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Outputs

Reference: Outputs

Sites that are concerned with waste management/reduction, recycling, packaging and pollution issues will be listed in the outputs section.

Air Quality Archive
This site was developed by NETCEN, part of AEA Technology Environment, on behalf of the UK Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs and the Devolved Administrations . It has up to date maps of pollution levels in the UK along with information on what causes air pollution and its effects.

Alupro
Alupro is the Aluminium Packaging Recycling Organisation. The site holds useful information about aluminium recycling, including a specific area for school pupils.

British Glass
Want to find out what happens to your glass bottles? This site tells you all you need to know about glass recycling in the UK with links through to glass manufacturers.

British Plastics Federation
There are many uses for recycled plastic. Several suggestions can be found on this site, as well as detailed information about the British Plastics Federation.

Capitalwastefacts
Capitalwastefacts is a website dedicated to explaining what is going on with waste across London.

Envirowise
The Envirowise website is aimed at UK businesses, but it contains easy to understand information about how to reduce packaging waste, water and energy use and improve packaging design.

Green Dot UK
Although we do not use the Green Dot system in the UK to comply with the Packaging Waste Directive, Valpak manages the Green Dot in the UK on behalf of Pro Europe. This ensures companies use the green dot trademark on their packaging appropriately.

INCPEN
INCPEN - The Industry Council for Packaging and the Environment is a UK based non-profit organisation dedicated to analysing the environmental and social effects of packaging, creating a better understanding of the role of packaging, and minimising the environmental impact of packaging. Their 'Packaging Education' area educates young people about the essential part that packaging plays in the modern world.

PRO Europe
The PRO Europe site gives information on all of the 15 European Green Dot compliance schemes, which come under the umbrella organisation of PRO Europe. PRO Europe is running the Youth Eco- Parliament.

RECOUP
RECOUP is a charity established to further plastic recycling. Information is provided on setting up a plastics recycling scheme and how plastic is recycled.

rescape
rescape is the latest innovation in street furniture -designed to send recycling rates rocketing. rescape offers a cost effective solution to anyone wanting to increase recycling rates in their area. The recycling centres also provide a range of exciting and practical features ensuring simple functionality for the public and safe practical operation for collectors.

SCRIB
The Steel Can Recycling Information Bureau is funded by Corus and forms part of the Corus Steel Packaging Recycling Unit. All aspects of steel recycling are covered on the site.

Think Energy
Developed by Educational Communications Ltd for British Gas, this resource is for use in teaching about energy efficiency at home.

Valpak
Valpak is the UK's largest compliance scheme dealing with the Packaging Waste Regulations. The regulations are the UK's answer to complying with the European Packaging Waste Directive, and differ from the Green Dot systems used to comply by most European countries. This site tells you about the regulations, and about some of the projects Valpak is involved with.

Waste Watch
Waste Watch is a national organisation that educates, informs and raises awareness on waste reduction, reuse and recycling. Waste Watch provides educational projects, information, consultancy, publications and training events, campaigning and advocacy for all sectors.

Wiggly Wigglers
Some 30% of all household waste is organic and can be recycled. By just 'throwing away' this waste we are adding to the millions of tonnes per year that is simply left to rot in landfill, so this site aims to provide advice about composting.

Recommend a site! Email info@ycge.com with the details, and your comments.

Environmental Issues

We focus on a different environmental issue each month.

Acid Raid

January 2007

Acid rain...

kills aquatic life, trees, crops and other vegetation

damages buildings and monuments

corrodes copper and lead piping

damages such man-made things as cars

reduces soil fertility

Rain is naturally acidic because carbon dioxide, found normally in the earth's atmosphere, reacts with water to form carbonic acid.

The acid in ‘acid rain’ comes from two kinds of air pollutants-- sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxides. These are emitted primarily from utility and smelter "smokestacks" and car, lorry and bus exhausts, however they also come from burning wood.

When these pollutants reach the atmosphere they combine with gaseous water in clouds and change to acids--sulphuric acid and nitric acid. Then, rain and snow wash these acids from the air.

Acid rain affects lakes, streams, rivers, bays, ponds and other bodies of water by increasing their acidity until fish and other aquatic creatures can no longer live.

Acid rain harms more than aquatic life. It also harms vegetation. Forests across Western Europe are believed to be dying because of acid rain. Scientists believe that acid rain damages the protective waxy coating of leaves and allows acids to diffuse into them, which interrupts the evaporation of water and gas exchange so that the plant no longer can breathe. This stops the plant's conversion of nutrients and water into a form useful for plant growth and affects crop yields.

Recent studies into economic losses resulting from acid rain report that the costs run into hundreds of millions each day. The only cost-effective solution to the problem, according is to reduce emissions at their point of origin.

Get Involved!

Members of the YCGE aim to promote the development of a global green economy and green-economic thought at places where opinion is formed, such as schools, Universities etc, and where cultural creativity is high – within communities and groups.
We encourage you to:

Get involved in green projects

Join activity or interest groups

Write to newspapers about green economics

Join political organisations and environmental pressure groups

Get elected to local representative bodies (e.g Students Unions)

Participate in debates and discussions

Set up web sites and forums

YCGE members can use this web site to share their ideas, knowledge, experience and campaigning good practice. In addition, members can submit their research papers, and articles, letters, and other papers and campaign materials for inclusion in the member’s area.

From next month, members will be able to get in touch with other members around the world, and discuss issues on the YCGE blog!

Click here to register as a Member of YCGE!