Author: Ronn Jones
Plastic, paper and cotton bags are probably the easiest and cheapest options when it comes to containing and transporting foods, powders, ice, chemicals and even wastes. Billions of single-use plastic bags are distributed free of cost every day. These free single-use bags might seem to be of great advantage apparently, but as the old adage goes, nothing in this world comes for free. We pay heavily for using each of these bags with our environment and future.
If we take into account the "cradle to grave" multiple impacts and the effects of each phase of these bags’ life we will be able to illustrate the actual costs paid by our environment and society for the fleeting convenience of unlimited, free, single-use plastic bags.
Firstly, the production of these plastic bags requires a large amount of petroleum and natural gas. These production materials are non-renewable resources and there’s always a risk that unnecessary use of these resources might lead to scarcity. Moreover, the process to acquire these resources immensely contributes to the destruction of the fragile habitats and ecosystems around the world. The production of plastic bags also requires a lot of toxic substances to be used. These toxic substances in turn produce pollution and harm the environment. Energy consumption required for the production of these bags is also huge. This contributes effectively towards global warming.
These bags might be distributed for free to the consumers but definitely does not come free to the retailers. The U.S. retailers alone incur an annual cost of approximately four billion U.S. dollars. When these bags are distributed, the costs are generally passed on to the consumers in the form of higher prices for the goods that they purchase. So, though the concept of these bags might seem to be free, in fact they also have some financial issues involved which ultimately are borne by the end-users.
The disposal and littering of these bags also threatens the environment and the future of mankind and all living forms. These plastic bags are often disposed off into water or littered on land. Thousands of marine lives are put into danger due to this. Sea turtles, whales and other such marine mammals often mistakes these plastics for food and end up dead. When swallowed these plastics choke them or block their intestine resulting in a painful death. Same is the fate of several cows, goats and other such lad animals that often end up eating pieces of plastic while foraging for food. Moreover, it takes almost thousands of years for these pieces of plastic to completely degrade on land. They break down into tiny bits and contaminate soil and water.
So we see that in-spite of the plastic beings ‘free’ of cost, there’s actually a major cost that needs to be paid indirectly and it threatens the mere existence of all living forms on the face of the earth. Mass movements are taking place all over the world in order to reduce the consumption of these plastic and paper bags due to their ill-effects on the environment. Luckily, though, we have seen the introduction of reusable, eco-friendly and environment safe bags on the market to substitute them. These bags are generally made of Polypropylene. They are simple to produce, strong and can be made of different weight or thickness depending on the intended use. Bags made of this durable material are water repellent and avoids bacteria and odor. They are not affected by chemicals or solvents and comply with FDA regulations.
The reusable, eco-friendly bags proves to be a perfect alternative to the toxic plastic or paper bags and should be adopted for a better, healthier and safer environment.
Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/environment-articles/reusable-ecofriendly-bags-alternative-to-a-safer-environment-358365.html
About the Author:
This article is written by Ronn Jones, a marketing expert with years of experience in branding and internet marketing. Check out more information on reusable, eco-friendly bags .
Jumat, 07 Agustus 2009
Reusable, Eco-friendly Bags – Alternative to a Safer Environment
Antibiotic-free quality shrimp and prawn farming aquaculture seafood producer
Author: Yawar Nawaz
As a result of research and development that began more than two decades ago, National Prawn Company has completed phase one of a $350 million "modified extensive" shrimp farm on the Red Sea, 150 kilometers south of Jeddah. The $200 million first phase resulted in eleven farms and 2,800 hectares of ponds with projected production of 13,500 metric tons of whole shrimp a year. Phase two will add fifteen more farms and 3,500 more hectares of ponds capable of producing 17,500 tons a year.
National Prawn Company follows the codes of conduct and methods of production outlined under the United Nation's definition of "Sustainable Development". It produces antibiotic-free shrimp with no hormones and no preservatives using eco-friendly, sustainable shrimp farming methods. It uses low stocking densities and settling ponds to protect the local aquatic ecosystem.
NPC's product line is currently marketed locally and internationally under the brand name "Al-Watania" and other brand names.
Work Force: More than 2,000 employees from 25 countries.
Broodstock: Specific pathogen-free, specific pathogen-resistant Penaeus indicus in its twenty-fourth generation.
Nauplii Production: 60 million a day.
Postlarvae Production: 180 million a cycle.
Processing Plant: Capable of handling 80 metric tons of head-on shrimp a day. M/S Marel/Carnitech (Denmark) supplied and installed most of the processing equipment. M/S Jonsson (USA) supplied the peeling machines and Mycon (Japan) supplied the refrigeration system. The plant is designed to process a wide variety of products from simple block frozen products to high-value ready to eat individually quick frozen and cooked products.
The shrimp reach the plant in less than an hour after harvest and are processed and packed in less than six hours after harvest. The plant has a large, fully automated chill room that can hold up to 25 tons of whole shrimp as it comes in from the farms.
