Two cartridges (one with black ink, one with colored inks) installed in an inkjet printer (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

When your printer ink cartridges run out, what do you do with the empties? If you’re like many people, you probably just toss the plastic cartridge in the trash, put the garbage out for the truck on Thursday and never think about it again.

And really, you’re not alone in thinking that it’s harmless just to throw away your ink cartridges when they are empty. Some studies indicate that more than a dozen cartridges are tossed every second in the U.S. alone. That’s millions of plastic cartridges being added to landfills every day – more than 75,000 pounds worth every year.

Harmful Effects of Tossing Ink Cartridges

The trouble is these plastic cartridges can take more than 1,000 years to decompose. They contribute to rapidly expanding landfills, which in turn leads communities to spend millions of dollars on landfill management costs. Not to mention, recycling cartridges leads to substantial savings in both production and management costs.

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Some states in the Middle East have a terrible reputation for their carbon footprint and reliance on oil. States such as Qatar, for example, is incredibly wasteful of fresh water and gives free electricity to all citizens resulting in a personal carbon index that’s higher than anywhere else in the world.

A Green State IN Many Ways

On the other hand there are states, including Dubai, which take their responsibilities seriously when it comes to making sure future generations can enjoy a habitable environment. Dubai is interested in becoming a luxury destination for people from all over the world and they recognise that sustainability is a watchword for many people who are looking for an exclusive place to stay and relax without having to worry about the negative global impact of their travels.

The Dubai Department Of Tourism And Commerce Marketing (DTCM)is rolling out a number of environmentally sustainable tourist initiatives including encouraging hotels to do what they can to limit the amount of water and electricity they consume so that they can compete with other accommodations across the world which don’t have the inconvenience of being located in a desert with little naturally available fresh water.

Tourism: A Major Source Of Revenue

Eyad Ali Abdul Rahman, Director of the Business Development and Media Relations Division, pointed out that tourism had been playing a greater part in the diverse revenue streams that Dubai enjoyed along with the five others which make up the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC).

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It’s just possible that you haven’t noticed but we’re in the first few days which could last at least until the end of the week, probably longer.

What Could Happen If Your Pipes Burst

The elderly and infirm should get their winter warmth allowance which means that they’ll be ok, the young and spritely will be fine too, we’ll turn the heating up a notch, put an extra pair of sock on and see it through but we should all remember to take some precautions against the cold around the house.

Protecting your house against the winter isn’t just about lagging the loft and double glazing the windows. Frost and other effects of the cold can do terrible damage to your home and property, precautions are often simple yet effective and certainly cheaper than the cost of repairs once the damage is done.

During particularly cold spells pipes can freeze, this will lead to burst pipes once the weather warms up a little. The cost of repairing the pipes is not unsubstantial, the cost or repairing and replacing damaged belongings and fixing water damage after a flood is going to be considerably more. It’s particularly important if you’re going to go away from home while the weather is at its worst. Should a pip burst while you’re away the cost of repairing damage caused by flooding could run into thousands of pounds.

Leave A Light On, And A Little Heat Too

If you are leaving home, no matter for a few days or even weeks you should leave the heating on low. This will pipes from freezing and therefore minimise the risk of pipework inside the home from splitting. If you’re leaving for an extended period it might be wiser to drain the entire central heating system and leave it switched off.

Leaving interior doors open can help prevent pipes from bursting as they allow warm air from the sunny side of the house to circulate around. Leaving the doors to the cupboard under the sink will help prevent the pipes bursting there; this is where the pipes are at their coldest, having just left the out doors and running up against the inside of an exterior wall.

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Given how easy it is to go green, you’re probably already doing your part for the planet by recycling, sacking your groceries in cloth bags, and perhaps even carpooling to work. You can also help out future generations by conserving water. Read on for a number of ways that you can get started.

Laundry wisdom

A washing machine is invaluable in the home, especially for items like bedding that need a good soapy soak and rinse. Smaller items, however, can often be hand-washed with relative ease. You can better dictate the amount of water you use and perhaps save yourself a trip to the laundromat, all while still seeing everything come out in the wash. When using the washer, do your best to run a full load of clothes. If you only have a few items to wash, adjust your machine’s water level accordingly so as not to use water needlessly.

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For guys who may be getting a little too cozy with their laptops, word comes that they may be damaging their relationships in more ways than one.

According to a recent report from the medical journal Fertility and Sterility, men who sit with a laptop on their laps may be impacting their sperm levels, something neither they nor their significant others are likely to want to hear.

The study took samples from 29 healthy male donors, and then placed a few drops of the samples beneath a laptop tied to the Internet through Wi-Fi. The Argentine researchers then hit download to see how the sperm would react.

According to the report, some four hours later, one-fourth of the sperm in close proximity to a laptop had stopped moving around, versus only 14 percent from semen samples which were kept at the same temperature a safe distance away from the computer. Nine percent of the sperm indicated DNA damage, leaving researchers to conclude that electromagnetic radiation occurring during wireless communication was an issue.

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I can’t say I’m ever really surprised with what PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) comes up with as far as campaigns to promote their cause. Their latest planned marketing pitch, however, may have bitten off a little too much for some people’s liking.

A new billboard PETA wants to display in Florida highlights a bloody leg hanging from a shark’s mouth, a message that struck a nerve with at least one Floridian.

As FoxNews.com reported, a Florida mother whose 21-year-old son needed some 800 stitches to survive a recent shark attack is bringing light to the group and its message.

Ella Wickersham told reporters that PETA’s latest proposed billboard – “Payback Is Hell, Go Vegan” – is not even worth dignifying, given the fact her son could have very easily died during his encounter with a bull shark. According to Wickersham, her son, C.J., was spear-fishing in the area of Florida’s Anna Marie Island, when he was attacked.

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Image via Wikipedia

It’s not long to go now before we will start getting charged for every one of those plastic carrier bags that we pick up when we go shopping here in Wales, so what does this mean and which bags will we be charged for?

The 5 pence price tag is for single use carrier bags, you know the ones that are given to you for free when you go shopping, but this isn’t just for the plastic carrier bags, this also goes for the paper bags as well, so this may make people take their own bags when it comes to shopping for food!

Hang On What About Take Away Food Carrier Bags Etc.

Well it seems that will have to pay for those as well, so now when you pop in to your local McDonalds or KFC you will have to pay 5p for the paper bag that your food is placed in to! Bizarre isn’t it!

This also means that if you buy something like bird seed for your pet budgie, you’ll also pay 5p for the bag the seed is in, so long story short, every disposable carrier bag you have will cost you 5p, a good time to remember to take your own when you go for that big food shop at the end of the week.
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