pepper, cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon, honey as a sweetener, etc. However, the widespread use of food additives began at the end of the 19th century, it is associated with population growth. Based on the severity, frequency and severity of possible diseases, food additives should be classified as substances minimal risk. Food additives help preserve the product, give it flavor and the desired color. Some of them are produced from natural products - vegetables and fruits, sugar, vinegar, alcohol. But many food additives are the result of the work of chemists and are produced from synthetic substances. Each country has its own standards for the content of food additives in food, especially those that can be harmful to human health. Nutritional supplements

The most harmful foods Poor nutrition, as is known, is the hidden cause of most human diseases. Eating fatty foods leads to weight gain. The abundance of food containing a large number of substitutes and dyes gradually poisons the body, but also causes addiction.

Information regularly appears that there are more and more counterfeit drugs in Russia. It seems that every time we go to a pharmacy, we risk running into a fake. Meanwhile, the heads of large dealer companies and pharmacy chains They categorically deny this.

THERE ARE DIFFERENT FAKES Type I - pacifiers that do not contain medicinal substances at all. Most often, such “medicines” are made from chalk, flour and starch in different proportions. They are safe if we're talking about about medications that are taken from time to time, for example, for headaches. But they turn into killers if these are “first aid” drugs, antibiotics or medications intended for regular use, for example, for cardiovascular diseases and hypertension. Type II - drugs in which active substance replaced by a cheaper and less effective type III - imitation - the drug substance is the same as in the original, but its dose is reduced. The danger of imitations is that such drugs blur the clinical picture, causing temporary improvement. Type IV - copies, they retain the original recipe, but do not guarantee adherence to technology

WHAT FAKES CAN GET INTO OUR HOME MEDICINE KITS? Ten years ago, when counterfeits flooded the Russian market, they were mostly dummies and imitations. Then unscrupulous manufacturers saved on medicinal substances. It was not difficult to identify a counterfeit medicine: the fake was given away by poor-quality packaging, and the tablets themselves, upon closer examination, differed from the original.

MEDICINES ARE FIFTH IN THE RATING OF COUNTERFEIT PRODUCTS. HOWEVER, FAKE MEDICINES ARE ESPECIALLY DANGEROUS TO LIFE! There are also counterfeit products on our market - imported drugs. WHAT ARE THEY COUNTERFEITING? Most often, the most popular and sought-after medicines are counterfeited. price category. In Russia - antispasmodics, painkillers, antihistamines, hepatoprotectors, enzyme preparations, arbidol and cold medicines. THE LOW PRICE OF A DRUG, WHICH IS SIGNIFICANTLY DIFFERENT FROM THE CITY AVERAGE, SHOULD DEFINITELY WARN YOU

ADVICE Medicines should be purchased only from large and chain pharmacies. Under no circumstances should you buy medicines by hand, on the Internet, by phone or in advertisements. The packaging must be made of high-quality cardboard, the colors must be bright and saturated, all markings must be clear and easy to read, the annotation must be printed and not photocopied. Check the batch and release date and expiration date on the inner packaging (blister) or bottle and carton: they must match.

Most researchers recommend using simple fabrics such as wool, cotton, linen and silk, organic fibers, and fur whenever possible. Since synthetic fabrics are endowed with harmful properties, including: - low hygroscopicity, due to which the moisture that is released from human skin, poorly absorbed into the fibers, clogs the air pores, impedes air circulation, and reduces thermal insulation properties fabrics; -Electrostaticity; - volatile components of chemical fibers, including toxic ones, can be released for several months when ironing clothes; - long retention unpleasant odors;

In addition, synthetic fabric does not allow the body to breathe: during movements, the body heats up, normal heat exchange is disrupted, and sweating increases. Such clothing does not allow moisture to pass through - it is waterproof: the sweat that is released by the body does not evaporate from the fabric of the clothing, but is retained between the body and the clothing. The effect of a steam bath occurs, only in this case a person steams in his own sweat, alkali, fats and acids that his skin secretes.

I must say that recently concern for the environment has become fashionable. Thus, almost every manufacturer of various products, ranging from baby rattles to machines and equipment, undertakes to claim that their products have all certificates of conformity and do not pollute the environment. More often, consumers significantly overpay for products labeled “environmentally friendly.” Meanwhile, there are practically no environmentally friendly goods left around us.

