Climate change, a topic that we constantly hear, and that is part of the agenda of various world organizations, including the United Nations, of which we have witnessed its consequences, through natural catastrophes in our world, but What are you doing to avoid the deterioration of our planet and therefore our life?
At the last summit on climate change organized by the United Nations Organization in Mexico 2, data on this effect were released, such as that the average temperature of the Earth's surface has risen more than 0.6 oC since the last years of 19th century, thus it is also estimated that it will increase again between 1.4 oC to 5.8 oC by the year 2100, this represents the greatest increase in any century of the last 10,000 years.
One of the great challenges that we as humanity have is optimizing the planet's resources and using clean ways to generate energy, since one of the main reasons for the increase in temperature is precisely the combustion of increasing amounts of coal, gasoline and oil, coupled with increased forest clearance and some methods of agricultural exploitation.
Due to these reasons, the volume of “greenhouse gases” emitted into the atmosphere, mainly carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide, has increased. These gases occur naturally and are essential for life on Earth, since that prevent solar heat from returning to space, without them our planet would be cold and desert. However, when the volume of these gases is considerable and grows without rest, they cause high temperatures and modify the climate. The 1990s is considered the warmest in the last millennium and 1998 the hottest year.
An average person needs 130 cubic meters of oxygen per year, in desert places a juniper tree generates only 6 cubic meters of oxygen per year, which means that 22 of these trees are required to supply the requirement of one person; in jungle areas a mature and large tree generates enough oxygen for 18 people3, it should be noted that for every cubic meter of oxygen produced by a tree it requires the same amount of carbon dioxide that transforms it through its leaves.
A very important fact is that more than 70% of oxygen is produced by algae and other marine plants, however, due to global warming, there is a phenomenon of decrease in the amounts of phytoplankton, which are the basis of the marine ecosystem.
Trees help regulate temperature, which is why their great importance, since they reduce greenhouse gases that are causing the warming of our planet.
That is why, through the use of environmentally friendly products, we can protect the planet's resources and guarantee the existence of resources for future generations.
An environmentally friendly product is one that, for its manufacture, uses processes, raw materials and practices that require a lesser amount of energy or natural resources, for this reason it affects the ecosystem less than the traditional way of making them, thus also the final destination of these products, prioritizing their reuse, recycling or rapid degradation.
Currently, there are technological developments that allow satisfying the needs of people to facilitate or improve their quality of life, reducing damage to the environment.
An example of new technologies are LED luminaires (light emitting diode) that use less energy than the compact or incandescent fluorescent, in some cases savings of over 70% in the consumption of electrical energy are presented, as well as fluorescent lamps compact on average 45% of the electrical energy they use to function, they are destined to generate heat, while in incandescent lamps it is 90%, do you buy luminaires to generate heat ?, unless they are used in an incubator, most they are bought to illuminate, that is why it is important that we do not underuse our energy resources.
From 1999 to 2010, according to the Federal Electricity Commission (CFE), more than one thousand one hundred fifteen million barrels of fuel oil, one hundred forty-one million tons of coal and 3 billion six hundred and sixty-nine million cubic meters of gas were used. natural to generate electrical energy, if instead of burning it, it had been sold? How many millions of tons of carbon dioxide and other pollutants are emitted into the atmosphere?
Another product that we also constantly use in all properties is paint and waterproofing, currently there are technological advances that have allowed them to reduce harmful effects on the environment when using them, since having formulas that use raw materials that In its extraction or production process, practices are used that reduce the emission of greenhouse gases and help reduce damage to the health of the human being who applies it and who uses it in homes, schools, offices, hospitals, etc.
Likewise, one of the great concerns of the world today is water, on average there are parameters that indicate that a person consumes 200 liters of water daily in cities and 120 liters of water in rural areas4, in accordance with our Mexican legislation in the number 29 Bis fraction II of the National Waters Law, the discharge of the used water must be done after treatment.
With the technological advances in wastewater treatment, they have been characterized in developing a treatment train that has the properties to grow in a modular way, that occupies less space than traditional treatment plants, that is easier to handle and that its acquisition price is also accessible to individuals, companies and public or private organizations.
With this type of technology for wastewater treatment, the reuse of already treated water for the use of toilets is encouraged, as well as the use of this water for garden irrigation, including for plants and trees. Due to their characteristics, they can be installed in places such as public parks, therefore, while in the houses connected to said plant, they are using water to wash clothes, dishes, bathe, among others, this water after being treated, serves to watering the gardens, people hardly notice this process, and also avoid using clean water in irrigation.
In schools, mainly in rural areas, the water supply is truly a problem, since due to the scarcity, they are left without the vital liquid, consequently the toilets, in most cases are not clean, with the new era of wastewater treatment plants, they can be installed at low cost and reuse the water for the use of toilets.
If we estimate that in Chiapas, according to the last census, we are 4,796,580 inhabitants5 and if on average we consume 120 liters of water per person per day6, it means that we spend 210,000 million liters of water annually, and if we do not treat all this wastewater that it contains pollutants, reaches places such as the sea, rivers, lakes or water tables which also pollute them.
These products are just some examples of the products that are classified as environmentally friendly, green products or green technology, it is essential that each one of us be aware that when buying, we must have the responsibility to prefer the products that affect the care of our planet and as a consequence it will also help us save financial resources.
In the new Political Constitution of the State of Chiapas, Article 77 fraction VII establishes that in order to eradicate extreme poverty, raise the human development index and the quality of life of the inhabitants of the State and the Municipalities that comprise it, the Powers of the State and City Councils, in the sphere of their competence, must establish and implement public policies in order to achieve the Millennium Development Goals of the United Nations Development Program, and that one of its goals is: VII. Guarantee the sustainability of the environment and promote the restoration of renewable natural resources, access to drinking water, sanitation, basic services, and reduce the emission of greenhouse gases.
We must commit ourselves, if we want to restore the damage done to our planet to reconsider our habits and customs conscientiously, in order to reduce consumerism and improve our culture of taking advantage of energy and natural resources, it is time to take action on the matter.
Footnotes:
two.
3 people.
4. Protocol of consumption per person in a house for the Keeper wastewater treatment plants.
5.
6. Estimate of consumption in the home room per person.
