The gases alone don’t form acid rain. Rather, the combination turns into nitric acid and sulfuric acid after being released into the atmosphere and coming into contact with gaseous water vapor, which forms clouds. The pH level of normal clouds is moderately acidic, but contamination with the acids results in a pH level that is less than 5.6, which is strongly acidic.

Rain from these acidic clouds is harmful to the environment, where the acids contaminate the soil, and can kill aquatic creatures. Since it is acidic, the rain damages metal over the long-term, and can cause surface deterioration as well as structural defects.

In humans, acid rain is linked to an increased susceptibility to respiratory conditions like asthma, bronchitis, colds, and coughs. It is also believed to play a role in the development of allergies and Alzheimer’s disease. The latter is believed to occur when acid rain deposits aluminum and mercury into the soil, which make their way up the food chain and accumulate in the end consumers, i.e. humans.

The steps we can take to reduce acid rain creation are the same as those taken to reduce carbon emissions. As vehicle emissions play a large part in its generation, driving less often or using low-sulfur fuel is the easiest place to start. Those who prefer driving themselves should consider driving in a manner that uses fuel more efficiently, such as not mashing the gas pedal down when the traffic light turns green.

The upshot is that we can reduce the creation of acid rain and carbon emissions by reducing the use and/or dependence on fossil fuels. This means switching to alternative power sources and/or using electricity conservatively, as most power plants rely on fossil fuel to generate electricity. Thus, switching the lights off when you leave a room will net you a 2-in-1 effect of reducing the amount of carbon and acids generated.

One item that is easily made at home through upcycling is a wind chime. Wind chimes can be bought easily, but making them with what many deem as trash is a fun exercise, especially for kids. There are many ways to go about this, depending on what upcycling supplies you have at your disposal.

If you have an empty, used tin can, you have an easy wind chime project at your finger tips. Just clean the tin along with its lid. Paint designs over the can, add decorations such as glitter or beads, and let dry.

Using a nail and hammer, poke a hole through the can’s bottom and the can’s lid. Take some string and thread it through the holes, keeping the tin on top and the lid dangling below and barely touching it. Make a knot at both ends and hang up your creation outside.

Another wind chime craft can be created using a wide array of tin can lids in many different sizes. First clean the lids thoroughly and paint them however you like. Next, poke holes in the center of all the lids with a nail and hammer.

Take string and thread it through the holes, making strings of tin lids spaces a few inches apart. Make several of these strings, then tie them together at the top, and you have a simple but attractive wind chime to hang at your home.

Another easy wind chime project can be accomplished with empty soda cans. Rinse and dry the cans, then paint the outside. Attach strings to the tabs of each can and secure the other ends of the strings to a coat hanger. The cans should overlap just a little so they produce a nice wind chime sound when the wind blows.

Editor’s Note: While using tin lids is a good way to upcycle, caution is needed when working with them.  Tin lids may have sharp edges.  Children should not complete this project without adult supervision.

One way to minimize the effect of business travel on the environment is to travel only when absolutely necessary. Similarly to using email, instant messaging, or a phone call in place of an office memo, employees should not have to fly halfway across the country for a 1-hour meeting if a teleconference or conference call would suffice. Not only would this reduce the amount of carbon emitted, it would also be a cost-effective measure, as the company would pay less in terms of travel and accommodation expenses.

If a face-to-face meeting is required, it might be worthwhile to travel by train or bus instead of flying. This is because these modes of transport emit less carbon, although travel time is certainly longer; however, depending on the distance traveled, this could be balanced out by the time used going through check-in, airport security clearance, and collecting luggage.

Other times, though, business travel by plane cannot be avoided. In this case, it would be advisable to get a direct flight if possible. This means that the traveler will arrive at the destination much more quickly while having a less detrimental impact on the environment.

When a business traveler has to fly to meet colleagues at various locations around a country, it is prudent to arrange a series of meetings within the same travel period. The first meeting would take place at the furthest point from the traveler’s point of origin, and the traveler would hold meetings with the remaining associates on his or her way back.

Where ground travel is required, it is desirable to use public transport where possible to minimize carbon emissions; however, private rented transport should not be discounted if it is required. Here, renting a hybrid car or car-pooling with colleagues would ensure that the environmental impact of business travel is kept to a minimum.

Schools, both public and private, create large amounts of waste each year. By adopting best practices for dealing with this waste, school officials can do a great deal to keep the environment clean and to teach children hands on how to do it.