For example: children's stores are full of bright, beautiful toys. While they may contain dangerous chemical substances: such as cadmium, lead, mercury, phthalates.

Toys, plastic dishes and other plastic products for children raise serious concerns among experts due to their toxic composition. Experts call for a ban on the sale of such products with potentially harmful components. According to the researchers, it is necessary to ban or completely limit the use of all substances with well-established toxicity in toys and other products for children. It would also be helpful to create guidelines specifically for the toy industry, including creating a list of toxic substances that should be avoided in the industry. Until all strict laws are adopted, parents cannot be sure of the environmental safety of toys and children's products. There is an organization called the European Coalition for Safe Toys, which has prepared a public service announcement about the dangers of toys containing toxic chemicals.

Main harm environment We apply constantly and unnoticeably. people are accustomed to comfort, and multimillion-dollar corporations and business sectors work to provide it. Mobile phones, computers, televisions, finishing materials, cars running on gasoline or diesel fuel - in short, there are much more things that have a negative impact on the environment than environmentally friendly ones.
But we ourselves are part of an ecosystem that is adversely affected by our things. And the harm of many devices to human health has long been proven. How to protect the environment and yourself in it to the maximum from... yourself?

Solution 1: Garbage.

Mountains of household waste would have long ago exceeded Everest if not for their disposal. Official landfills and unauthorized landfills cause irreparable harm to nature and to us, because the decay products they release are poisons. To avoid increasing the amount of garbage, start small: sort your household waste - food separately, plastic, cardboard separately, glass separately. Undoubtedly, this takes some time, but it helps to dispose of your garbage faster. You can adopt foreign experience in separate waste collection by the population.

In Europe, residents of both private and apartment buildings glass, plastic, paper, food waste and household waste are collected separately (in different buckets, plastic bags). Empty plastic bottles accepted by all grocery stores, paying 10 to 25 euro cents for each bottle. Many stores stock small cardboard boxes for used batteries. Plastic containers for waste paper are placed near residential buildings.

In Spain there is general rule separate waste collection - yellow container for plastic, blue - cardboard/paper, green - organics. In many places there are collection bins for waste that can be recycled.

For Russia, where the culture of consumption and disposal remains at a fairly low level, the volume of solid household waste is 300-400 kg per person. It should be noted that this value, depending on the standard of living of the population, fluctuates according to various countries from 100 to 400 kg. At the same time, there is a constant increase in the amount of waste produced by the population. For the Russian Federation the growth is about 4% annually. How to solve this problem at the regional level?

In Kuzbass there is a company "EcoLand" located in Novokuznetsk. She developed and began to implement a civilized way of “fighting” garbage. The main activity is the processing and disposal of solid household waste. The company is introducing waste processing technologies in Kuzbass, which have already proven themselves in large regions of our country and around the world (Video SOROezhka)

In addition, in Kemerovo we have created a whole cycle for the collection, transportation and processing of hazardous waste contaminated with mercury. It looks like this. Firstly, the population hands over used lamps free of charge to stationary collection points. There are 30 of them in the city, all of them are located in shops and large retail systems. (table) Therefore, purchase new lamp and you can return your old one in one place. This will save not only time, but also money, because some stores provide the buyer with a discount on the purchase of a new one in return for bringing a used lamp. Reception of used luminescent lamps from the public is free.

Solution 2: Electronic waste.

The rate of accumulation of electronic waste is three times higher than the growth of ALL household waste combined. Mobile phones and computers end up in landfills the fastest. It is from them that particularly dangerous electronic junk is obtained.

When you purchase any electronic or household appliance, please pay attention to the symbols on the packaging and body of the product. This way, you'll know exactly what to do when your new device reaches the end of its service life.

A “crossed out container” indicates that under no circumstances should this item be thrown into the trash container. Electronic waste is very dangerous to human health and pollutes the environment. IN electronic technology sometimes contain more than 1000 different components. Including toxic substances: heavy metals - lead, mercury, cadmium and beryllium.

Solution 3. Bad habits.

