Global Warming vs Global Cooling
The great debate of the 21st century is whether or not you believe that global warming is occurring or whether you believe that the planet is cooling. No matter what side of the fence you are on, there is no doubt that the actions of humans are generating a tremendous amount of greenhouse gases. The burning of fossil fuels such as oil, coal and natural gas is having a negative effect on our planet. The long term environmental, social and economic effects that these greenhouse gasses cause will be catastrophic to our planet if not controlled.
It’s Everyone’s Problem.
In the highly industrialized nations, most people don’t want to give up their high standards of living in order to reduce greenhouse gasses. Developing countries feel it is their right to raise their standard of living, despite the cost. Underdeveloped countries are paying the price for high standards of living with polluted and contaminated ground water.
Until everyone realizes that the changes to this planet from pollution affect the entire planet, reversing the pollution problem will be difficult. Everyone needs to cooperate and learn ways to reduce energy consumption and to reduce the amount of greenhouse gas emissions they emit.
As a business owner, the benefits of these reductions are many. The biggest benefit is that they save money in the long run, adding to your profitability. More energy efficient practices can often increase productivity, and going “green” often generates more business from people wishing to help the environment.
Maintenance as a Way to Save Money
One of the most basic ways to save energy is by properly maintaining your equipment. Dirty equipment often uses more energy to run and results in higher operating costs. Simple acts such a vacuuming air vents on appliances and computers, and cleaning dust from light bulbs can save energy and money. Major cleaning, even if it needs to be contracted out, can save enough money to offset the cost.
Routine maintenance will also prolong the life of your equipment, help them operate more efficiently, be less likely to break down, and keep them out of landfills longer.
Staff Cooperation
If your business has employees, the better they understand how the business runs the better they are able to see how properly maintaining equipment can save energy and money. Getting employees involved in being “green” to help the planet, will ultimately help your bottom line. Have employees suggest ways in which energy and resources can be saved. Reward employees who demonstrate a willingness to participate in energy savings practices.
Suggested Maintenance Tasks
There are thousands of tips and tricks that can be implemented to reduce your businesses energy consumption. Listed here is a starting point of simple maintenance tasks the can be implemented at little or no cost.
Thermostats
One of the easiest ways to save money on heating and cooling costs is to install a programmable thermostat. Once installed, regularly check the adjustments to be sure they are properly set for the time of day, the season and for daylight savings time (if applicable.
Hot water heaters
For peak efficiency, hot water heaters should be cleaned and drained on a regular basis. Buildup of hard water minerals inside the hot water heater reduces efficiently. Replacing an old hot water heater with a modern Energy Star rated unit will pay for its self in a short amount of time.
Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) Systems
Often neglected, the heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) system should be checked on a regular basis. Preventative maintenance is a way to keep the system in top operating condition and lowers the cost of operation. An added benefit is that clean duct work prevents the build-up of mold and allergens that can cause respiratory problems and lost days of work.
Water Leaks
Water Leaks can be costly. Toilets and faucets that leak can not only waste water, but add considerable costs to the water bill. Monitoring the water bill can often pick up increased water usage caused by a less obvious leak.
Refrigeration Units
Regular cleaning of refrigerator coils will allow refrigeration units to operate more efficiently. In dusty environments, this preventative maintenance should be done more frequently. Another area to check is the door seals. Place a piece of paper between the door and the gasket. If the paper slips out easily, it’s time to check the seal. Another energy saving tip is to leave space between the refrigerator and the wall to allow for adequate ventilation of the motor.
Mechanical Equipment
All mechanical equipment such as power tools, compressors, and any equipment that operates with a motor should be checked on a regular basis. Hoses, valves, drains, relief valves, drive belts, hoses and fittings should be under a routine maintenance schedule. Again this prolongs the life of the equipment, allows them to function at peak performance and may even prevent an injury that results in lost time from work.
Motor Vehicles
It goes without saying that motor vehicles should be serviced on a regular basis. In service vehicles, remove all unnecessary supplies. Added weight in a vehicle results in more fuel consumption.
