7 Tips To Help You Become More Sustainable

Three focuses of my blog are Business/Entrepreneurship, Organizational and Management Discussions, and STEM. An important considerations for many individuals and business is sustainability. Our lives and activities can be done, while still maintaining the environment. The following contributed post is entitled, 7 Tips To Help You Become More Sustainable.

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Throughout the years there have been numerous reports stating how humans are damaging the environment. This has led to people wanting to discover the ways in which they can do their bit for the environment. However, despite many businesses starting to implement sustainable practices, many people still aren’t doing this at home.

A key way of improving poor air quality and pollution, as well as ensuring clean water is accessible to communities, it’s important to realize that sustainability really does start at home.

If you’re wanting to boost your sustainability, here are 7 simple tips that you could use:

1) Upgrade to Solar Energy

Although many newer properties might have solar panels already installed, older houses might still require regular electricity. However, there are so many benefits that come with upgrading to solar panels.

Not only will you see a reduction in your monthly energy bills, but solar panels require little maintenance. Not to mention the biggest pro of all – that it’s a renewable energy source and it’s a big step towards making your home more sustainable.

Although many people worry that solar panels are expensive, as there are now so many providers supplying them and they have been around for several years, the cost is probably lower than you think.

2) Ditch The Plastics

There are so many reasons why you should ditch plastic within your home. Not only is it really harmful to wildlife (the majority ends up in the ocean), but it’s bad for humans and is typically only single-use – meaning that it will end up in landfill after you throw it away.

To become more environmentally-friendly, sustainable flexible packaging is a great choice. With an aim to reduce waste, lower transportation costs (the smaller the truck/the fewer trucks, the less pollution that’s created) and align with sustainability practices, it’s easy to switch to.

3) Buy Locally

Although it might be tempting to always shop in a chain grocery store, it’s far more sustainable to switch to smaller, local stores. By doing this, you’ll reduce your carbon footprint as you won’t be contributing to congestion and pollution.

Also, many local products tend to be organic and pesticide-free, an extra bonus that leads the way to a more sustainable planet.

4) Recycle, Recycle, Recycle

One of the easiest ways to become more sustainable within your home is to recycle. However, you need to do it properly in order for it to be effective.

When done correctly (i.e. you put the plastics and other materials in the right boxes), then you’re helping to reduce the amount of landfill, reduce financial expenditure (products can be created out of recycled products instead of raw materials) and help to reduce the pollution that’s caused by waste.

5) Consider Different Ways to Travel

Although in the short term you could make travel alternatives such as ditching your car and opting for your bike, in the future, it might be time to consider cutting down on the number of flights you take.

Flying as a whole is a very carbon-intensive form of transport and causes incredible amounts of pollution. However, shorter flights tend to take the cake, emitting more carbon emissions than longer flights,

So instead of flying, why not opt for a more eco-friendly mode of transport such as a train. There are so many trains available that can take you far distances, without you having to step foot on a plane.

6) Try Not To Buy More Than You Need

This is an issue that if fixed, could help to reduce waste significantly. Many people buy way more than they need – whether this is grocery shopping or other items. But by buying more, it’s only causing damage to the planet. Therefore, try and only purchase the essentials.

7) Unplug The Electronics

Even when you’re not using every electronic device, those that are still plugged in will consume energy. And because of this not only is it costing you hundreds of dollars every year, but it’s not beneficial for the environment. Therefore, it’s a good idea to unplug them or turn off the switch on the wall when you stop using them.

Final Thoughts

So, there you go! Those are 7 simple tips that you can use to make your home more sustainable. No matter which changes out of the above you make, you’re one step closer to creating a sustainable environment, lowering your carbon footprint and helping the world to become healthier and a better place to live.

A Short Guide To Environmental Remediation For Your Business

Three key focuses of my blog are Financial Literacy/Money, Business/Entrepreneurship and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics). Of their many considerations, businesses have to think about being environmentally friendly and responsible which is where “Environmental Remediation” comes in. The following contributed post is entitled, A Short Guide To Environmental Remediation For Your Business.

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What is environmental remediation?