There are three major processing lines, a head-on line with the capacity to handle two tons an hour, a headless line with the capacity to handle 1.2 tons an hour, and a peeling line with the capacity to handle one ton of raw shrimp an hour. Three plate freezers can freeze 20 tons of shrimp a day, and two spiral freezers can freeze three tons per hour. There are two flow pack machines from Sandiacre. As part of the worldwide marketing strategy, great importance has been given to the implementation of HACCP and ISO quality control systems.
Feed Mill: Capacity ten tons per hour. BUHLER (Switzerland) installed the machinery and technology.
Intake Pumping Station: The intake pump station was designed to create a flow of 90 cu/m/sec at a static head of 2.5 meters. It is equipped with twelve Amacan submersible, vertical pumps. The length of the intake canal is 35 kilometers!
Drain Pumping Station: The return water pump station is designed for a flow rate of 90 cu/m/sec at a static head of 1.1 meters. It is equipped with seventeen Amaline submersible, horizontal pumps. The total length of the return water canal is 38.2 kilometers.
Shrimp Head Powder: The offal plant processes fresh shrimp heads into shrimp head powder, which NPC sells as a feed ingredient in laminated, polypropylene bags weighing either 25 or 50 kilograms.
Miles of Roads on the Farm: 157 kilometers, 57 of them asphalted.
Employee Community: Furnished bachelor accommodations are provided with dining halls, relaxation facilities, indoor sports facilities, supermarkets and a mosque. Essential utilities like power, water and sanitation are available around the clock.
Distribution: NPC has entered into exclusive agreements with distributors in U.S.A, Canada, Spain, Cyprus, Italy, Australia, Japan, China, UAE, Korea, Egypt, Bahrain, and Jordan. It is looking for distributors in Kuwait, Qatar, Oman, Lebanon, and Tunisia.
Employment: NPC is on course to implement its second phase and will be hiring people at all levels.
Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/business-opportunities-articles/antibioticfree-quality-shrimp-and-prawn-farming-aquaculture-seafood-producer-33039.html
About the Author:
Information:
National Prawn Company
P.O. Box 20, Al-Lith 21961, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
(phone 00-966-7-7420742, extensions 582, fax 00 966-7-7420743)
email sales@robian.com.sa ,
webpage http://www.robian.com.sa
How Using Woven Polypropylene Bags To Store Stove Corn Can Heat Up Your Savings
By David Marinac
There is no question that in recent years energy costs have skyrocketed. And the price of burning fossil fuels is more than just financial: environmentalists the world over continually warn about the dangers of using non-renewable energy sources that pollute the environment when burned, global warming being just one of the major topics frequently discussed.
With the cold winter months looming ahead, energy consumers have been looking for new ways to heat their homes that are easily renewed, will not pollute the environment, and will save them money. Enter stove corn, a new source of heat energy that involves burning shelled corn in specially-designed furnaces.
To heat a typical Midwestern, 2,000-square-foot home, the heating costs per season will typically be around $880, excluding the initial $2,000 cost of the special stove required for burning stove corn. By comparison, heating the same home using natural gas would be around $1,200 for the season, and $2,200 when using electricity.
Stove corn does, however, require a higher level of user maintenance than natural gas or electricity. For example, buying and storing the corn, and making sure it stays suitable for consumption, can be challenging. But the packaging industry has taken an interest in the growing market for stove corn, recognizing that one of its more innovative products, woven polypropylene bags, are excellent for use in this application.
The most important thing to remember when using this alternative fuel is that its moisture content needs to be kept extremely low. The highest recommended percentage is no more than 15.5%, although in most cases a moisture content of 10-12% is ideal. Prolonged exposure to moisture will result in the growth of mildew and mold, leading to spoilage. It can cause the corn to clump together, making it difficult to feed into the combustion chamber of the stove. In addition, burning moldy corn could aggravate respiratory problems in individuals with allergies or asthma. The use of woven polypropylene bags protects contents from exposure to moisture, because the bags actually consist of thousands of strands of plastic woven together to form a fabric-like sheet that is very strong, extremely durable, and readily resistant to water.
In addition, storing stove corn in woven polypropylene bags not only keeps the corn in a moisture-free environment, but their strength enables them to hold 50 or more pounds without risk of breakage. The tensile strength of the bags makes them more resistant to contamination that could come from rodents, birds, squirrels, and other varmints. They also offer more ventilation than a bulk container, offering even further protection from spoilage.
With all of this in mind, consumers of heat energy looking to switch to stove corn should make sure the fuel is stored in woven polypropylene bags, a sure-fire way to heat up their savings this winter!
David Marinac
http://www.abc-packaging.com/products/woven-polypropylene-bags.htm
American Built Containment Systems (ABC Systems) is the only company that custom designs specialty packaging via the Internet without having to meet with a customer face-to-face. This allows them to respond faster than any other company at the total lowest cost.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=David_Marinac
