10 Ways To Improve Indoor Air Quality

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Indoor air pollution is considered as one of the top environmental risks to public health worldwide due to increasing number of building-related illnesses. Studies have found that concentration of indoor pollutants is significantly higher indoors than they are in outdoor environment, which is two to five times and sometimes hundred times higher than outdoor levels. As most of the people spend 80% to 90% of their lives indoor, indoor air quality has significant implication on sustainability.

indoor plants in home

Impact of Poor Indoor Air Quality

Decreased indoor air quality can affect quality of life of the building occupant, increase health risks and increase the liability for building owner, decrease the productivity of occupants and reduce the resale value of the building. Poor indoor air quality can cause “sick building syndrome”, which is a medical condition linked to poor health and absenteeism. To read a study about the links between VOCs and asthma and allergy sufferers, please check this informative post here.

Poor indoor air quality is due to many factors including but not limited to improper building design, inadequate ventilation, off-gassing of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from furniture, carpets, paints and coatings, cleaning products, and from human respiration. Airborne particles such as lint, dust, dust mites, mold, bacteria, pollen and animal dander also contribute to poor indoor air quality.

Also Read: What is the Difference Between Carpet Dry Cleaning and Steam Cleaning

Indicators that are used to measure the indoor air quality include total particulate matter, total volatile organic compounds (TVOCs), formaldehyde, carbon dioxide (CO2), carbon monoxide (CO), ozone (O3), air temperature, relative humidity (RH). Concentration of CO2 in the indoor environment indicates whether ventilation is sufficient or not.

In the Middle East region, most of the people live in enclosed air-conditioned environments. With rapidly growing population, increase in number of vehicles on the road, high temperature level, ever-increasing construction activities, regular sandstorm, concentration of air contaminants in the region is among the highest worldwide. Indoor environment also reflects outdoor air quality and pollution.

Transport of outdoor contaminants to the indoor environment can result in occupant exposure to outdoor pollutants that have serious health impacts. In addition, there are many sources of indoor pollutants present in building materials, cleaning products, indoor mold and legionella growth, and emission from interior furnishings, finishing and equipment.

How to Improve Indoor Air Quality

Indoor air quality is influenced by concentration of outdoor air pollutants as well as indoor source of pollution, characteristic of building and habits of occupants. Appropriate building design and mechanical system and control strategies as well as changing occupant behaviour can improve indoor air quality and health and comfort, performance and productivity of building occupants.

There are a host of simple yet effective strategies to improve indoor air quality, as mentioned below:

1. Appropriate design

Building envelop, orientation, and location of air intake, location of mechanical ventilation systems can contribute to indoor air quality. Hence, these factors should be considered during the design stage of projects to control the main source of pollutants for the whole building.

2. Whole house mechanical ventilation

Properly designed and sized ventilation system can supply adequate outdoor air to indoor. In most of the green building rating systems, industry standards such as ASHRAE Standard 62 or Ventilation for Acceptable Indoor Air Quality are commonly followed.

3. Mixed mode ventilation

Use of combination of mechanical and natural ventilation systems in buildings, such as automated window controlling systems and operable windows, can help in maintaining healthy indoor air quality.

4. Air quality management during construction

During the construction phase, molds can develop due to exposure of building materials with moisture. Dust and particulates can easily accumulate on building materials if they are not protected. The air quality during the construction period can be protected by protecting the building materials from dust and particles and moistures.

5. High efficiency air filters

Filters prevent transports of outdoor VOCs, dusts, particulates and ozone indoors. Use of good particle filter such as high MERV rated filters in ventilation equipment are found to be the most effective filters in filtering outdoor dust and particulates out.

6. Maintenance schedule for HVAC filters

Dirty filter can cause sensory irritation. Hence, appropriate maintenance schedule can prevent this to happen.

air conditioner efficiency

7. Use of low emitting materials

Use of materials that have low VOC content for products such as indoor carpets, rubber flooring, sub-floor materials, ceramics and ties, plasterboards, or other sealants and adhesives.  Also internal construction materials with low formaldehyde content can be helpful.

8. Conduct building flush out

Flushing out of indoor contaminants thoroughly in buildings before occupancy will help replacing dirty indoor air with fresh outdoor air.

9. Green cleaning program

Select cleaning materials that are made of low emitting materials and employ a green cleaning program to reduce contaminant exposure.

10. Carbon dioxide monitors

Install CO2 monitors in ventilation system and integrate them to regulate the supply of fresh air according to the building occupants demand. By doing so, if the CO2 concentration increases beyond a set point, then the airflow automatically increases.

الزراعة العضوية في الأردن – الواقع والطموح

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في ظل توجيهات جلالة الملك عبدالله الثاني بن الحسين حفظه الله في دعم الأمن الغذائي ورفع إنتاجية القطاع الزراعي وتوجيه جلالته البوصلة نحو إيجاد حلول فعالة وواقعية وقابلة للتنفيذ في الأردن ،والتركيز بضرورة دعم وتفعيل التشاركية بين القطاع العام والخاص كقيمة مضافة لزيادة فرص الإستثمار والتسويق في القطاع الزراعي .وبالتالي تعتبر الزراعة العضوية شريان رئيسي للأمن الغذائي وسلامة الغذاء فيها ركيزة أساسية يتم تحقيقها بهذة الزراعة.

introduction to greenhouse gardening

خلال السنوات الأخيرة بدأت الزراعة العضوية تأخذ حيزاً من الإهتمام في الأردن والعالم العربي لتحقيق العديد من الأهداف والفوائد للإنسان والبيئة من خلال إستخدام المواد المتوفرة بالمزرعة ،وإستغلال أمثل للموارد الطبيعية والمحافظة عليها وإنتاج غذاء عالي الجودة وبأقل كمية ممكنة من الكيماويات والتقليل من تلوث موارد المياه الطبيعية بالإضافة إلى مكافحة الآفات والامراض بطرق طبيعية ، مدعمةً بزيادة الوعي البيئي والغذائي وبعض المبادرات المحلية والدولية وتُعد من القطاعات الناشئة نسبياً، لكنها تشهد تطوراً متزايداً نتيجةً لتزايد الوعي بأهمية الغذاء الصحي.

وتعرف الزراعة العضوية بأنها نظام زراعي يعتمد على إستخدام المدخلات الطبيعية فقط في جميع مراحل الإنتاج، دون اللجوء إلى المواد الكيميائية المصنعة مثل المبيدات والأسمدة الكيماوية ضمن شروط ومواصفات عالمية سعياً لتحقيق التوازن البيئي، والمحافظة على خصوبة التربة، وإنتاج غذاء صحي وآمن وبيئة نظيفة.

في الأردن خاصة ،لا تزال المساحات محدودة مقارنة بالزراعة التقليدية، إلا أنها في إزدياد تدريجي.وبحسب تقرير وزارة الزراعة الأردنية بالتعاون مع الوكالة الألمانية للإنماء  GIZ (2019)، بلغت المساحات المزروعة عضوياً ما يقارب 3500 دونم، وتشًكل أقل من 0.2% من مجمل الأراضي الزراعية في المملكة ورغم صغر النسبة إلا أن هناك نمواً سنوياً بمعدل 8-10% وفق تقديرات غير رسمية. أما أكثر المناطق التي توجد فيها مزارع عضوية هي الأغوار الشمالية، محافظة عجلون، لواء الشوبك ، محافظة الكرك وتشمل المحاصيل المزروعة عضوياً الخضروات مثل الخيار، البندورة، الفلفل، الكوسا، الخس، والسبانخ ، بالإضافة إلى بعض الأعشاب الطبية والعطرية مثل النعناع، الميرمية، الزعتر، والبابونج ، أما زيت الزيتون العضوي فيشكل أحد أهم المنتجات العضوية المعدة للتصدير، خصوصاً من مزارع محافظة الكرك ولواء الشوبك.