The Bottom Line
“To keep business equipment well maintained, a comprehensive maintenance schedule should be established. Having an energy audit will be of significant help in determining ways to save energy.
“Regular maintenance will reduce operating expenses.
“Properly maintained equipment will result in a safer work environment and less time loss from work due to injury or ill health.
“Running a business in an energy efficient way will reduce operating expenses.
“Employees will be happier and more productive in a safe well maintained environment.

According to the latest reports, Spain is one of the top five worst ozone polluters in the world, and one of the furthest away from meeting protocols on greenhouse gas emissions as set out by the Kyoto Agreement.
In the Environmental Ministry Report released earlier this month, fifty of Spains biggest cities are more than exceeding governments guidelines for limits on air pollution. The worst offenders are Madrid, Seville, Valencia and Barcelona.
In Barcelona, the biggest contribution to these alarming figures are a massive increase in CO2 (carbon dioxide) emissions produced from an influx of personal vehicles on the roads.
CO2 levels have more than doubled since the 1990s, when Cataloni’s most rapid phase of growth and development occurred. The Catalonian Generalitat’s Environment Ministry reports that 98 % of CO2 pollution is directly caused by road transport activity.
In 2006, a report released by the Encuasta de Movilidad indicated that just over 40% of Catalonians use a private vehicle for an average of three trips per day. Three times the figure for those that use public transport. This is despite a high awareness of the damage cars cause the environment as well as the higher costs of using a household vehicle compared to public transport costs.
It wasn’t until 2005 that the Spanish government actually passed laws relating to greenhouse gas emissions but these early reports reveal that laws in themselves are not enough.
A spokesman for Pollution Prevention confirms that air pollution is ‘one of the biggest problems threatening Spains environment today. Almost all cities in Spain are failing to comply with air quality regulations’.
With the naked eye it’s easy enough to observe the thick, dark haze that sits just above Barcelona’s skyline. But there are other signs of the damage affecting not only the environment, but also threatening to affect one of the citys biggest growth industries: tourism.
A recent increase in the amount of jellyfish, locally known as medeusas in waters of the Catalan coast have for the last few years been responsible for beach closures in and around Barcelona, preventing visitors access to one of the area’s biggest summer attractions- the Mediterranean Sea.
A jellyfish plague was first noticed in Catalonia in 2005. The Oceana Environment Group reported that numbers had tripled and that an average of 10 jellyfish per square meter were counted close to beaches surrounding Barcelona.
In 2006, 30,000 people were treated over the summer for jellyfish stings and a number of beaches were closed to prevent further injuries. Whilst not usually fatal, a jellyfish sting can cause pain and discomfort and in severe cases of allergic reaction, a heart attack may be triggered.
Increasing numbers of jellyfish have been attributed to rising sea temperatures, which are now at least 2 degrees above average for this time of year. Rising sea temperatures are caused when a buildup of greenhouse emissions prevent the dissipation of the suns heat. The smog produced from pollution acts like a layer of insulation, trapping the heat close to the earths surface.
Warmer waters boost the rate at which jellyfish grow and multiply, and their natural predators, larger fish such as tuna and swordfish have been migrating further away from the Mediterranean in favour of cooler currents found in the Atlantic ocean.
Small boats can be seen trawling for jellyfish and their larvae just off the coast in an effort to reduce the amount that make their way close to shore, but if a solution is not found to combat the problem on a long term basis, holiday makers will soon have to find alternative summer leisure activities other than a visit to the beach.
Aside from environmental problems, air pollution has been labeled responsible for an increase in the number of cases of illnesses including heart problems, cancer, asthma, allergies and other cardiovascular complications in patients. It appears that Catalonians are now choking on their own smoke.
On July 12th, the Catalonian Regional Government approved a plan to reduce the permitted traveling speed for cars on major roadways in Catalonia to less than 80 kms per hour in an effort to lower car emission levels.
These new limits will come into effect by this autumn and will affect Barcelona as well as 15 other municipalities in Catalonia, with a target reduction figure of 30%.
The affects of this plan remain to be seen. One can only hope that Catalonians will take action to reduce greenhouse gas emission, for the security of their health and the health of the Spanish coast.