Over the years, we have become increasingly aware of how much human activity can affect the environment. Narratives such as climate change have become harder to dismiss.  This gradual surge in awareness has targeted aspects of life with an amplified call for a change in behaviours. Even the smallest aspects of our daily routines can be associated with causing harm to the environment.

With many women taking the disposal of sanitary products for granted, this is a huge contributor to environmental damage. In fact, the Women’s Environmental Network has found that, on average, a woman will use more than 11,000 disposable menstrual products over her lifetime. This produces a staggering amount of waste. While periods are a reality that we cannot avoid, we could be managing the waste they are associated with in a cleaner, eco-friendlier way. Join Lil-Lets and explore this idea further.

How do periods have an affect on the environment?

How the likes of single use straws, cotton buds and drinks stirrers effect the environment has been brought to attention by the public, sanitary towels have not received the same response since these too have damaging qualities about them in terms on environmental welfare. These other items are all set to be banned in 2020 in a bid to clean up our oceans. But findings from the Marine Conservation Society revealed that for every 100m of beach cleaned, there are an average of 4.8 pieces of menstrual waste found. This amounts to four panty-liners, pads, backing strips, plus at least one tampon and an applicator.

Being green when choosing what to buy is relatively easy. But what about recycling? While emphasis has always been placed on recycling, sanitary products do not fall under this practice as they are used to collect human waste. But plastic applicator tampons can last up to 500 years in the environment. How do we deal with this issue when recycling isn’t possible?

With this in mind, let’s take a look at the carbon footprint involved in a women’s menstrual cycle. A carbon footprint refers to the amount of carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere as a result of human activities. The idea of a ‘menstrual carbon footprint’ might seem strange, but the way we manage our monthly cycle can actually have this kind of direct impact on our climate. Various studies have deciphered the scale of this impact.

Friends of the Earth established that one year’s worth of single use sanitary products amounted to the equivalent of 5.3kg of carbon dioxide produced. This is due to the fact that many cotton tampons contain small amounts of dioxin, a by-product from the creation of the synthetic carbon fibre rayon. They also contain a whole host of pesticides from the cotton harvesting process.

Let’s not forget about plastic. Research has revealed that some sanitary towels have up to 90% plastic content. Meanwhile, 6% of the average tampon is made up of plastic. Non-applicator tampons contain 97% less plastic than their plastic applicator alternatives, and are an easy way to make a greener choice.

How can sanitary waste be monitored?

Firstly, we should all become ‘binners’. Not flushing tampons down the toilet might seem like an unspoken rule, but it seems as though we do need to speak about this more in light of the consequences that being a ‘flusher’ rather than a ‘binner’ can have.

Small changes such as becoming a ‘binner’ of non-applicator tampons can make a significant difference in reducing the environmental harms sanitary products cause. The Journal of The Institution of Environmental Sciences found that around 2.5 million tampons, 1.4 million sanitary liners, and 700,000 panty liners are flushed down UK toilets every day.

Blockages further down the sewer system can be caused by flushing tampons down the toilet.  It also contributes to the ‘fatberg’ epidemic which is growing in our sub-street level waterways. This is where fat, oil, and single use products such as sanitary items and face wipes have accumulated to form huge masses. One was recently discovered which equalled the length of six double decker buses in Sidmouth, Devon.

If you are committed to becoming more environmentally conscious, then consider changing your conventional tampon for an organic alternative. Alternatively, if you are still using applicator tampons, you should swap to non-applicator or cardboard applicator products. Lil-Lets range of non-applicator tampons includes an absorbent core made using viscose, ensuring that it is entirely plastic free.

The likes of organic cotton tampons have not been washed in any harmful products such as chlorine, bleach or other chemicals, therefore are eco-friendlier alternatives to switch from. The cotton used is free from pesticides, omitting any potential ecological effects. In turn, the growth of organic cotton can also help to lessen the development of climate change as the farming practices lock carbon dioxide into the soil.