Environmental remediation refers to the process of reducing levels of radiation exposure, for instance, from surface water, groundwater, or contaminated soil. The process is often informally referred to as a ‘clean up.’ The idea is to eliminate radiation sources, and offer protection for both the environment and people. Before our society became more environmentally conscious, nuclear activities often took place without proper consideration for the earth. Thankfully, laws and practices have become stricter and more comprehensive, and there are many services to help businesses adhere to environmental regulations.

Why is environmental remediation important?

Contaminated sites can produce both adverse effects on the environment and negative health effects for those people who live in the surrounding areas. Due to this, action must be taken to ensure that companies adhere to environmental best practices. There are a few different ways that remediation is carried out. The first is by immobilizing or isolating the source of the radiation and then removing it. The second is by assessing the risks of radiation exposure and attempting to separate the source from the people in the area. An example of this might be by evacuation or changing the way that the land is used. Some sites will have high radiation levels, which do not cause any harm. To determine the state of your site, you’ll need to invest in the services of an environmental remediation company.

Environmental remediation considerations

When you are approaching environmental remediation, there are many factors to consider. Radiation risk to the public is the first, so you must take steps to close the site if dangerous radiation levels are confirmed. Any workers will also be exposed, so it’s essential to see that those accessing the site take the appropriate safety precautions. It’s also vital to consider waste and adopt solutions to manage waste created in the most sustainable way possible.

Choosing an environmental remediation company

There are a number of environmental remediation companies to choose from, so how do you choose the right one? Firstly, you’ll want to look for a company with plenty of years of experience who can provide an expert analysis. A quality company will be supported by a team of scientists, who are accomplished in the area of environmental remediation and molecular biology. It can also be useful to look for a company that does not actually sell treatment solutions. This way, you’ll get an unbiased service offering accurate interpretation. Lastly, your business is likely looking for a cost-effective solution, and so it’s worth doing some price comparison to find a service that suits your budget. Microbial Insights, Inc. offers a top-quality environmental remediation service, along with corrosion and source tracking.

As a business owner, it’s your social responsibility to adhere to environmental laws and best practices. Consumers expect brands to take their social responsibility seriously and consistently seek solutions to improve the ethicality of their operations. A greener business is consequently a more profitable and successful one.

Challenges Facing The STEM Sector

Two key focuses of my blog are Career Discussions and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics). While we’re encouraging participation in the STEMs today, there are potential challenges in the sector going forward which we must also be aware of. The following contributed post is entitled, Challenges Facing The STEM Sector.

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Without a thriving STEM sector, it is hard for a nation to rise and meet its obligations and challenges for the future. Considering that STEM stands for science, technology, engineering and mathematics, it’s easy to see just how much of what goes into building a country falls under that banner. Then, consider that (before Coronavirus hit, throwing all future plans into chaos), the USA is on target to have 2million STEM jobs unfilled from the 3.5million that it needs to source by 2025. America needs to work on its STEM shortage; so what can be done?

It seems clear that something needs to be done. 2025 isn’t some mythical far-off future; it’s five years away. STEM, by any reckoning, is a field from which we get doctors, pharmacists, engineers of all kinds and programmers, along with a great many other occupations. If there is a reluctance among younger people to focus on STEM subjects, and a lack of aspiration towards careers in the sector, what does the future hold for all of these industries?

There is a significant gender gap in STEM industries

It is easy to point fingers and find explanations for a shortfall of women in the STEM workforce, and yet… the key fact is that the industries are not attracting anywhere near as many young women as they need to be. At the crucial ages of 15-16 – just as they are starting to focus closely on what they’ll be doing at college – just 20% of girls have a positive impression of engineering jobs. Other numbers suggest that as many as three-quarters of school-age kids don’t understand what STEM careers entail – so creating the conditions to change this is an essential first step.

Concerningly, the reputation of science fields at academic institutions is not great from an equalities point of view, with women on campus reporting a pervasive culture of sexual harassment.

Less inward immigration means fewer overseas experts

Regardless of one’s political standpoint, it is necessary to point out that you can either have a world-leading STEM sector at all levels or a country that applies harsh limits on immigration. You cannot have both, and the numbers of H-1B visas being issued is trending downwards in all sectors – including to STEM graduates. This, according to experts in the field, is inevitably handing advantages to other countries – notably China which is home to 4.7 million graduates in the field, compared to America’s 560,000 as of 2016.

