Sustainability to slow
Climate Change
Dr. Sandra Cruz-Pol
Professor Electrical and Computer Engineering
UPRM 2008
Living Green
Learn to leave in
harmony with nature,
benefits the planet, your
health and your pocket.
Green Living
•is about changing our patterns of
consumption and seeking out greener,
natural and ethical alternatives to every
conceivable type of product and service.
• It’s about buying more wisely,
consuming less, wasting less, thinking
through the consequences of our
purchases.
•It’s about reducing our impact on the
planet and our fellows by making
choices that are better for us, better for
the environment, and better for other
people.
http://www.greenguide.co.uk
Sustainability
Environment
Economy
Social
We all win
Sustainable? , Renewable?

Paper from trees is renewable


But is NOT sustainable
Paper from industrial hemp is renewable
and sustainable.
No need to cut the root of the hemp plant
 1 acre of hemp produces 5-6 times the
amount of fiber produced by an acre of cotton,
plus nutritious seeds and biofuels.

Don’t eat
Poison!
Why Organic?
Products with no chemical fertilizers, or
pesticides.


Only compost and natural methods.
Pesticides have Bromide:
damages the ozone layer (50x CFC)
 worsens global warming.



this chemicals residues pass to the produces and to
food, cosmetics, clothing .they affect nervous system,
highly toxic.
Fertilizers content Nitrous Oxides:

Greenhouse gases so more hot, hot, hot!
100 years ago,
everything was organic!

Pesticides kill bees and have been related to Colony
Collapse Syndrome (CCS) which is affecting plant
pollination.

Insecticide (neo-nicotine), attacks
immunologic system, nervous system, affects
memory & orientation.
_ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Eco-friendly alternatives: natural pesticides (Neem),
TerraCycle (“worm poop”), & crop rotation ,…
Home Gardens
Make a School Garden!
Consider
“no till agriculture”
Hypothetical example
Mr. Kevin Green makes eco-friendly
choices. Kevin avoids high energy
consumption.
Will Kevin prefer whole wheat or white
bread?
Very good! Whole wheat since processed
food requires more energy and it’s less
healthy.
Will Kevin plant grass or ornamental
drought-resistant alternatives?
Clothes & Climate
Petroleum-derived fabrics: not
sustainable and pollutes environment.
Nylon, polyester, wrinkle-free, acrylic, noiron, ...
Cotton is Natural, yet receives 1/5 of
all pesticides used in the World!
Neurotoxins.
These chemical compounds damage people,
flora water bodies, animals and plants.
 Conventional cotton requires enormous
amounts of water: 106,000 cubic ft of water
El algodón
consume 1/5 parte del pesticida de todo el planeta!
per acre.

Organic Fabrics
Organic Cotton- is mostly watered by rain and
used no chemicals fertilizers or pesticides.
 Bamboo – is naturally organic, grows quickly
absorbing CO2, with little water, is naturally antibacterial.
 Hemp - is naturally organic, grows quickly
absorbing CO2, with little water, is naturally antibacterial , protects from UV.

Other: silk, wool, modal, recycled material, tencel
(beech wood), jute, soy, linen, cashmere…
Uses for
hemp:
Food
 Paper
 Fabric
 Oil
 Construction
 Medicines
 Plastics
 Beauty
 Fuel
 Paints

Industrial Hemp
Contains no THC!
Hemp seed contains
similar omega 3 & 6 as
those obtained in Fish.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=6A1Y574YL_4
Most Concentrated and
Best Balanced Source of
Proteins, Essential Fats
and Vitamins in Nature.
www.healing-source.com
www.manitobaharvest.com
The only thing is…
Hemp planting is prohibited in the US. and
Puerto Rico
 So we import it from Canada, Europe and
other countries. Making it expensive.

1 acre of hemp produces 5-6 times the
amount of fiber produced by an acre of cotton,
plus other products such as seeds and oil.
 Canada produces kid’s hemp shakes which
are highly nutritious.

Cleaning
Products
Use eco-friendly cleaning products
 Avoid using chlorine, and other products
cause asthma, allergies, and damage
environment. Related to dioxins, cancer and
birth defects.
 Use: vinegar, baking soda, borax, lime,
orange, enzymes, oxygen, peroxide.

Personal Care Products
Organics ingredients
 no petroleum base (mineral oil)
 Vegetables oils and ingredients

•Burt’s Bees bottles
made with 70%
recycled postconsumer
materials.
Avoid Plastic
Bags!
Most Plastic bags are made out of
petroleum
 Banned in Uganda, China e Ireland.
 In China they’ll save 37 millions barrels of
petroleum every year due to this ban.
 Paper bags contribute to deforestation.

Use Reusable Bags

Plastic bags take more
than 100 years to
decompose.

Most are not recycled.
Many animals mistake them for
food and die as consequence.
Save $
DRY Cleaning
Uses many chemicals (perchloroethylene) that
damage nervous system.
Popular in liquid form, antibacterial soaps are helping to
promote growth of resistant bacteria, according to a 2000
World Health Organization report.
=>Super Bugs
Anti-bacterial
Disposable
Increases size of landfills, therefore more METHANE! Which
traps 20 times more heat in the atmosphere than CO2
Energy to manufacture these products, waste of virgin, limited materials.
More things to Do & to Save $$

Clean A/C filters

Take a ride, walk, bike

Eat Local
Reusable coffee filters

Buy Products with Less Packaging
•
Family Packs: Not individually wrap!
*Excess Packaging
needs energy to
produce and many emit
tons of CO2 to the
atmosphere annually.
Human Footprint
National Geographic’s
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B8Iw0TH2c
zQ
The Story of Stuff
www.storyofstuff.com
More videos at:
http://campusverde.uprm.edu/VideosVerdes