We will now talk not about smoking or alcohol abuse, but about the habit of buying food in in a plastic bag. Literally everything is wrapped in plastic - lemons and books, orthopedic mattresses and sweets. As a result, we have a warehouse of bags at home that do not fall apart natural conditions for decades! All close to the landfills solid waste forests are literally covered with these packages, scattered by the wind. If everyone could overcome this bad habit and remembered an old string bag or a rag bag, there would be much less garbage on Earth.

In Canada, all stores encourage you to buy reusable bags and use them instead of regular plastic bags, they cost only $1. Moreover, every time you come to the store with this bag, they tell you: “ Thank you very much that you use a bag instead of a plastic bag."

Solution 4: Chemicals.

In order to clean the stove from grease and burnt food, it is not necessary to buy miraculous detergents, which certainly pollute our groundwater. You can use baking soda or leftover old toothpaste. Some cleaning agents are so caustic that you only have to wear gloves when handling them. Need I now say what harm they cause to nature when they get into the sewer system, and from there into the seas and oceans?

In Russia, these decisions are made through social networks, when initiative groups gather who are concerned about environmental problems at the everyday level. (VKontakte photo)

For example, in one of them, each participant is asked to INSTALL AN ANTI-VANDAL BOX IN THEIR ENTRANCE FOR COLLECTING USED BATTERIES AND ENERGY LAMPS. DECORATE IT with the inscription - “FRIENDS! WE CAN SHOW AN EXAMPLE TO OTHERS! LET GARBAGE COLLECTION AND RECYCLING BECOME NATURAL IN OUR ORDINARY LIFE! »

So, each of us has the power, at least to a limited extent, to improve the state of the environment! Let's take an example from the British student who invented the world's first cardboard vacuum cleaner. He did this by recycling cardboard packaging.

This interesting business idea came to the mind of Jake Tyler, a student at an industrial university. A young talented inventor presented to the public a unique vacuum cleaner, the body of which was made of cardboard. Jake’s brilliant business idea was inspired by an excursion to a vacuum cleaner factory.

When the young man saw great amount waste from the production of equipment, he was struck by the idea of ​​​​creating a more economical model of a vacuum cleaner made of cardboard. The body of the vacuum cleaner consists of corrugated cardboard plates. The plates are easily replaced if damaged, and the cost of such a vacuum cleaner body will be 90% cheaper than its plastic counterpart.

-> Issue 33 ->

Ecology in everyday life

Recently, concern for the environment has become fashionable. Almost every manufacturer of various products, from baby rattles to machines and equipment, undertakes to claim that their products have all certificates of conformity and do not pollute the environment. Meanwhile, there are practically no environmentally friendly goods left around us. The fact is that people are accustomed to comfort, and multimillion-dollar corporations and business sectors work to provide it. Mobile phones, computers, televisions, finishing materials, cars running on gasoline or diesel fuel, boilers for heating our homes - in short, there are much more things that have a negative impact on the environment than environmentally friendly ones.
But we ourselves are also part of the very ecosystem that is adversely affected by our things. And the harm of many devices to human health has long been proven. How to protect the environment and yourself in it to the maximum from... yourself?
-Garbage. Mountains of household waste would have long ago exceeded Everest if not for their disposal. Official landfills and unauthorized landfills cause irreparable harm to nature and to us, because the decay products they release are poisons. To avoid increasing the amount of garbage, start small: sort your household waste - food separately, plastic, cardboard separately, glass separately. Yes, it takes some time, but it helps to dispose of your garbage faster.
-Bad habits. Now we will not talk about smoking and alcohol abuse, but about the habit of buying food in a plastic bag. Literally everything is wrapped in polyethylene - lemons and books, orthopedic mattresses and sweets. As a result, we have a warehouse of bags at home that do not disintegrate in natural conditions for decades! All forest areas close to solid waste landfills are literally covered with these bags, scattered by the wind. If everyone could overcome this bad habit and remember about an old string bag or rag bag, there would be significantly less garbage on Earth.
-chemicals. In order to clean the stove from grease and burnt food, it is not necessary to buy miraculous detergents, which, of course, pollute our groundwater. You can use baking soda or leftover old toothpaste. Some cleaning agents are so caustic that you only have to wear gloves when handling them. Need I now say what harm they cause to nature when they get into the sewer system, and from there into the seas and oceans?