ويبلغ عدد المزارع العضوية المعتمدة حسب آخر الإحصاءات المتاحة (حتى 2022) نحو 40 مزرعة، معظمها بمساحات صغيرة،وتصدر شهادات الإعتماد عن جهات  مختلفة مثل(IMO ) سويسرا ( CERES ) ألمانيا ، وشهادات محلية من جهات تحت إشراف وزارة الزراعة الأردنية وهناك عدد محدود من المزارع حاصل على شهادات عضوية محلية أو دولية مثل شهادة EU Organic أو USDA Organic، بسبب التكاليف العالية وصعوبة الإجراءات، كما يتركز التسويق والطلب على المنتجات العضوية في الأسواق المحلية الراقية وبعض الأسواق التصديرية (مثل دول الخليج وأوروبا)، لكن ثقافة المستهلك الأردني لا تزال بحاجة لتوعية أوسع حول فوائد الزراعة العضوية.أما الدعم فيتم تقديمه لهذة الزراعة من خلال المؤسسات الحكومية  وغير الحكومية، لكن ما زال بحاجة إلى تعزيز في مجالات التدريب، التمويل، والتسويق خاصة من خلال المنظمات الدولية مثل ( GIZ) الالماني والتي تدعم مزارعين عضويين بالتدريب والشهادات وأيضاً الجمعية الأردنية للزراعة العضوية (JOAA) والتي تعمل على التوعية والمساعدة في التسويق.

لا تخلو أي زراعة أو تطور زراعي من تحديات مثل  التي تواجهها الزراعة العضوية منها ارتفاع التكاليف لمتطلبات عمالة أكثر وتكاليف السماد العضوي والمكافحة الحيوية ،وضعف التسويق بعدم وجود أسواق عضوية متخصصة وموحدة، ومحدودية الوعي لدى المستهلك الأردني بتفضيل الجودة على السعر لدعم الإقبال على هذة المنتجات،عدا عن صعوبة الحصول على شهادات عضوية لإرتفاع تكاليفها محلياً وعالمياً وأخيراً نقص البحث العلمي التطبيقي من دراسات وأبحاث كافية تدعم المزارعين بالمعلومات والإبتكارات المناسبة للبيئة المحلية.

backyard garden

ولا تتوقف الأمنيات والطموح المستقبلي خلال آفاق التطوير من التوسع في المساحات بخطط حكومية (غير رسمية) لرفع المساحات العضوية إلى 10,000 دونم بحلول 2030،ودعم المزارعي للتحول للزراعة العضوية تدريجياً، والعمل على تسهيل منح الشهادات بتأسيس هيئة محلية لإعتماد المزارع العضوية من خلال المؤسسات الحكومية المعنية ،بالإضافة إلى دعم إنشاء أسواق عضوية محلية بعيداً عن الأسواق التقليدية لبيع منتجات عضوية مباشرة من المزارع للمستهلكين، وفتح الأسواق التصديرية بإستغلال الميزة النسبية التصديرية الأردنية لزيت الزيتون العضوي والمنتجات الطبية والعطرية خاصة لدول الخليج (الإمارات، قطر، السعودية،…)ودول أوروبا (ألمانيا، هولندا،..)، ،مع ضرورة توفير تمويل لمشاريع صغيرة ومتوسطة للتوسع في هذة الزراعة لخلق فرص عمل ودعم التنمية الريفية

مع كل التحديات لا تخلو الأردن من قصص نجاح أردنية  مثل مزرعة “مزارع الشوبك العضوية” والتي حصلت حصلت على شهادة EU Organic وتصدر أعشاباً طبية وزيت زيتون عضوي إلى ألمانيا. وأيضاً شركة أرضنا (Ardna Organic) والتي تقدم سلال خضار عضوية داخل عمان وتعتمد على الزراعة المستدامة في الأغوار الشمالية.

في الخلاصة

رغم أن الزراعة العضوية في الأردن لا تزال في مرحلة مبكرة، إلا أن الإمكانات متوفرة لتحقيق قفزة نوعية في هذا المجال. فالطلب الإقليمي والعالمي على الغذاء الصحي في تزايد، والمناخ الأردني مناسب للعديد من المحاصيل العضوية، ومع تعزيز البنية التحتية، وتقديم الحوافز، وتوسيع نطاق التوعية، يمكن للزراعة العضوية في الأردن  فسلامة الغذاء ركيزة أساسية في الأمن الغذائي الوطني والتنمية المستدامة وخياراً استراتيجياً مما يتطلب شراكة حقيقية بين الحكومة، المزارعين، والمجتمع المدني لدعم هذا التحول النوعي في القطاع الزراعي من خلال حملات توعية تقودها وزارات ومؤسسات غير ربحية حول فوائد الغذاء العضوي، لا سيما للأطفال والنساء الحوامل.

#دعم المزارع الأردني واجب وطني يفوق كل الواجبات لأنه الذراع الرئيسي للأمن الغذائي#

5 Reasons Why You Should Keep A Tarantula As A Pet

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Most people either decide to get a cat or dog as a pet. Some even want to get a bird such as a parrot or a cockatiel or get an aquarium for keeping fish as pets. These are the most common pet choices. However, some people go beyond the norm and look for exotic animals to keep as pets.

They get the most unexpected animal as pets, and when you learn about them, they will leave you in awe. These exotic pets can be amazing ones such as peacocks, vultures, monkeys, paradise birds, while others are deadly like tigers, wolves, insects, and even snakes.

If you are in the market for an exotic pet do not want the high maintenance of these exotic species- you should consider a Tarantula.

Tarantulas require very little maintenance and cost, can live long, take up minimal space, and are incredibly docile – making them perfect pets!

tarantula-pet

Your Friendly Neighborhood Tarantulas As Pets

Many people are arachnophobic (aka fearful of spiders) and are terrified of all sorts of these eight-legged creatures, and that is normal. However, if you do not have such a phobia, then tarantulas can be excellent pets.

Yes, they look scary and intimidating, but they are incredibly calm and become docile once used to the environment.

Many people who have previously kept tarantulas as pets consider them to be the simplest of pets, as the cost of keeping them is minimal.

Advantages of Tarantula as a Pet

So, here are some pros of keeping tarantulas as pets:

1. A Very Budget Friendly Diet

Tarantulas do not need expensive foods to survive. They can even survive for weeks and even a month with no food. As they are ambush predators, they have a very slow metabolism. So, they very rarely get hungry.

As for their food menu, you can feed them your house insects, which will cost you absolutely nothing. But if you want to give them a treat, give them some protein-filled TopFlight Dubia Roaches.

Moths, crickets, cockroaches, any small insect you find in your backyard, you can feed it to them.

2. The Cost Of Keeping Them Is Very Low

Unlike many other exotic pets, the amount of money you need to spend behind them is meager. For example, if you want to keep some rare birds, you need a large cage, an open space, create a suitable environment, and much more.

For reptiles like snakes, you need to do similar things. Get an enormous container, create a suitable environment as snakes are cold-blooded and cannot handle weather change very well.

Tarantulas, on the other hand, are low cost. The most expensive part of keeping a tarantula is the tarantula itself.

To keep a tarantula, you just need a medium-sized container, drill some holes in it and put coco-fiber substrate and a cork bark hide. That is it you are done.