In order to align with environmental concern, a sense of openness from sanitary brands is a key facilitator to allow consumers to adjust their choices.For example, now there is the option of using non-applicator tampons that have 97% less plasticin them. This narrative certainly needs to be communicated on an even larger scale to provoke change. Groups such as The Women’s Environmental Network are leading the way in promoting their #PeriodsWithoutPlasticmovement, to educate and share ideas on how we can tackle the issue of the sanitary sector’s role in ecological damage.

In terms of the disposal of sanitary products, more action is needed. We must all commit to making small changes and substitutions to our own cycle routine. This could be by stocking up on non-applicator or organic products or by binning rather than flushing our pads and tampons!

Sources:

https://www.wen.org.uk/environmenstrual-campaign

https://friendsoftheearth.uk/plastics/plastic-periods-menstrual-products-and-plastic-pollution

https://friendsoftheearth.uk/plastics/plastic-periods-menstrual-products-and-plastic-pollution

https://news.sky.com/story/plastic-straws-stirrers-and-cotton-buds-to-be-banned-in-england-11725704

https://www.shethinx.com/blogs/womens-health/life-cycle-of-tampon-biodegradable-period-products

At this point, climate change is very much a present threat that cannot be ignored.To do so would be inherently damaging — not only to the individual, but to society, to mankind, and to the entirety of life on Earth.

It may sound dramatic in those terms. But the stark fact is that it is dramatic. The impact of climate change upon the planet will be nothing short of colossal-scale dramatics, for every living creature here. Even Bill Nye, who holds a place in the hearts of Americans akin to how British people embrace Sir David Attenborough, isn’t sugar coating it.

“By the end of this century, if emissions keep rising, the average temperature of the Earth could go up another four to eight degrees,” Bill Nye said on Last Week Tonight.

Meanwhile, Sir David Attenborough’s appearance onClimate Change — The Facts allowed him to deliver the difficult truth in a raw and uncompromisingly clear message: that global warming is the greatest threat the planet has witnessed in thousands of years.

It’s terrifying, but for the moment, it isn’t irreversible. The world’s governments have, by and large, agreed to cleaning up their emissions and waste in recent years. We’re recycling more and looking at renewable sources of energy. We’re removing single-use plastics from our supply chain and swapping our energy-inefficient appliances for more eco-friendly options, such as condensing boilers and energy-saving bulbs.

The question is whether or not we’re seeing an improvement at all from our current efforts. One way to gauge improvements is via the air quality statistics report released by the Department of Environment, Food, and Rural affairs (DEFRA).

What impacts the UK’s air quality?

Before we look at the specific elements that are monitored for air quality purposes, it is important to understand what has an effect on the UK’s air quality. We all know pollutants from vehicles and fossil fuels are a prime contributor to dangerous emissions and poor air quality, but other factors can also affect our air quality, such as:

• Emissions from Europe and the wider world
• Weather conditions, such as heat in the summer, can cause changes in air quality

What’s in the air?

PM₁₀

What is PM₁₀?

PM stands for particulate matter. These particles could be solid or liquid, come from natural or human sources, and can be a variety of sizes. Particulate matter concentration in the air is measured in micrograms per cubic metre (µg m–3). Particulate matter itself is measured in diameter from as small as a nanometre (nm), such as viruses, to micrometres (µm), such as human hair (100µm).

PM₁₀ covers particulate matter in the air that is less than or equal to 10 µm in diameter. Some examples of particulate matter of this size range include:

• Dust (<10µm)
• Pollen (<10µm)
• Red blood cells (7-8 µm approx.)

Particulate matter in the air is grouped in two ways: primary components, which are released into the air from a source directly (such as pollen from a plant), and secondary components, which are created by chemical reactions in the atmosphere, (such as sulphate, which forms when sulphur dioxide oxidises in the air to create sulphuric acid, which then reacts to ammonia to create ammonium sulphate in the air).

Why is PM₁₀ bad?