The term STEM is often poorly-defined

Who works in STEM, in your opinion? A few occupations were named above and, for sure, doctors and engineers are certainly STEM experts. Anyone getting in touch with LOC Scientific for essential lab equipment, or researching potential cures for illnesses like the one sweeping the planet right now is also a STEM worker. So, too, is any architect or therapist – and the lack of clarity over the definition of such a vital term could be overall off-putting for people who think about the whole sector as having to do with bubbling flasks and test-tubes. Perhaps, more than anything else, what STEM needs in the next five years is a rebrand.

Why Little Farm Businesses Are Role Models

Three focuses of my blog are Financial Literacy/Money, Business/Entrepreneurship and STEM. Agriculture is an industry need by most of the developed world. In modern times though, many consumers are putting more and more of their trust in little farms for various reasons. The following contributed post is entitled, Why Little Farm Businesses Are Role Models.

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More and more people prefer to buy their food from trusted sources. While large farming organizations used to be a reliable food source in the past, more and more modern customers are turning to small, family-sized farming and food businesses. The reason is simple: They can’t trust corporate food magnates anymore. The list of controversial decisions taken by large farming companies is too long to write down here. But to name only a few examples, customers demand controlled origins, sustainable productions, and ethical choices from their food suppliers. As such, small farm businesses are making a name for themselves because of their positive management choices.

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They are more likely to be eco-friendly
While the agricultural industry is one of the first skills developed by mankind, it’s strange to think that many businesses have lost their ways and used environmentally-adverse approaches to exploit the soil or the animals. On the other hand, small farming businesses have maintained their planet-friendly strategy and remained accountable for their results. A sustainable farm can be profitable, especially at a time where buyers demand to see your green strategy. As such, vegetable farms can rely on homemade compost and natural repellents to keep their harvests. Fish farms can look into getting ethical certifications to convince customers of their green intentions. Additionally, as a fish business, you can also rely on reliable equipment, such as the Delta Net and Twine tools, that are handcrafted and made to measure. As such, you can have the best tool for your environment.

They are close bonds with the local community
Do you need to own farm fields to become a farmer? More and more dedicated businesses choose to rely on community efforts to build a farming environment that supports local needs. For instance, Boston Medical Center grows its own food for the benefits of patients on top of the hospital. The rooftop farm grows more than 25 crops and guarantees the best products for the patients. Ohio City Farm is an urban farm that trains refugees to help them integrate and acquire the skills they need for their lives in the US.

People trust people
Corporate farm businesses are faceless. On the other hand, a family-sized farm is made out of people that you can meet and get to know. Human beings are social creatures, and, as such, they naturally put their trust in other people. Customers find it easier to bond with individual farmers than with a global brand. As such, they are more likely to support local farms.

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The rise of leisure farming
More and more homeowners are moving outside of towns and into the rural regions. Millennials and Generation X quit their urban lifestyle to buy an abandoned farm and grow their own vegetables. Farming may not be a commercial activity for these. It is a life choice. They want to go back to their roots and learn to cohabit with Mother Nature. As they do, they develop a deeper understanding of environmental challenges and build a new appreciation for small farming businesses.

Small farm businesses are the unsung heroes of the planet. They dedicate their efforts to grow plants or keep animals that are healthy for consumption. Additionally, their decisions are dictated by their love for the environment and the desire to put the community’s needs first. Family-sized farms are the role models we all need to combat climate change and health crises. They are built on respect and values.

Why Your Business Should Be Flexing Its Green Credentials

Three of the focuses of my blog are Financial Literacy/Money, Business/Entrepreneurship and STEM. For your business itself and for the environment, making your business ‘green’ can have multiple benefits. Many aspects of running a green business are easy to implement. The following contributed post is entitled, Why Your Business Should Be Flexing Its Green Credentials.