3. Require Very Low Maintenance

Tarantulas, unlike other animals, do not run here and there. They tend to stay in one place and hardly move unless they are webbing.

You hardly need to give any attention to your little pet, apart from feeding it every day. At most, it will take you 20 minutes a week (not per day) for caring for tarantula.

Since they will also straight up eat most insects, your little tarantula can help prevent pests.

4. No Need To Worry About Space

As we said earlier, tarantulas hardly move from one space, and they are tiny creatures compared to other pets. They take up little space, only as much as the container you are keeping it in.

Fun fact, tarantulas themselves prefer living in a small space as they are not chasing predators, but ambush predators, who like to stay at one place and let the food come to them.

In fact, being in a large space might put a lot of stress on your tiny tarantula.

5. Be By Your Side For A Long Time

Tarantulas can live for a very long period. Based on what type of tarantula you are buying, their longevity may vary, but most tarantulas live for about 15-20 years. Owning one makes it easier being an eco-friendly pet owner.

Another remarkable fact about these creatures is that they are very durable and can cope with any environment you put them through.

So, even if you forget that you have a pet and go out somewhere for a week or two when you come back, you will find that your little pet is still in good shape.

These little creatures might be scary looking, but they are very calm and straightforward to maintain, not to mention they are very resilient. Even if you forget about taking care of them, it will hardly impact their health, which would not be possible for other pets.

You do not need extra money to feed them, no extra money to spend by taking them to the vet, and they take very little space and attention from you.

Disadvantages of Tarantula as a Pet

There are, however, a few cons of having a tarantula as a pet. Here are a few of them:

1. Not Such A Bonding Relationship

Most people get a pet to build a bond with them and to enjoy a good time. However, as the tarantulas are not a developed species, they can hardly remember who their owner is.

So if you are looking for a pet that you want to build a bond with, the tarantulas are not for you. They like to live by themselves.

2. Risk Of Being Poisoned

Tarantulas are predators, after all, so they have poison in their fangs. They usually are very calm and will not attack any human.

However, if you agitate them and invade their space, they will lash out at you and might poison you. Although they are not threatening, they might cause an allergic reaction.

Final Thoughts

There are some pros to keeping a tarantula as a pet, and there are also some cons. If you do wish to keep an exotic pet that might shock your friends and family while also not willing to spend a fortune behind them, then do consider getting a tarantula as even though they might look creepy, they can still be excellent house pets.

Considerations for Dog Owners: Tarantula Vs. Dog

When it comes to choosing between a traditional pet like a dog and an exotic one like a tarantula, there are several factors that dog owners must weigh. The decision is not as straightforward as it may seem, and here’s why:

1. Maintenance and Care

Dogs require daily attention, exercise, grooming, and a specific diet. Tarantulas, on the other hand, are low-maintenance creatures that require minimal care. They can even survive for weeks without food. This difference in care can be a significant consideration for busy dog owners.

2. Space Requirements

While dogs need ample space to run and play, tarantulas require only a small container. This makes tarantulas a more suitable option for those living in apartments or confined spaces.

3. Health Concerns

Dogs may suffer from various health issues that require regular veterinary care. Sneezing, for example, can be a common issue in dogs. If you notice your dog sneezing frequently, it might be worth checking out this guide on why dogs keep sneezing. Tarantulas, conversely, are resilient creatures that rarely need medical attention.

4. Lifespan and Commitment

Dogs typically live for 10-15 years, while tarantulas can live up to 20 years. The commitment to a pet’s lifespan is something to consider, especially when weighing the longevity of these two distinct species.

5. Emotional Connection

While tarantulas can be fascinating pets, they do not offer the emotional connection and companionship that dogs provide. If bonding and interaction are essential for a pet owner, a dog might be the preferable choice.

6. Cost Consideration

The ongoing costs of keeping a dog can be substantial, including food, grooming, and veterinary care. Tarantulas are far more budget-friendly, with minimal ongoing expenses.

In conclusion, the choice between a dog and a tarantula depends on individual preferences, lifestyle, and what one expects from a pet. Both have their unique advantages and challenges, and understanding these can help in making an informed decision.

A Holistic Approach to Renewable Energy Adoption in the GCC

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The importance of renewable energy sources in the energy portfolio of any country is well known, especially in the context of energy security and impacts on climate change. The growing quest for renewable energy and energy efficiency in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries has been seen by many as both – a compulsion to complement the rising energy demand, and as an economic strength that helps them in carrying forward the clean energy initiatives from technology development to large scale deployment of projects from Abu Dhabi to Riyadh to Muscat.

solar project in mena

Current Scenario

The promotion of renewable energy is becoming an integral part in the policy statements of governments in GCC countries. Particular attention is being paid to the development and deployment of solar energy for various applications. Masdar and NEOM are the shining examples of a government’s commitment towards addressing sustainability issues through education, R&D, investment, and adoption of clean energy technologies. Masdar has not only emerged as a hub of renewable energy development and innovation but is also acting as a catalyst for many others to take up this challenge.

With the ongoing developments in the clean energy sphere in the MENA region, the growing appetite for establishing clean energy market and addressing domestic sustainability issues arising out of the spiralling energy demand and subsidized hydrocarbon fuels is clearly visible. Saudi Arabia is also contemplating huge investments to develop its solar industry, which can meet one-third of its electricity demand by the year 2032. Other countries, such as UAE, Qatar, Oman and Kuwait are also trying to reciprocate similar moves.

While rationalizing subsidies quickly may be a daunting task for the governments (as for any other country, for that matter), efforts are being made by UAE to push renewable energy in the supply mix and create the market.

Accelerating Renewable Energy Growth

However, renewable energy initiatives are almost exclusively government-led projects. There is nothing wrong in capitalizing hydrocarbon revenue for a noble cause but unless strong policies and regulatory frameworks are put in place, the sector may not see viable actions from private players and investors.

The present set of such instruments are either still weak or absent, and, therefore, are unable to provide greater comfort to market players. This situation may, in turn, limit the capacity/flexibility to reduce carbon footprints in times to come as government on its own cannot set up projects everywhere, it can only demonstrate and facilitate.

In this backdrop, it is time to soon bring in reforms that would pave way for successful green electricity adoption in all spheres. Some of the initiatives that need to be introduced or strengthened include:

  • Enabling policies for grid-connected renewable energy that should cover interconnection issues between renewable power and utilities, incentives, facilitation and clearances for land, water, and environment (wherever relevant); and
  • Regulatory provisions relating to – setting of minimum Renewable Purchase Obligation (RPO) to be met, principles of tariff determination for different technologies, provisions for trading in renewable energy, plant operation including scheduling (wherever relevant), and evacuation of power.
  • Creation of ancillary market for effectively meeting the grid management challenges arising from intermittent power like that from solar and wind, metering and energy accounting, protection, connectivity code, safety, etc.

For creating demand and establishing a thriving market, concerted efforts are required by all the stakeholders to address various kinds of issues pertaining to policy, technical, regulatory, and institutional mechanisms in the larger perspective.

In the absence of a strong framework, even the world’s most visionary and ambitious project Desertec which  envision channeling of solar and wind power to parts of Europe by linking of renewable energy generation projects in MENA may also face hurdles as one has to deal with pricing, interconnection, grid stability and access issues first. This also necessitates the need for harmonization in approach among all participating countries to the extent possible.

Conclusions

It is difficult to ignore the benefits of renewable energy be it social, economic, environmental, local or global. Policy statements are essential starting steps for accelerating adoption of clean energy sources including smaller size capacity, where there lies a significant potential.