Generally speaking, small particulates in the air are considered to be harmful to human health. There is evidence to suggest particulate matter with a diameter of 2.5µm or less is particularly harmful; carbon and trace metals in the air, for example. These particulates have been linked to respiratory and cardiovascular illnesses.

Is it decreasing in the UK?

According to DEFRA, the levels of urban background PM₁₀ pollution has reduced considerably between 1992 and 2018. The most dramatic fall was between 1992 and 2000, with an average yearly reduction of around 1.6 μg/m3. However, the increase in PM₁₀ between 2017 and 2018 has been noted as “statistically insignificant” by the report.

PM_2.5

What is PM_2.5?

Like PM₁₀, PM_2.5 refers to particular matter polluting the air around us. It is measured the same way and covers particulates with a diameter of 2.5µm or less. Basically, these are some of the smallest particulates in the air that the country monitors. Like PM₁₀, PM_2.5 can come from manmade or natural sources and can be primary components released directly from the source to the air, or secondary components formed from a chemical reaction within the air.

Some examples of these tiny particulates are:

• Combustion particles (<2.5µm)
• Nanotube electrodes (1µm)
• Trace metals (<2.5µm)

Why is PM_2.5 bad?

Similarly to PM₁₀, PM_2.5 is bad news for respiration. These tiny particles can cause, as well as aggravate, respiratory diseases, cause plaque deposits in the arteries, and even lead to heart attacks or strokes. PM_2.5 tend to stay in the air much longer than PM₁₀ due to being lighter, which means people have a greater chance of inhaling them. Plus, as they are so small, the nose and lungs are not always able to filter them before they reach our lungs. The elderly and children are particularly vulnerable to this.

Is it decreasing in the UK?

PM_2.5 has decreased for urban background pollution compared to 2009, with the average yearly concentration of 9.5 μg/m3 in 2017 the lowest in the recorded range. As with PM₁₀, the increase between 2017 and 2018 is seen as “statistically insignificant”.

NO₂

What is N0₂?

NO₂ is nitrogen dioxide, and it is measured in the air in micrograms (µg). It is produced by burning fossil fuels, such as coal, as a primary component released directly into the air. It can also be produced as a secondary component when nitrogen oxide and ozone react in the air, producing nitrogen dioxide and oxygen.

Why is NO₂bad?

DEFRA notes that NO₂ can inflame the lungs, damage how our lungs work, and aggravate the symptoms of asthma. NO₂ also has an adverse effect on crops and vegetation.

Is it decreasing in the UK?

NO₂ levels have indeed reduced in the long term (since 1990) as well as in recent years within the UK. In particular, there was a rapid decrease in the amount of NO₂ in the air between 1992 and 2002, with an average yearly reduction of around 2.7 μg/m3.

O₃

What is O₃?

O₃ is ozone, and like NO₂, it is measured in μg. No doubt we’ve all heard about the ozone — it protects the Earth from ultraviolet rays from the sun, and it is being destroyed by manmade emissions. Ozone is a good thing, we’re all told.

Well, yes and no. As AirNow explains, when it comes to ozone, it is “good up high, bad nearby”. Essentially, when ozone is high up in the planet’s stratosphere, it’s good. It’s protecting us, and we’re also not breathing it in at this level. But at ground level, (the troposphere), ozone is bad news for people and plants alike.

Why is O₃ bad?

O₃ created at ground level is usually created by chemical reactions between nitrogen and volatile organic compounds, which in turn, come from industrial emissions, vehicles, and solvents. It is particularly prominent in the summer months, as these chemical reactions occur under the heat of the sun.

Breathing in high concentrations of O₃ at ground level can cause:

• Throat irritation
• Lung irritation and coughing
• Chest pains
• Reduced lung function
• Inflammation of the lungs

It also damaged crops and makes plants more susceptible to diseases and pests.

Is it decreasing in the UK?

