Environmental News

My Environment, My world – a Reminder on the Importance of Taking Care of Our Environment

We need to start doing the right things towards saving our environment from major environmental problems.

By so doing, we are able to save human existence in the near future.

Our planet earth has a natural environment, known as ‘Ecosystem.’ which includes all humans, plant life, mountains, atmosphere, and seas.

The modern technology we use now, especially in the engineering and manufacturing industries have a major impact in our lives. Some of these technologies result in resource depletion and environmental destruction.

In addition, environmental issues are no longer a blame game. Instead of complaining about polluted air, smelly garbage, polluted water, why don’t we start by keeping our environment clean?

Because when we look at it, our daily activities contribute to this environmental menace.

Below are some major environmental issues, where humans play a key role in its cause.

Pollution: Human beings and their actions are majorly responsible for all types of pollution. Such as water, noise, air, etc. Water pollution is essentially caused by oil spillage and ocean dumping. Air pollution rises from burning of fossil fuels, gases emitted by vehicles and so on.

Climate change: Climate change today is less of a natural process. It is rapidly occurring due to the ill effects of human actions like global warming, greenhouse effects, etc. Thereby, altering the overall weather set-up.

Deforestation: With population growing at a rapid rate, the demand for food, shelter and clothing has almost tripled in the last few decades. To overcome this growing demand, a direct action that we have come to recognize as “deforestation” occurs. Deforestation means, clearing of forests or green cover to make land available for residential, commercial or industrial purpose.

Overpopulation: This is a never-ending human tragedy which is responsible for causing all kinds of environmental issues. Such as: water pollution, resources crisis, gender imbalance, noise pollution, land pollution, urban sprawling, and deforestation.

What can you do to help the Environment?

Dispose waste properly; stop littering your roads and drainage.

Observe regular environmental sanitation exercise and clear out waste build-up from gutters.

Demand action from government at all levels, especially local. (This might look impossible but when we make a conscious effort to keep our environment clean, the government would surely support).

Last but not the least, spread the word. Let people know the importance of a clean environment and the dangers of improper waste management.

How do you take care of your environment?

http://www.conserve-energy-future.com/current-environmental-issues.php

 

 

Environmental News

90kW Solar System Gives Steady Power to 400 Homes in Northern Nigeria

400 families in Gnami and Pakau communities of Kaduna state have reportedly enjoyed non-stop clean electricity. This has been supplied to them for about two years now by two solar photovoltaic systems worth 90 kilowatts (kW). As disclosed by Nigeria’s power ministry.

The ministry stated in Abuja on August 2, 2017 that the systems – a 40kW and 50kW off grid solar mini plants, were installed in Gnami and Pakau respectively by the ministry.

It explained the projects were built under a renewable energy initiative to provide affordable and reliable access to electricity in rural communities in the country’ [read more]

Lagos Lauds Sterling Bank on Environmental Sustainability

In a show of endorsement of Sterling Bank’s sustainability campaign known as Sterling Environmental Makeover (STEM), senior officials of the Lagos State Government have paid glowing tributes to the initiative, saying it is in line with the state government’s vision of encouraging residents to show respect for the environment.

Speaking at the inauguration of the mega cleaning exercise, which took place on August 17, 2017 at the Computer Village in Ikeja, recently, was the Lagos State Commissioner for Environment, Dr. Babatunde Adejare. He commended Sterling Bank for its show of commitment to the campaign for a livable environment’ [read more]

Federal Government Restates Desire to Phase out Plastic Bags

The Minister of State for Environment, Ibrahim Usman Jibril, stated the desire of the Federal Government to eradicate polythene bags. They will be replaced with recyclable paper bags and in the process create wealth from waste.

Speaking in Abuja recently during the 10th Global Environment Facility (GEF) National Steering Committee Meeting, the minister, represented by the Director, Human Resources, Mr Gabriel Lotto, said it is the dream of the government to faithfully upscale issues of the environment,  such as climate change, biodiversity, desertification, and forest and land management’ [read more]

Visionscape Gets Lagos Support for Environmental Bond

Special Purpose Vehicle, the Municipality Waste Management Contractors Limited, has issued a N50 billion Medium Term Notes to finance the implementation of the Cleaner Lagos Initiative (CLI).

The Lagos State Ministry of Environment fully supports the innovative financing structure adopted by Visionscape and its partners.

The companies and their local partners will provide vital infrastructure by designing, building and managing the first engineered sanitary landfill in Nigeria.

The Lagos State Government recently launched the CLI, which is expected to commence fully in September 2017.  The Initiative is also targeted at providing over 27,500 street sweeping jobs and 400,000 indirect jobs within the State, as part of a poverty alleviation initiative’ [read more]

Waste to Wealth Containers Arrive Port Harcourt (PH)

18 containers of equipment for the construction of a world class sea waste management project has arrived in Rivers State.

This project will be carried out by African  Circle  (MARPOL), also known as  African  pollution management company. They are expected to  keep  the sea clean.

General Manager, Eastern Operations, Olajide  Oluwayemi  told newsmen  that, containers which arrived from   France are components of waste management facilities.
“This operates a waste to wealth system” Oluwayemi said’ [read more]

Energy Conservation

Go Green: Introducing the World’s First Floating Wind Energy Plant

Modern technology is converting the seemingly impossible to possibility.

It is difficult to imagine a wind turbine floating in the ocean.

Wind turbines are magnificent structures which tower higher than the world’s tallest buildings. They are generally static and grounded with a massive supporting structure under waters.

The revolutionary technology allows wind power to be harvested in waters too deep for the current conventional bottom-standing turbines.

The first floating wind turbine has been placed about 20 km (12 miles) off the coast of Peterhead in Scotland. Another four turbines will be added to the farm, which together will generate up to 30 megawatts of energy, enough to power 20,000 households.

Each turbine is 175m tall and weighs over 11,000 tonnes.

The £190 million ($250 million) project is being financed by the UK government’s renewable-energy plan.

Though they are currently expensive to make, hopefully in the future it would come at a reduced cost as it is a great source of energy.

If the technology becomes cheaper, it will open up parts of the ocean previously considered too deep for stationary turbines.

Successfully creating a floating wind turbine is not only a huge accomplishment in engineering but it also has the potential to revolutionise energy creation through wind power.

Unlike conventional wind turbines that are built directly into the seabed, a floating wind turbine can unlock huge swathes of ocean that had previously been considered unusable for wind power.

Also, floating turbines are not attached to the seabed by foundations. Rather, they are attached by long mooring tethers, allowing them to be placed in water as deep as one kilometre.

The company behind this technology is Statoil located in Norway.

They have been perfecting their design since 2009.

Scotland is already proving that wind power can be a hugely effective energy source after it was revealed that for a single day in August 2016 Scotland was entirely powered by wind.

We hope Nigeria adopts this new technology as it is a great way of producing energy without polluting the environment.

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/go-green-introducing-worlds-first-floating-wind-energy-muqbil-ahmar

http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/the-worlds-first-floating-wind-farm-is-coming-to-scotland_uk_5975ae92e4b00e4363e08f90

http://www.independent.co.uk/environment/world-first-wind-farm-floating-scotland-north-east-coast-north-sea-hywind-turbines-a7857866.html