In GCC countries with affluent society, the biggest challenge would be to create energy consciousness and encourage smarter use of energy among common people like anywhere else, and the same calls for wider application of behavioural science in addressing a wide range of sustainability issues.

Water Crisis in Gaza

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Gaza Strip has been enduring constant Israeli bombardment for many years which has resulted in severe damages to its infrastructure and to its citizens. However the real risk is Gaza’s lack of usable water.  The only natural source of fresh water in Gaza is a shallow aquifer on the southern part of its coast; 90 to 95% of which is not safe for drinking because of neighboring seawater, sewage, and runoff from agriculture. Even though most of it is not fit for consumption, residents have no other choice but to resort to using it. UN hydrologists have indicated that current extraction rates from the aquifer run at around 160 million cubic meters (mcm)/year, 105 mcm above the recommended abstraction rate.

The repercussions of this over abstraction can be disastrous because a drop in the water table would cause a large volume of sea water to seep through the surface and into the aquifer, further contaminating the entire aquifer.

Of course the situation was not always like this. Prior to 2006, around 97% of all households within the Gaza strip had access to the coastal aquifer. Gaza also showcased five sewage and wastewater treatment plants that improved the water’s health & status. Why did all of this change? What happened? Why have scientists predicted that the Gaza strip will become unlivable by the year 2016?

The ongoing Israeli assault on Gaza has had a heavy toll on the strip's already fragile water infrastructure, leaving the territory's 1.8 million residents facing long periods without access to clean running water. This has driven residents to travel long distances in order to reach a source of water that they could use. Some residents have even relied on purchasing expensive bottled water smuggled in from the underground tunnels that connect into Egypt. The constant bombardment has also had negative effects on the five sewage and wastewater treatment plants in Gaza, three of which have been damaged by the bombings. The damage to the treatment plants led to the discharge of an estimated 3.5 million cubic feet (1 Cubic feet = 0.028 cubic meters) of raw sewage into the Mediterranean Sea every day.

It must be noted that this water crisis in Gaza was present well before the most recent Israeli bombardment began.  Since the Israeli blockade on the Gaza strip enforced in 2006 Israel has controlled everything from the national air space to everything entering and exiting the Gaza Strip. Accordingly, Israel has denied the influx of raw material that would be used to improve the current outdated infrastructure causing the existing infrastructure to deteriorate over time. Additionally, as is the situation in the West Bank Israel did and still consumes a disproportionate share of water (approximately 80%) from Gaza’s only water source, the coastal aquifer. Finally, as if to rub salt into the Palestinians wounds, it constantly rejects Palestinian proposals for the construction of private water wells and often destroys any that exist.

In 2012, the plans for a desalination plant in Gaza were suggested and were backed by Israel, all Mediterranean governments, the UN, the EU, and key development banks. It was also confirmed that the finances for this projects were to be provided by the Islamic Development Bank and the European Investment Bank.However shortly after the plans were published, conflicts reoccurred and Israeli bombardment of the Gaza Strip continued. This once promising project was discarded and infrastructure destroyed.

The city’s water quality has become a central factor in its water crisis threatening all life in the city. With no end in sight for both the current attacks on the city and the illegal blockade, there are little to no solutions left for Gaza. With its infrastructure constantly being destroyed and its water polluted, the only solution is peace. Without peace the water crisis will continue to worsen until the Gaza Strip becomes unlivable. The illegal blockade must be lifted to allow the people of Gaza the freedom to manage its own water supply, rebuild its infrastructure, and to import fresh water from the outside world because without it Gaza will cease to exist.

The Promise of Bioremediation

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Ecosystems are permanently challenged with the abundant release of toxic compounds into the environment due to a wide range of anthropogenic activities. Apparently, contamination with oil spills and oily waste disposal are a major global concern since it’s extensively damaging the biodiversity, threatening the public health and has severe ecological and socioeconomic consequences. For example, in 1989, thousands metric tons of crude oil spill in Alaska, led to a massive loss in the marine life as well as several long-term environmental impact. Minor oil spills and non-point oil contamination are no less threats to public health, biodiversity and environment.

Pollution of Nile

Industrial pollution is wrecking havoc in Nile

Awareness of this reality united the international efforts in searching for effective environmental cleaning-up measurements. Environmental cleanup is an extremely challenging task, as many pollutants are difficult to remove or transform into non-toxic products. Generally, the first response option is conventional methods, such as physical removal; however, they rarely achieve complete cleanup of oil spills since the current physical methods recover only up to 15% of the oil after a major spill; hence, more fundamental approaches are needed.

The focus has been shifted towards the biological methods, such as bioremediation, which are efficient, environmentally sustainable, and socio-economically acceptable than other methods. Bioremediation has been used by human since the ancient time; farmers have relied on composting to decompose solid waste resulted from animals and plants.

As a new biotechnology; bioremediation has been investigated since the 1940s, it is a process attempts to accelerate natural biodegradation processes; by definition; bioremediation is a biotechnology of using living organisms, mainly microorganisms’ metabolic activities, to degrade the environmental contaminants into less toxic forms. It uses biological agents such as bacteria, fungi or plants to degrade or neutralize hazardous pollutants.

Types of Bioremediation

Generally, bioremediation processes have been classified into two main categories: in situ and ex situ. In situ bioremediation involves on-site removal of contaminant, while ex situ involves mining of contaminated soil or pumping of groundwater to treat it elsewhere. In situ remediation techniques include bioventing, bioslurping, biosparging and phytoremediation.

Ex situ is useful for the remediation of polluted soils with high concentration of recalcitrant contaminants, such as polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons and oily sludge’s. Ex situ bioremediation techniques include landfarming, biopiling, and bioreactors processing .One of the most important types of ex situ technique is Slurry bioreactors. Treatment of soils and sediments in slurry bioreactors has become one of the best options for the bioremediation of soils polluted by recalcitrant pollutants under controlled environmental conditions.

Microbial Bioremediation

Biodiversity is one of the Earth’s greatest treasures. Microbes represent the most diverse living organisms on earth. The ecosystems microbiota plays a major role in enormous physiological versatility and biogeochemical cycling processes. It is well recognized that the microorganisms play a fundamental role in toxic materials breaking down; they play as scavengers of undesired molecules in the environment.

With the advances in microbiology, biologists are recruiting the earth’s tiniest living creatures for cleaning up and reclamation of oil highly polluted ecosystems. It has been known for around 80 years that certain microbes are able to degrade petroleum compounds and use them as a source of carbon and energy for growth. Unquestionably, microbes represent a promising and untapped resource for new environmental biotechnologies.

Environmental variables can greatly affect the rate and extent of bioremediation. Both chemical and physical characteristics of the oil are important determinants of bioremediation success. One important required factor is the presence of microbes with the appropriate metabolic capabilities. The microbes can be either indigenous to a contaminated area (Biostimulation) or isolated from then brought to the contaminated site (Bioaugmentation). If these microorganisms are present, then maintaining the best rates of pollutant`s biodegradation can be achieved by ensuring that sufficient concentrations of nutrients, moisture and oxygen are present. Other variables, such as salinity, are not usually controllable.

Petroleum compounds in the environment are biodegraded mainly by bacteria, fungi, yeast and Archaea. Not all microbes are able to “mop up” all types of oil spills. Bacteria including Pseudomonas and Rhodococcus species work as primary degraders of spilled oil in the environment. Some Fungal genera proved to be the potential organisms for hydrocarbon degradation; Fungus such as Phanaerochaete chrysosporium is able to degrade an extremely diverse variety of toxic environmental pollutants.

Microbial bioremediation is used to treat oil spills in seas and on beaches.

