The Best Green Projects

Everyone seems to have suddenly realized that something is wrong with our planet and that we have to reverse the trend now in order to survive. Perhaps it's true that we only appreciate what we have when it's lost.

From China -- which is notorious for its fossil fueled factories -- to Africa, where rampart deforestation has become commonplace, we have turned the earth brown. The tragedy is that only a handful of the world's population is aware that we are headed for doom. Worse still, only few among the ones who 'know' have the ability to set us back on the right track. It does not come as a surprise, therefore, that environmental degradation and economic prosperity are directly related.

That said, if we are to turn this trend around, sacrifice is key. Everyone has a role to play. We only have to make an effort. Whatever we do, the ultimate goal should be to eliminate the ills of environmental degradation. The best initiatives in this regard will be judged according to how far they can help us stop deforestation, halt desertification, reduce air and water pollution, save the wildlife, protect the ozone layer from further damage and above all, conserve natural resources.

Both individuals and organizations have been putting some commendable efforts to see that the earth becomes green once again. Although some initiatives have a bigger impact, it is important to note that all efforts are worthy of commendation.

As we sample the following projects we should likewise compare them with many others we may have overlooked (and you will be surprised to find out how similar they are), and how they help us achieve similar goals and not forgetting, the number of people who have benefited or stand to benefit from them.

The first is aimed at saving trees... especially in Africa. Trees are the lifeline of our environment. They clean our air and serve as water catchments areas. All the major forests in Africa are under serious threat from loggers. Trees are being cut down for charcoal, firewood and also to create settlements. The main reason though, is that trees provide the cheapest source of fuel for cooking and other similar uses.

However, thanks to the invention of a solar cooker made from cardboard boxes, all this might soon come to an end. The cooker is very cheap since the materials it is made from are easily available (even free!). Getting the poor people of Africa to use this cooker -- which has been very well received -- will surely keep them away from the forests. By reducing the rate of deforestation, the desert will be kept from encroaching further into arable land. Rivers will also stop drying up since they are sourced from the forests. Eventually, lives that depend on the existence of forests will be saved.

Also ranking high amongst the best projects is a drive to plant millions of trees around the world. Nobel peace laureate, Wangari Mathai, has traversed the world raising awareness on the need to conserve the environment. A tree planting campaign has been launched everywhere she's been. More trees will improve our earth in more ways than one. In fact, it is the surest way to turning green.

We can not talk about environmental degradation without looking at the effects of Carbon emissions into the air. Carbon is the by product of burning fossil fuels. Fossil fuels burnt for use in industries give rise to the most notorious form of air pollution. However, equally damaging is the carbon emitted by the vehicles we use. Carbon thins the Ozone layer. Polluted air could also lead to terrible health problems for the masses.

It is for this reason that the invention of a car that runs 100% on water for fuel is incredible. This will eliminate over-reliance on petroleum which is the main contributor to air pollution. Although it is still at its prototype stage, it fills us with hope that upon its successful completion we will have cleaner alternatives.

The Kyoto treaty is not a project per se, but once endorsed by all, it will go a long way towards reducing industrial Carbon emissions. Eventually, if we can corner carbon emissions from all angles we will be well on our way to where we began... when the earth was safe for all and the future was secure. In general, any project that aims at providing alternative sources of fuel other than coal, oil and natural gases will find its rightful place in the roll of honor.

Some organizations are renovating degraded solar panels. Others are inventing ways of manufacturing cheap ones. They are then passing on the benefits to the poor by giving them free panels. Such projects will reduce reliance on electricity. The process of generating electricity is responsible for almost 30% of all the carbon in our atmosphere. Although this project is mainly in the developed world, these countries are also the largest consumers of electricity.

We cannot refer to the best green projects without mentioning the windmill projects in both Canada and the Netherlands. This form of generating electricity is the cleanest. It has almost zero negative impact on our environment and it should be encouraged. Many other similar projects are emerging as more and more people become aware of their surroundings. It is for this reason that the best projects will be those that are aimed at sensitizing people. Eventually, when people are enlightened, they will create solutions. The problem has been identified. Let's embark on the process of finding solutions.