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With Greta Thunberg taking on the mantle of climate change warrior and championing the future protection of the planet, more and more businesses are taking their corporate environmental responsibilities more seriously. You might want to get in on the action. If your office is wasting paper, you are sick of seeing computer monitors forever on standby, and you are concerned about your water usage, it’s time to make your business more eco-aware. This doesn’t have to cost you money, and can actually save you cash by making your venture more efficient and relevant to the twenty first century. Read on to discover how you can be successful and flexing your green credentials.

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Water

It doesn’t matter whether you are an office based startup or whether your business is more practical, such as a street food van or a smallholding, you can always find ways to manage your water usage more effectively. Outside, this could be something as simple as installing flumes on a smallholding. If you produce crops or food in an organic way, you can manage your irrigation systems more efficiently. If you are an office based entity, you may be more concerned about how many times the kettle is boiled on coffee breaks. Make sure you have posters up, detailing the importance of water preservation. If every staff member is more conscious of their environmental impact, you can be more environmentally aware as a corporate entity.

Paper

Death by paper is a concern of many businesses. The advent of cloud based storage has made paper reduction all that more easy. You no longer have to print off email after email, only to shred it within minutes after a meeting. Instead, you can now head onto the cloud, download the needed document and utilize a Sharepoint style package to show your team. Printouts are no longer a go-to way of distributing information. Ensure that you limit your paper usage. Doing this will limit your carbon footprint and help you to do your bit to protect the world’s rainforests. If you do need to use paper, counteract this by contributing to a tree planting scheme. This may have a financial impact, but customers are more savvy with who they choose to do business with. They will be more inclined to pay more for a product or service from a company that is conscious of their environmental impact rather than one that doesn’t care.

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Cars

If you have a staff team that commutes to work using their gas guzzling cars, set up a car sharing scheme. Even better, consider a subsidized cycle to work scheme, encouraging your staff team to whip on their helmets and get healthier. This can result in a team with a boosted morale as well as decreasing the carbon monoxide that your company produces. If you have company cars, ensure that you opt for hybrids. These may cost more initially but the running costs will be infinitely lower.

Don’t be too insular when considering your business aims and motivations. Take a bigger world view and take your corporate responsibility seriously when flexing your green credential muscles.

The Real Reasons Animals Are Used For Testing

A key focus of my blog is Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM). In the biological sciences, animal models are frequently used to answer human health-related questions in numerous areas. Examples are Pharmacology, Toxicology and Virology. Some sectors are working to eliminate this usage altogether with in vitro and in silico methods, but until then, they are our most reliable scientific models. The following contributed post is entitled, The Real Reasons Animals Are Used For Testing.

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Animal testing is something which is a controversial subject. It has been long used to help companies test things such as medicine and cosmetics as well as food stuffs, and many of the animals who are tested on will go on to lead a healthy life.

Of course, there is a double edge to this sword, and when testing failed treatments and cosmetics on animals it can have detrimental consequences to all. Whether you are for or against animal testing in our world, we have to take a look at the uses it has in the world we live in.

If you have been often unsure about animal testing and what it is used for, these are some of the top reason why animals have been used to test products.

To advance understanding

Science provides the building blocks of the world and when we aim to discover and understand the world, science is key. It is a fact that experimentation allows us to understand science and the world, and in biology, animal testing is something that has allowed us to understand a myriad of things in the past. For example, with genetic testing using samples from different creatures, we have been able to discover the genomes of all living things, and create a roadmap of evolution. We have been able to use Jellyfish DNA to explore the secret of life, as well as using other clever biological mechanisms to heal and innovate. The reason we often test on animals such as mice and rabbits is that they have similar genomes to us, and their body anatomy is similar enough for us to utilise to learn from. Transgenic mice and other specially bred animals are at the forefront of scientific research.

To study disease

Disease is a scary thing, and all living creatures can fall privy to microorganisms and their dangers. Humans and animals share a lot of common illnesses, and as such it is common for animals to be used to study a disease and its symptoms, as well as to discover and test treatments to combat it. For example, rabbits suffer from atherosclerosis as we do, and testing of the disease has allowed humans to make huge advances in treatment. Using an infected animal as a model, we can test and study how a disease takes hold, and what mechanisms happen in the body. This allows us to develop treatments to save animals and humans alike.