The yeast species including Candida lipolytica isolated from contaminated sites were noted to degrade oil compounds. For Archaea, the studies showed that archaeal diversity more complex in the contaminated soil than in the uncontaminated soil. Archaeal populations in the contaminated soil consisted mainly of Euryarchaeota. Archaea may be useful indicators of ecosystem recovery from a pollution incident. Nevertheless, their full potential has yet to be exploited.

Bioremediation and Sustainable Development

Conclusively, the bioremediation of polluted environment using of an environmental-friendly, versatile and cost-effective technology such as microbial bioremediation will reduce the health risk, rescue the biodiversity heritage and restore the damaged ecosystem naturally. Moreover, well designed bioremediation projects will create direct and indirect employment opportunities; it will also facilitate a sustainable management of contaminated soils, all is tapping to promote and facilitate the integration of new sustainable socio-economic green activities in the Middle East region.

Future Perspectives

Bioremediation has the potential to restore contaminated environments inexpensively yet effectively. Lack of sufficient knowledge about the effect of various environmental factors on the rate and extent of biodegradation create a source of uncertainty. It is important to point out that many field tests have not been correctly designed, well controlled, or properly analyzed, leading to uncertainty when selecting response options. Hence, future field studies should invest serious efforts adopting scientifically legitimate approaches and acquiring the highest quality data possible.

Moreover, a wide diversity of microbes with detoxification abilities is waiting to be explored. The inadequate knowledge about microbes and their natural role in the environment could affect the acceptability of their uses. The understanding of the diversity of microbial community’s in petroleum contaminated environment is essential to get a better insight into potential oil degraders and to understand their genetics and biochemistry that will result in developing appropriate bioremediation strategies, thus, preserving the long-term sustainability of natural terrestrial and marine ecosystems.

سبع طرق لتقليل تكاليف التدفئة والتبريد في منزلك

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هل تعلم بأنه يمكن لمكيف الهواء  المنزلي أن يزيد استهلاك الطاقة بنحو 50٪؟ وهل تعلم بأنك تستطيع تقليل تأثير المكيف عن طريق إجراء بعض التغييرات الرئيسية أو الطفيفة في المكان وحوله؟ يمكنك تقليل نفقات التدفئة والتبريد في منزلك باتباع الخطوات السبع التالية:

1. استثمر في منظم حرارة قابل للبرمجة

ستسفيد  أكثر من الاستثمار في منظم حرارة قابل للبرمجة عندما يتعلق الأمر بتوفير المال، عند محاولة تدفئة منزلك وتبريده، حيث أنه من الممكنأن تنسى إيقاف تشغيل النظام أو ضبط درجة الحرارة إلى درجة معينة وهذا هو السبب في استخدام منظم الحرارة الذي ممكن اضافته او تضمينه في نظام التكييف الهواء لديك.

حيث يمكنك ضبطه للتحكم تلقائيًا  والتحكم بالتدفئة والتبريد  بالمكان عندما تكون في الداخل أو الخارج. فتقوم ببرمجته بحيث يغلق النظام اثناء النهار ويعمل قبل عودتك للداخل قبل حوالي الساعة أو حسبما تقوم ببرمجته.

how to reduce heating and cooling costs at home

إنه يعمل بطرق مختلفة، على سبيل المثال ، يمكنه إيقاف الضاغط بمجرد أن تصل درجة حرارة الغرفة إلى المستوى المطلوب، حيث لا يستمر المكيف في العمل الا عند الحاجة له، مما يساعد في خفض إستهلاك الطاقة.

لتتمكن من تجهيز منظم الحرارة لتصل لاقصى قدر من التوفير، قم بتشغيل المكيف لدرجة 78 فهرنهايت (25 درجة مئوية) عندما تكون في الداخل وأجعله يعمل بدرجة حرارة عالية عندما لا تكون في المنزل، لأن مكيف الهواء قادر أيضاً على طرد الرطوبة الداخلية، فمن المحتمل أن يكون المنزل بارداً عندما تكون درجة الحرارة 25 درجة في الخارج.

2. نظف مرشحات مكيف الهواء بانتظام

تنظيف مكيف الهواء هو الشيء  الرئيسي التالي الذي يساعد على تقليل استهلاك الطاقة وفواتير الكهرباء، جميع الغبار والأوساخ والألياف لديهم القدرة أن يجدواطريقهم إلى النظام  ويقوموا بإغلاق الفلاتر مما يجعل مكيف الهواء يعمل مرتين أو ثلاث مرات  أكثر مما ينبغي لتوفير درجة الحرارة المطلوبة

يجب أن يتم تنظيف  نظام تكييف الهواء كل شهرين تقريباً، وهذا التنظيف يشمل التصليح، واستبدال الفلاتر المهترئة او البالية.

3. أغلق جميع الفتحات في المناطق السفلى من منزلك

يكمن السبب بأن الطوابق العليا في المنزل تكون أكثر دفئاً من الطوابق السفلية/الارضية، لأن الهواء الساخن يرتفع للاعلى ويدفع الهواء البارد للأسفل، لذا يكون الطابق السفلي أبرد مكان في المنزل المكون من عدة طوابق.

تستطيع التحكم في تدفق الهواء الساخن والبارد عن طريق إغلاق فتح التهوية في الغرف السفلية بحيث يمكنك إعادة توجيه الهواء البارد إلى الاقسام الاعلى حرارة، وذلك سوف يساعد على معادلة أو موازنة درجات الحرارة وبالتالي تقليل الحاجة لتشغيل مكيف الهواء لفترات طويلة.

4. استخدم مراوح السقف لتدوير الهواء

إن القيام بتركيبمراوح السقف يساعد بتقليلالاعتماد على نظام التدفئة والتبريد، وبالتالي  يؤدي لتوفير الطاقة. فعلى سبيل المثال، ممكن أن تساعد المراوح في تدوير الهواء خلال الايام الحارة نسبياً مما يقلل الحاجة الى استخدام المكيف، وتجعل المراوح الغرف ابرد بمقدار 8 درجات لانها تحفظ حركة الهواء.

5. فحص نظام التدفئة والتكييف HVAC سنوياً

يجب أن يتم فحص نظام التدفئة والتكييف سنوياً من قبل الفنيين والمختصين بالإصلاح وتنظيف الغبار والاوساخ المتراكمة التي تؤدي الى تقليل كفاءة عمل الجهاز، حيث يقومون – عند الضرورة – بإستبدال القطع اللازمة، لذا لا تحسب خدماتهم بأنها مصروف إضافي بل على العكس فهم يساعدونك على توفير استهلاك الطاقة من خلال إصلاح واستبدال القطع التي تستهلك طاقة كبيرة. وغير ذلك فإنك تدفع مقابل هذه الخدمة مرة واحدة في السنة مقارنة بالفواتير الشهرية للطاقة.

energy conservation guide

6. سد الشقوق والتصدعات

سد الشقوق  والتصدعات في النوافذ والأبواب وحولها يزيد من كفاءة عمل المكيف وتستطيع القيام بذلك إذا كان لديك مسدس الاغلاق (السد) ولست بحاجة الى أي مهارات استثنائية للقيام بذلك، إن القيام بسد او إغلاق هذه الشقوق يعملعلى زيادة كفاءة  عمل المكيف،يمكنك القيام بذلك إذا كان لديك مسدس  اللصق (السد) ولست بحاجة إلى أي مهارات استثنائية. إغلاق مثل هذه الفتحات سوف يمنع الهواء الساخن من التسرب ويمنع دخول الهواء البارد إلى منزلك. إن إغلاق الشقوق والفتحات بالأبواب والنوافذ سيكون مفيدًا للتقليل من  فاتورة الطاقة.