The first step in better waste disposal practices within a school setting is to limit waste production to begin with. This can be accomplished by assigning an individual or committee to orchestrate a plan for this goal. Think of creative ways to reuse paper, cardboard, and other waste within the school system. Consider prohibiting disposable items like food containers, and setting up a system for composting food scraps. Even paper products can be composted if the right set up is created for this purpose.

Once waste is eliminated as much as possible, the next step is to recycle the rest. To make sure this can be done, recyclable products should be a priority when making school purchases. Check with local recycling centers to see what products can be dealt with and buy products accordingly.

Set up recycling bins throughout the school, including each classroom as well as the cafeteria. Put systems and staff in place so that recycling is handled correctly. Everyone, from staff to students, should be sufficiently educated and up to date on proper recycling measures. For example, people within the school should know how to correctly separate their waste and put the right items into the right receptacles.

Systems should be efficient so that recycling is kept a priority without a lot of hassle. Although there may be a lot of work in the beginning, with the right organization at the top, school waste can be lessened significantly and make a huge difference for the environment.

Mountain top removal is a form of coal mining that has been around since the 1960s, but has increased in practice in the last decades, primarily in southern Appalachian states, including Kentucky and West Virgina. Basically, this method of coal extraction uses explosives to remove the summits of mountains to extract coal more efficiently. Although more efficient, mountain top removal has been shown to be far more damaging to the environment and local communities than traditional coal mining, producing significant air and water pollution, ruining mountain landscapes, and destroying biodiversity in mountain forests. The main benefactors of this practice are the coal companies who make large profits at the expense of Appalachian communities.

Fortunately, in March of 2009, the EPA and Obama administration began a crack down on mountain top removal by issuing tougher standards for permits. Since then, many permits for surface mines have been put on hold or denied all together due to the potential negative impact that each project could do to streams and fragile habitats.

When these new restrictions began, many coal advocates claimed that they would harm local jobs in Appalachia, but the results have been the opposite. Data from the Mine Safety and Health Administration has confirmed that employment in coal mining is actually at the highest level since 1996. The increase in these jobs is also directly correlated to the crack down on mountain top removal, with a 10 percent increase in jobs since June of 2009. With less mountain top removal going on, companies have been forced to hire workers to do less damaging, but more time intensive, underground mining. In an economy that has been struggling, tougher environmental standards have actually made more jobs available to the middle and lower class, those who are in desperate need of these kind of opportunities.

This is just one example to show that cries about jobs from corporate interests are often just not true. In reality, reactions by companies and industries against environmental regulations are usually motivated mainly by profit, not the interest of the workers or American communities.

One way to make your Christmas more environmentally friendly is to eschew the PVC tree in favor of a live one. Sounds strange, but Christmas trees, which take 7-10 years to cultivate to maturity, are a marvelous means of sequestering carbon dioxide produced by other industries as they grow.

It’s true that live Christmas trees have a limited lifespan and cost much more than plastic trees, but unlike plastic trees, they can be “recycled” through mulching and composting. In contrast, plastic trees can last for 20 years before they start to look bad, but they aren’t biodegradable, and if incinerated, will release carcinogens such as dioxins into the air.

The production of the materials used to make plastic trees is also responsible for the emissions of carcinogens. In addition, the elements used to make plastic trees more realistic may cause organ damage.

An intermediate solution if you must have a tree but want to avoid plastic, is to get a smaller, potted live tree. It can be used each year and repotted as necessary, forgoing the need to compost an expensive purchase while ensuring your family and friends aren’t exposed to harmful chemicals.

Other than making an informed choice when it comes to your choice of Christmas tree, try celebrating Christmas with simple and/or homemade gifts. Use as little packaging as possible, and aim to buy things that are produced locally.

In America, people throw out 25% more trash than they usually would in the time span between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Eve. This is in the form of trees, damaged presents, wasted food, and discarded wrapping. Everything that winds up in landfills contributes to methane production and adds to the global warming problem. Taking the time to put some thought into how you prepare for the season is one way to ensure that future generations can look forward to a white Christmas too.

One of the greenest ways to dress up your tree or home for the holidays is to use nature to your advantage. Real plants like holly or poinsettias are beautiful, festive additions to a home that are easy to take care of. Greenery and twigs from your yard can also be used to make wreaths and garlands. Ornatments can be made with natural items like pinecones, popcorn, seasonal berries, nuts, or organic cookie dough. Many of these will save well, and they can be used for years to come. Others will have a low impact on Earth if you toss them into the compost pile after Christmas.

Upcycling your old items into holiday decorations is another green option. Items that may be considered trash, such as last year’s holiday cards, empty bottles and jars, bottle caps, compact discs, or textile scraps can easily be reinvented into Christmas tree ornatments with hooks and a hot glue gun. In addition, old clothing and linens in Christmas colors can be cut up and remade into patchwork stockings or banners. These can be reused again and again or given as gifts for family and friends.

