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The natural environment & climate change
Natural Environment 
Look outside of your window, how healthy is the air, soil and water? If like me you love living close to the sea, would you swim in the water? In the summer when blackberry bushes are heavy with fruit, would you eat them if they are by the roadside? There is so much in the media about the natural environment and climate change - it’s easy to distance yourself from what is happening. The environment or rather YOUR surrounding environment is personal to you and affects how you live, breathe, work and function just as much as you can have an affect on it in return by actions in your everyday life.
Currently your actions are killing the earth and it’s important to recognise that the earth is ultimately your life force. If all eco systems are destroyed no amount of advances in technology or human feats will help our future generations. Chilling thought, isn’t it.
Built Environment
Some examples of damaging construction factors:
The most important and urgent issue facing the modern world. Global climates are changing unnaturally through increasing manmade activities. Over time there has been a gradual increase in the earth’s temperature known as global warming and the greenhouse effect. Our warmth comes from the sun through constant heating of the earth which is absorbed by trapped gases in our atmosphere. Greenhouse gases are a combination of carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, ozone, halocarbons and water vapour. The man-made industrial age with the increase of trade, introduction of machinery and mass production caused a rise in emissions, in particular carbon dioxide and fluorocarbons. This growing amount of emissions has increased the earth’s temperature leading to climate change.
Globally, the temperature increase has caused a rise in sea levels, a reduction in snow cover, high levels of rainfall and an increased number of droughts. Climates are becoming more aggressive in both the Northern and Southern hemisphere. The rate at which carbon emissions are created will have an effect in the future. If we continue to increase in population, the built environment and the amount of energy we use – the carbon levels will naturally become higher and more dangerous.
The Future
Articles - Your home & energy efficiencyThis area of my website will look at energy efficiency within your home. View over the following articles to find out detailed information about methods you can use to reduce the amount of energy you use which cost you more money in your utility bills and have a negative impact on our surrounding natural environment.
Home energy saving tips Helpful ways to reduce the energy you use in your home saving you money and benefiting the environment. Insulation How to reduce heat loss by up to one third, saving you money, reducing health risks and lowering the negative effect on the environment Household appliances Home energy savings – how you can save money and the planet by reducing your electrical appliance energy usage at home Natural ventilation Different ways to naturally ventilate your home, ensuring better air quality, health and comfort. Mechanical ventilation Improving air quality in rooms that cannot be naturally ventilated. Natural lighting Interior design advice to reduce the amount of electricity used for artificial lighting in your home. Resources - Your home & energy efficiencyAlternative-Heating.com This site provides information about home heating alternatives such as active and passive solar heating designs, alternative fuel stoves (grain, coal, wood pellet) and geothermal systems. It is regularly updated with news about alternative heating solutions and innovations. alternative-energy-resources.net Harnessing our renewable resources to reduce the cost of energy, pollution and dependence on foreign oil. Utility Free - Alternative home energy www.utilityfree.com Utility Free supplies home electricity options using alternative power sources such as solar energy, wind energy and water turbines. Alternative home energy can augment or replace your utility power with a direct utility intertie or a stand alone system.
The largest hand-picked green directory on the net: Find organic food, cheap solar energy (free daily updated solar panel price survey), sustainable architecture, organic cotton, a vegetarian date, sustainable investments, an organic farm, a sustainable community and much more...
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It is imperative that the building industry takes responsibility for their own actions and the natural environment, as interior designers alone cannot change everything for the better. Without firm ‘eco regulations’ each company is left to decide on their eco preferences. Environmentally friendly construction methods, materials and resources need to be used as standard during the entire building process. Emissions, pollution and waste need to be reduced across the industry with an increase in design for reuse, remanufacture and recycling. 