7. أغلق الستائر

تصبح المركبات شديدة الحرارة عند تركها تحت أشعة الشمس، وهذا ينطبق أيضاً على المنازل، حيث تتحول أشعة الشمس المباشرة التي تدخل من النوافذ والمناور الى حرارة عالية، لذلك فإن إغلاق الستائر للنوافذ الغربية والشرقية (أشعة الشمس المباشرة) يساعد في التحكم بدرجات الحرارة الداخلية أثناء النهار وبالتالي التقليل من استخدام المكيف، مما يؤدي لخفض فاتورة الطاقة.

ترجمه – ماجدة هلسة

أردنية متعددة الاهتمامات، لديها من الخبرة ما يناهز العشرون عاماً في مجالي المالية والإدارة في المؤسسات المحلية والدولية وتعمل ماجدة حالياً مع الوكالة الألمانية للتعاون الدولي كموظفةٍ ماليةٍ. ومع ذلك كله وعلى الصعيد التطوعي، فإن لديها شغفاً كبيراً بالترجمة في كافة المواضيع والمجالات، وقد بُني هذا الشغف بالخبرة الشخصية والعملية على

موسم النشاط البيئي

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النشاط البيئي يبلغ ذروته في الدول المشاطئة لحوض الخليج العربي في هذه المرحلة من كل عام مع تغير الاحوال الجوية وما يرافقه من حالات الكوارث البحرية بفعل غرق وتصادم البواخر النفطية التي تتسبب في تلويث نظام البيئة البحرية، وكذلك مع تحسن حالة الطقس وتزايد اعداد مرتادي البيئات البرية والساحلية وما يرافقه من انشطة وممارسات غير رشيدة في تلك البيئات تتسبب في التأثير السلبي على معالم النظم البيئية.

والنشاط البيئي يتباين في مضمون طبيعته الاجرائية بين المؤسسة الرسمية المختص في الشأن البيئي ومؤسسة المجتمع المدني الناشطة في حقل العمل البيئي، وبرغم جوانب الاختلاف في طبيعة الخطط والبرامج تبقى القواسم المشتركة المؤشر الذي يحكم طبيعة العمل البيئي، فالمؤسسة الرسمية بحكم طبيعة مهامها التنفيذية تتولى مهام التخطيط المبكر في وضع خطط الطوارئ البيئية للحد من مخاطر الكوارث الطارئة التي تشهدها المياه البحرية، وبحكم طبيعة الترابط الاقليمي لمياه الخليج يجري اتخاذ الاجراءات بالارتكاز على مبادئ العمل الاقليمي المشترك الذي تنظمه اتفاقية الكويت الاقليمية لحماية البيئة البحرية والمناطق الساحلية، وذلك في إطار منظومة العمل الاقليمي المحددة في مبادئ آلية العمل البيئي للمنظمة الاقليمية لحماية البيئة البحرية.

البعد الآخر للنشاط البيئي الذي يحظى باهميته في هذا السياق يتمثل في جهود المجتمع المدني لنشر ثقافة الحفاظ على معالم النظام البيئي، هنا تتنوع الانشطة في طبيعة اهدافها وآلياتها فهناك المجموعات البيئية التي تتبنى الانشطة الموجهة في تنظيم حملات تنظيف البيئات الطبيعية في المناطق البرية والساحلية، وذلك مدخل مهم لتوعية القطاعات المجتمعية للحفاظ على نظافة المحيط البيئي للانسان، والمجموعات البيئية التي تكافح أنشطة الصيد الجائر للانواع البرية والبحرية النادرة المهددة بالانقراض، كما ان هناك المجموعات البيئية التي تركز إهتمامها في تنمية الوعي والسلوك البيئي للمجتمع.

فهناك المجموعات البيئية التي تتبنى الانشطة الموجهة في تنظيم حملات تنظيف البيئات الطبيعية في المناطق البرية والساحلية

الاتجاهات المشار اليها في منظومة العمل البيئي برغم أهميتها الاستراتيجية هي في حاجة الى مراجعة آليات عملها في المراحل السابقة خاصة في جانب العمل المؤسسي الرسمي في ما يخص إجراءات مكافحة الكوارث البيئية الطارئة للتمكن في الاستعداد المبكر للحوادث الموسمية، وعلى صعيد أنشطة المجتمع المدني ينبغي ان يجري مراجعة الضمانات القانونية المنظمة لجهود المجتمع المدني البيئي وتوفير المحفزات الاجرائية والقانونية وغيرها التي تساهم في الارتقاء بمسارات العمل المدني في تعزيز فاعلية انجاز اهداف الأهداف الوطنية للتنمية المستدامة في البحرين.

Composting Scenario in Qatar

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The State of Qatar has one of the highest per capita waste generation rates worldwide. In 2012, Qatar generated 8,000 tons of solid waste daily (this is excluding construction and demolition waste which amounts to 20,000 tons additional waste per day).  This number is predicted to reach 19,000 tons/day in 2032, with an annual growth rate of roughly 4.2%.1  Most of these wastes end up in landfills – in 2012, more than 90% of Qatar’s solid waste were sent to landfills although the government is intensifying its efforts to reduce this amount.  This percentage is extremely high compared to many industrialized countries in Europe and Asia (e.g. Austria, Denmark, Netherlands and Japan) where less than 10% of solid waste are disposed of in landfills.  These countries have high recycling rates, have invested in technologies that convert waste into energy, and apply composting process to their organic waste.2 In some of these nations, as much as 40% of their wastes are composted.

What is Composting

Composting is an effective method for reducing the amount of garbage that enters landfills.  This is particularly applicable to waste streams having high organic content, which applies to most municipal solid wastes (MSW).  The process of composting is basically the breakdown of organic matter by micro and macroorganisms such as bacteria, fungi and/or earthworms in an aerobic environment.  The resulting product – compost – is rich in nutrients beneficial to plants like nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, so it is mainly used as fertilizer and soil conditioner. 

The market for compost is steadily rising thanks to the effort of many governments to promote sustainable agriculture and the increasing demand for organically grown produce.  Composting, therefore, aside from keeping organic wastes from filling up landfills, can also be an excellent source of revenue.

Composting in Qatar

At present, composting in Qatar is mainly done at the Domestic Solid Waste Management Centre (DSWMC) in Mesaieed, which houses the largest composting facility in the country and one of the largest in the world.  The waste that enters the plant initially goes through anaerobic fermentation, which produces biogas that can power the facility’s gas engine and generators, followed by aerobic treatment which yields the final product. 

Two types of compost are generated: Grade A (compost that comes from green waste, such as yard/park trimmings, leftovers from kitchen or catering services, and wastes from markets) and Grade B (compost produced from MSW).  The plant started its operation in 2011 and when run at full capacity is able to process 750 tons of waste and produce 52 tons of Grade A compost, 377 tons of Grade B compost, liquid fertilizer which is composed of 51 tons of Grade A compost and 204 tons of Grade B compost, and 129 tons of biogas.3 

This is a significant and commendable development in Qatar’s implementation of its solid waste management plan, which is to reduce, reuse, recycle and recover from waste, and to avoid disposing in landfills as much as possible.  However, the large influx of workers to Qatar in the coming years as the country prepares to host the World Cup in 2022 is expected to substantially increase solid waste generation and apart from its investments in facilities like the composting plant and in DSWMC in general, the government may have to tap into the efforts of organizations and communities to implement its waste management strategy.