No — the levels of urban background ozone pollution have been increasing over the long-term, though DEFRA notes that the last decade has been “stable”. Between 2017 and 2018, the concentration of O₃ increased from 58.3μg/m³to 62.8 μg/m³. There are a few reasons why this increase may have occurred:

• Hot weather conditions create high ozone concentrations, and so, the heatwaves experienced in the UK in 2018, 2006, and 2003 – will have caused notable increases in O₃.
• The UK and Europe have reduced their nitrogen oxide emissions as a whole. Nitrogen oxide is known to reduce ozone formation. This is something of a double-edged sword: we have reduced nitrogen oxide emissions, which has in turn reduced nitrogen dioxide pollution in the air (which is formed from nitrogen oxide and ozone reacting in the air, producing nitrogen dioxide and oxygen). But in doing so, the ozone in the air has nothing to react to, meaning it stays!

When it comes to emissions and air quality, the UK is certainly seeing improvements in most areas. We still have a lot of work to do, particularly with our O₃ levels. We also need to take drastic action in other climate change-causing behaviours, such as waste and recycling.

Sources:

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2019/may/13/the-planet-is-on-fucking-fire-bill-nye-is-getting-angry-about-climate-change

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-47988337

https://blissair.com/what-is-pm-2-5.htm

https://www-ssrl.slac.stanford.edu/content/sites/default/files/documents/nano-lab-safety.pdf

https://uk-air.defra.gov.uk/assets/documents/reports/aqeg/pm-summary.pdf

https://uk-air.defra.gov.uk/assets/documents/reports/aqeg/nd-summary.pdf

https://cfpub.epa.gov/airnow/index.cfm?action=gooduphigh.index

Windmills have long ceased to be an exotic novelty, now they are considered as one of the possible options for savings. Air flows over the earth’s surface carry a huge amount of energy that is now successfully used in industrial wind turbines and small wind turbines for private use.

We will tell you how to choose and technically correctly install a wind generator for a private house. In our proposed article describes the rules for assembly and operation of mini power plants. Interested buyers are given advice on choosing a rating of popular models.

Design and principle of operation of wind turbines

The GIGA Turbines are special devices that transform kinetic wind energy into electrical energy. These are independent sources of electricity that are excellently suited for installation in private homes, small and medium-sized farms, and production bases.

The design of a standard mini-power station for residential use includes the following functional elements:

• The blades of aerodynamic shape to catch the wind.
• Generator for producing alternating current.
• Controller for automatic control of wind station. Allows you to adjust the recharging of batteries, distributes energy flows between devices.
• Drive Special batteries for the accumulation of generated electricity.
• Inverter to bring the parameters of the generated energy to the network standards.

Mast raises the blades to a certain height above ground level.

Masts are different: free-standing without stretch marks, rigidly fixed and turning on stretch marks. The latter can be lowered and raised for maintenance, as well as for carrying out repair work.

 Wind generator

Under the influence of wind blades mounted on the generator shaft, begin to rotate, contributing to the launch of the rotor. As a result, the kinetic energy of the air flow is converted into mechanical, and then into electrical energy. It looks like a very simplified scheme of the windmill

In fact, the energy from the wind power plant is not directly supplied to the consumer. The system must be connected to special devices for the conversion of electric current.

A controller is placed in the circuit after the generator. It converts alternating current into direct current. In this form, electricity is accumulated and stored in batteries, and then from them through an inverter, which transforms direct current into alternating current, energy is supplied to the private grid.

Such a scheme makes it possible to smooth out voltage instability, as well as accumulate energy during periods of complete lack of consumption. And this, in turn, allows you to use wind generators of lower power than the total power of household appliances.

 Wind turbine

During the conversion of electric current according to the variable-constant-variable scheme, certain energy losses occur, which constitute approximately 20%. Together with the autonomous wind station, you can install both solar modules and fuel generators. If several devices for generating electricity are involved at once, the circuit is supplemented with one more element an automatic switch (ABP). It is necessary so that when one source of alternative energy is disconnected, another one is launched – backup.