Although do-it-yourself Christmas decorations are often green and fun, there are times when you’ll need to buy items to decorate your home for the holidays. For these occasions, consider choosing used items or sustainable products. LED lights are a more eco-conscious lighting option, as they often use 80 to 90 percent less electricity than other lights. For other holiday decorations, choose those made from sustainable and biodegradable materials, opting for natural over sythentic when possible.

1. Make it official. The first stepping stone to going green in the business world is to create a mission statement or make edits to an existing one. This green manifesto should include the company’s new committment to sustainability, along with the new values, goals, and operating practices that go with it. This document should be given to everyone in the company. The fact that this new mission should be taken seriously should be stressed to employees.

2. Start small. Short and long term goals should be created. Keep in mind that a goal to be more eco-friendly will do no good if it is not carried out. Your goals need to make a real impact on the company’s sustainability, but at the same time, should be realistic. Start as small as you need to, but keep a long-term vision of a truly green company.

3. Educate your organization. Your business will make little headway without a collective effort. Employees who are not keen on sustainability efforts can possibly break your new mission and goals. Education such as workshops, along with open and honest communication, will help aid this transition to a green business organization.

4. Measure progress. Companies are used to using their internal resources to make and track financial goals. To achieve sustainability goals, tools may be needed to track and measure progress. Once these methods are determined and put into place, reports should  be created at pre-determined intervals. At these points, those within the organization can celebrate achievements or re-evaluate goals and plans.

What is minimalism? It’s certainly not new, but it’s been gaining ground over the years as the economic downturn and news of doom and gloom around the world force people everywhere to question the necessity of their possessions. Simply put, minimalism is about living with as few possessions as possible, and retaining only what is essential for day-to-day activities.

The most obvious benefit about living with less is the savings that result. You learn to identify what you truly need, and you break away from the ingrained habit of buying things simply because you can. Naturally, there are fears that such lifestyle changes will bring economies to a standstill, because people stop spending. People will stop spending, but only on what is unnecessary. The way I see it though, most people will keep spending, if only to convince themselves that they can buy a better life.

Personal economics aside, what’s in it for the environment? The less you buy, the fewer the environmental resources that will be used to create a product. Although not buying that crocodile skin handbag won’t bring that reptile back to life, other existing natural resources will remain in their original form for a slightly longer time.

Closer to home, the fewer possessions you own, the less space you will need to store them. Heating or cooling a home depends on how much stuff you have around too. A room with fewer things in it will heat/cool faster than one that is crowded. This way, you actually use less energy to heat or cool, which reduces utility bills in addition to lowering carbon emissions.

Not only that, the fewer the items you have to discard (having given them away to charity or to recycle), the slower landfills become filled. Fewer items in landfills means there are fewer things to decompose, which will greatly reduce the production of heat-trapping gases such as methane. The reduction in the volume of garbage is a welcome change too.

That said, I still have trouble letting go of some things. For instance, my books must stay, as do all those photographs from my youth!

1. Reconnect with your neighbors. The first step to changing your town is to get to know your neighbors. Whether you live in a hippie haven or a super conservative town in the country, you’re likely to find that people from all backgrounds care about preserving the environment in one way or another. Decide where your ideas collide, and find ways to act upon them.

2. Buy local. In a capitalist society, your dollar is a vote. You can make your green statement heard by shopping in ways that will localize your community. Localized communities rely much less on fossil fuels, and they are more resilient and sustainable as a whole. Buy your food from farmers close by–either directly or through co-ops. Shop at stores that are owned locally or sell products made nearby.

3. Be the change you wish to see. By doing eco-friendly acts like biking to work or taking a reusable sack to the grocery store–you are leading by example. What may appear as weird to some, will spark curiosity and possibly more green actions from others in your community.

4. Reuse items, and make it easy for others to do the same. If your community has a freecycle or cheapcycle group, get involved and spread the word, so as many people as possible are reusing old items instead of throwing them out. If your town doesn’t have one of these yet, consider starting your own. Begin by inviting your friends and family and encourage them to invite others. With Facebook at your disposal, you could have a thriving group within days.

5. Garden in your yard and public spaces. Take a hint from both community gardeners and victory gardeners, and begin to grow at least a little of your own food. This will help make your own situation more secure and provide you with fresh, healthy produce for cheap. In addition, you’ll be able to bring some awareness to issues like food security, peak oil, and sustainability to anyone who wanders by while you’re working in the dirt.