Silver Lining

Thankfully, several organizations recognize the importance of composting in waste management and are raising awareness on its benefits.  Qatar Green Building Council (QGBC) has been actively promoting composting through its Solid Waste Interest Group.  Last year, they were one of the implementers of the Baytna project, the first Passivhaus experiment in the country.  This project entails the construction of an energy-efficient villa and a comparative study will be performed as to how the carbon footprint of this structure would compare to a conventional villa.  The occupants of the Passivhaus villa will also be made to implement a sustainable waste management system which includes composting of food and garden waste, which is meant to lower greenhouse gas emissions compared to landfilling.

Qatar Foundation is also currently developing an integrated waste management system for the entire Education City and the Food Services group is pushing for composting to be included as a method to treat food and other organic waste.  And many may not know this but composting can be and has been done by individuals in their own backyard and can even be done indoors with the right equipment.  Katrin Scholz-Barth, previous president of SustainableQatar, a volunteer-based organization that fosters sustainable culture through awareness, skills and knowledge, is an advocate of composting and has some great resources on how to start and maintain your own composting bin as she has been doing it herself.  A simple internet search will also reveal that producing compost at home is a relatively simple process that can be achieved with minimal tools.  At present, very few families in Qatar are producing their own compost and Scholz-Barth believes there is much room for improvement.

As part of its solid waste management plan as stated in the National Development Strategy for 2011-2016, Qatar aims to maintain domestic waste generation at 1.6 kg per capita per day.  This will probably involve encouraging greater recycling and reuse efforts and the reduction of waste from its source.  It would also be worthwhile to include programs that will promote and boost composting efforts among institutions, organizations and individuals, encouraging them with the fact that apart from its capability of significant waste diversion from landfills, composting can also be an attractive source of income.

References

  1. Qatar Development Bank (2013). “Qatar Solid Waste Management Phase 1 Assessment”.  Presentation during the Environment Statistics 2013 Workshop organized by the Ministry of Development Planning and Statistics
  2. Hoornweg, D. and Bhada-Tata, P. (2012). “What a Waste: A Global Review of Solid Waste Management”. USA: World Bank
  3. “World’s Largest Composting Plant in Mesaieed”. Gulf Times 23 February 2012. Accessed 27 February 2014. http://goo.gl/xcLtXa

10 Easy Editing Tips for Your Perfect Essay

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Starting an essay may be difficult but the real agony lies in finishing. Most students assume that the complexities of essay writing lie in figuring out the topic, creating a good thesis, presenting the facts and supporting your arguments. Well, this could not be further from the truth!

Granted, this part of the work requires a lot of effort and skill. However, the secret to writing a perfect essay lies in your editing skills. Editing requires more than the usual spell-check. Spell-checkers may fail to pick up a few errors that the human eye would. All the facts and statistics in the world would mean nothing if your final draft is boring or confusing to the reader.

Why it is important to edit your paper

Editing helps students to unmask problems with their writing that could affect their grades or future writing assignments. Editing goes beyond tweaking the finishing touches; it points you to flaws in your arguments or ideas.

Students often use professional essay writing services like https://www.customwritings.com which guarantee that highly qualified academic writers will edit their papers to perfection.

How to Edit Your Essay

However, there are a few steps you can follow if you would like to edit your essay on your own. Here is our ultimate guide to perfecting an essay:

1. Take a break

It may be tempting to do all the work in one sitting but sometimes it is better to take a little break from your work and refresh your mind. Once you are done writing your first draft, get away from your computer and find a temporary distraction. A few minutes should be enough.

2. Read your essay out loud

It is easy to overlook some errors while writing because your mind is focused on finishing the paper. You may overlook these mistakes yet again while going through your essay silently. Read your essay aloud before you start editing so that you can get a feel of how it sounds. Be alert as you read. If anything sounds odd, note it. If anything sounds wrong, it is probably very wrong.

3. Start with the easy part

Check that you have adhered to all the formatting instructions. You may use editing software to fix any errors in formatting and punctuation. Your readers will thank you!

4. Check the structure of your essay

A perfect paper is coherent and has a clear structure. The sentences and paragraphs should also flow seamlessly from one to the next. The standard essay format includes an introduction, a body, and a conclusion.

Each part of the essay has its purpose:

Introduction: Ensure your essay has an exciting introductory paragraph that is worthy of your reader’s attention. This paragraph should clearly highlight what you intend to talk about in your essay.

Thesis statement: Check that your essay has a clear well-drafted thesis statement that outlines the purpose of your essay. It is good practice to have your thesis statement as the first sentence of your second paragraph.

Body: A well-structured body covers all the relevant points relevant to your thesis statement. Remember, the goal is to prove your thesis correct.

Strong conclusion: Ensure your conclusion appropriately summarizes your entire writing. A strong conclusion is one that recaps all the strong points discussed in the main body of the paper. If you require the reader to take any further action, this is where you state it.

5. Get rid of unnecessary words and phrases

Some words and phrases take up space in your essay without adding any value to your paper; get rid of them. Loose and dull sentences are a great way to lose the interest of your readers; get rid of them too. Every word, phrase or sentence should add meaning. If you find phrases such as “in my own personal opinion” in your work, do something about them. Use words that make you appear authoritative to your readers. Replace words like “says” with words like “argues”, “suggests” or “claims”.

6. Stick to what you understand

Many students find themselves using big words and phrases in an effort to appear sophisticated. The danger in doing this is that you may end up being ambiguous or completely off-topic. Use specific words and phrases as these will add the most value to your essay.

Resist the urge to try and appear smart by using unnecessary jargon. The average reader (especially your professor) is not likely to be impressed by puffed-up prose. People will be discouraged from reading your essay if it sounds too pompous. Besides, you do not want your reader to question your authority.

7. Get your facts straight

Check that any facts, figures or statistics used in your paper are accurate and well cited.

8. Let it go

Many people get tempted to sneak in their favorite words and phrases into their work just because they like how they sound. Do not rewrite a sentence or paragraph just so you can use your favorite phrase. Be ruthless to your most dazzling sentences as they will only point the reader to your novice.

9. Check again

Once you are done editing, go through your paper again. It is unlikely that you will miss anything if you follow our guide step-by-step but do this regardless.

10. Get a second opinion

Finally, have a friend or relative go through your paper. They may notice something you overlooked and point you to it. Be careful not to seek help from a classmate who may copy your work.

Paper Writing Guide For College Students: How To Write Like A Pro

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How do you write the perfect paper that gets you the grades you want? Whether it’s an essay, thesis, or dissertation, if you want to write like a pro (and get the grades to prove it), you need to learn how to create the perfect paper. Here are some guidelines for how to write your next paper:

how to write like a pro

Research Beforehand

Whether you’re writing a paper on Annette Funicello or objectivism, take some time before you start your research to read through and plan out your paper. This will give you more structure, which will make writing your essay easier and quicker. If necessary, come up with an outline, drawing from class materials. Organizing your thoughts beforehand will also help ensure that you hit all of your major points before closing out each section. You don’t want any big ideas left hanging at the end!

Formal Research

Most academic writing falls into one of two categories. Informal research includes things like email, memos, journals, and class notes. Formal research uses more formal formats such as term papers, lab reports, presentations, and even dissertations.  In general, formal research requires that you follow specific guidelines (such as APA or MLA style) when citing sources and formatting citations. To do well in school, you’ll need to know how to do both types of research. Click this link if you want to know how to write a paper on environment protection.

Informal Research

Do you need more than a simple definition for your paper? If so, take time to conduct informal research. This can be in person or online, but try and find real-world examples of things you’re trying to define. In other words, don’t look up what an en dash is (or any other form of punctuation) on Wikipedia—that should be covered in class or during assigned readings! Instead, look at how it’s used by different sources.

Write Multiple Drafts

One of my favorite pieces of advice I received was to write multiple drafts. When I asked what that meant, my professor explained that when writing an essay or research paper, you should write multiple drafts. The first draft is usually pretty bad, but it helps you figure out what your thesis is and how you want to present your ideas. If done well, revising becomes much easier as you learn which parts of your paper need attention.

By drafting your paper, you can focus on individual sections rather than having to rewrite large portions at once. Also remember to edit carefully; most people don’t proofread their work enough. Editing yourself and getting feedback from others will ensure that everything in your paper flows together nicely.

Review and Edit

When you’re ready to present your paper, ask your teacher or professor if they would be willing to review and edit it before you submit it. Your writing is sure to improve with their feedback, and they may even be able to offer further insight into how you can better support your argument.

online paper writer

If you’re given extra time at all during class time or office hours, utilize that opportunity as well! It could provide an additional resource of input on how best to improve your paper. And, who knows? They might even let you know about any grammatical errors right away—saving you some last-minute anxiety. Plus, if they don’t have time to review your work right away, you can always send them a copy once it’s completed.

The important thing is that when you are submitting something (especially something long), make sure someone else looks over it first. And never forget to proofread or hand over to an essay writer to help you!

Keep It Fresh Over Time

To keep your papers interesting over time, consider cross-linking them with each other. This will create a logical flow of information throughout your paper that’s engaging and easy to follow. If you mention something in one paper, it can show up again in another in subtle ways that give readers little rewards along their reading journey. Cross-linking can be done subtly—and if done well, readers won’t even realize it’s happening.

Recommended Reading: Apps to Resolve Mental Health Issues in College Students

Top 10 Innovations in Green Structural Engineering You Should Know

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Modern cities need buildings that stand tall without pushing the planet down. Green structural engineering responds with fresh ideas that trim carbon, save energy, and hold their own against storms and quakes. Below are ten breakthroughs reshaping blueprints today. Each section explains the idea in plain language, highlights its benefits, and shows how designers already use it in real projects.

green structural engineering

1. Carbon-Negative Concrete

Concrete frames the world’s homes, bridges, and tunnels, but regular cement production releases massive carbon. New carbon-negative mixes flip the story. Plant minerals, captured CO₂, and even seawater waste become part of the binder. When the mix hardens, it locks away more carbon than it takes to produce. Crews pour it the same way they pour normal concrete, so they do not need new tools or skills.

Key wins

  • Cuts net greenhouse gases below zero.
  • Matches or beats standard strength and cure time.
  • Works for slabs, columns, and pavement today.

2. Mass Timber High-Rises

Engineered wood is no longer just for cabins. Cross-laminated and glue-laminated panels let builders stack as high as 18 stories—and research aims higher. Trees absorb carbon while they grow, so the structure stores that carbon for decades. Prefabricated panels arrive at the site ready to bolt together, lowering noise and waste.

Why it matters

  • Stores carbon instead of emitting it.
  • Speeds construction and cuts traffic disruptions.
  • Creates warm, natural interiors people love.

3. Self-Healing Concrete

Tiny dormant bacteria mixed into concrete sleep until a crack lets in water. Then they wake up, consume a food source in the mix, and produce limestone that seals the gap. Bridge decks, parking garages, and sea walls last longer with fewer repairs.

Benefits

  • Lengthens service life by years.
  • Reduces maintenance budgets.
  • Prevents water and salt from corroding steel rebar.

4. Recycled and Hydrogen-Made Steel

Steel will always anchor stadiums and towers, but how it is made is changing fast. Electric arc furnaces melt scrap with renewable power. New direct-reduced iron plants use green hydrogen instead of coal, slashing emissions. The finished steel meets familiar strength specs, so engineers can swap it in without redesign.

Upsides

  • Reuses waste metal that would otherwise rust in landfills.
  • Shrinks the carbon footprint per beam by up to 90 percent.
  • Keeps projects eligible for green funding and credits.

5. Building-Integrated Solar Skins

Instead of bolting solar panels on roofs, architects now weave photovoltaic cells right into glass, metal cladding, and even shade fins. A skyscraper wrapped in this “solar skin” turns its whole envelope into a silent power plant. The building supplies elevators, lighting, and cooling with its own harvest.

Highlights

  • Generates power without taking extra land.
  • Looks sleek—panels can match the color and shape of the façade.
  • Pays for itself faster as panel prices keep falling.

6. Kinetic-Energy Floors

Walking crowds waste energy with every step. Special floor tiles capture that motion. A slight flex spins small generators inside the tile and produces electricity for lights, sensors, or phone chargers. Airports, train stations, and amusement parks have begun lining busy corridors with these tiles.

Perks

  • Creates visible, hands-on sustainability the public can feel.
  • Produces clean power where grid access is tricky.
  • Works indoors or outdoors, rain or shine.

7. Bio-Bricks Grown, Not Fired

Traditional clay brick kilns burn hot and expel carbon. Bio-bricks skip the furnace. Workers mix sand, waste nutrients, and fast-growing bacteria in a mold. The microbes produce a natural cement that binds the grains. The brick cures at room temperature and keeps absorbing CO₂ over its life.

Advantages

  • Needs far less energy than firing clay.
  • Uses local waste streams as raw material.
  • Offers similar strength and better insulation.

8. Digital Twins and AI Design Loops

A digital twin is a live, detailed 3-D copy of a structure, fed by sensors in the real building. Engineers test storms, quakes, and energy upgrades on the twin before touching the actual frame. AI tools scan thousands of options and recommend shapes and materials that shave tons of carbon while meeting safety codes.

Why adopt

  • Cuts design time and change orders.
  • Spots weak points early, lowering risk.
  • Share clear visuals with owners and city officials.

9. Modular Off-Site Fabrication

Think giant Lego blocks for grown-up buildings. Walls, bathrooms, and even whole hotel rooms are built in a factory, then shipped and stacked on a steel or concrete spine. Controlled shop conditions reduce scrap, and the crew installs modules in days instead of months.

Gains

  • Slashes on-site noise, dust, and traffic jams.
  • Lets teams work in parallel—foundation on site, modules in plant.
  • Eases future disassembly and reuse.

living wall design

10. Living Roofs and Walls as Structural Systems

Green roofs once served as garden toppings. Today they double as working parts of the structure. Layered soils soak up stormwater, easing load on city drains. Root mats shield waterproofing from sun and puncture. In hot climates, thick vines on a façade act as a breathable shade screen and drop interior temperatures.

Payoffs

  • Adds habitat for birds and pollinators.
  • Extends roof membrane life by blocking ultraviolet rays.
  • Lowers summer cooling bills up to 30 percent.

Putting Innovations to Work

Every project is unique, yet all share a simple rule: the earlier you fold sustainability into the plan, the cheaper and smoother it goes. Start with a carbon budget alongside your cost budget. Pick two or three of the ideas above that fit your site and market, then model them with a digital twin. Adjust spans, loads, and schedules until the design meets both performance and pocketbook.

For local insight, talk with a trusted civil engineering company Atlanta developers rely on; many already pilot these methods and can share cost data from the field.

Closing Thoughts

Sustainable structural engineering is more than a trend; it is the new baseline. Carbon-negative concrete, timber towers, solar skins, and living walls prove that strength and sustainability now walk hand in hand. By blending smart materials with smart data, we can raise structures that stand firm for generations while giving the planet room to breathe. Adopt these innovations today, and your next project will not just meet code—it will set the code that future builders follow.