To develop and test treatment

As we said above, one of the most prevalent uses for animals in the lab is to allow us to test treatments. By inducing an animal with a specific illness, we can begin to develop and test treatments to see if they have a positive effect. This is something which has always been incredibly important for medicine and it has had a huge impact on the ability we have to treat minor and major illness. Without the efforts of scientists in this way, we would not have treatments for Parkinson’s, Cancer, or Emphysema.

3 Medical Careers For People That Don’t Want To Be Doctors

Three of the focuses of my blog are Career Discussion, General Education and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics). Many individuals don’t understand the multiple career paths they can go into beside becoming a medical doctor. There are actually quite a few options for medical careers. The following contributed post is entitled, 3 Medical Careers For People That Don’t Want To Be Doctors.

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Working in the medical industry is an incredibly rewarding career choice because you get the chance to care for people and improve their lives on a daily basis. But a lot of people are put off pursuing a career in health because they think that it means having to do the training necessary to become a doctor. Some people also feel that they cannot handle the stress and long hours of being a doctor or a nurse. But those aren’t the only jobs in the medical industry, it takes a lot of different skills to keep a hospital running. There are so many great medical careers that most that you might not even know about and some of them might be perfect for you. These are the best medical careers outside of being a doctor or a nurse.

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Pharmacologist

Developing new drugs to treat patients is an incredibly important part of the medical industry. Innovations in medicine can save countless lives and the people that are pushing the research forward have a very rewarding role to play. If you have a keen interest in science and you think that you would be well suited to a research and development role, you could consider becoming a pharmacologist. You will need to get an undergraduate degree in pharmacology and possibly a graduate degree as well, so it can be difficult to move into this field in later life. But if you are willing to invest in education, this could be a great career choice for you.

Phlebotomist

Most people have never heard of a phlebotomist but it’s likely that you’ve been seen by one at some point in your life. They are the people that deal with drawing blood, usually for tests or donations. There are some people that are specifically phlebotomists while others incorporate it into a wider role, like nursing. It’s quite common for people to go through phlebotomy training and then use it as a stepping stone to other medical careers. If you think that you might like to work in the medical field but you aren’t quite sure what you want to do, this is a good place to start.

Medical Science Liaison

Medical science liaisons are a middle man between the companies that develop new technology and treatment methods, and the medical facilities that use them. The majority of medical science liaisons are people that have worked in the medical field in a different role already, so this isn’t a great choice if you’re just trying to enter the industry. They require a different set of skills to what you would find in other jobs in the medical profession. A lot of the time, being a medical science liaison is more similar to a sales job, so if you have good people skills and you like a job that gives you the chance to travel around a lot, this could be ideal for you.

You don’t have to be a doctor or a nurse to work in the medical industry, these are just some of the other amazing career choices you could consider.

Helping Children Find The Favourite STEM Subject

Two of the focuses of my blog are General Education and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics). It’s one thing to encourage participation in the STEMs, but another key is sparking that initial interest and growing it. Another is helping children find STEM subjects in school that they’ll enjoy. The following contributed post is entitled, Helping Children Find The Favourite STEM Subject.

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It goes without saying that one of the most significant advantages you can give your children is a solid foundation in STEM and everything it has to offer. Some careers and hobbies can enrich a child’s life beyond measure if you just have the right tools and knowledge to get them on their way. How exactly do we help our children find a love of STEM subjects? Can we leave it up to the education system of course, but is there more we can do to make sure our children have the best chance at learning everything available to them?

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Encourage Experiments
The first thing to remember when encouraging children to have an interest in any subject is to start them young. The most fantastic thing you can do is allow small children to experiment with textures and how things react with each other. A fantastic development for STEM in recent years has been the rise of slime and how young people are enthusiastically experimenting and sharing their results via Youtube without even realising they are sharing chemistry lessons without even realising. The best thing about this is that people are having fun with this subject and it’s a proven fact that children will always learn while having fun! Of course, the downside to this is the mess these experiments cause will always be inconvenient, but try not to squash their creativity too much. Science can be messy!

Read Books
There are so many books available now with subjects such as construction, mathematics and a whole range of science subjects. A child that ‘hates’ Maths may have simply not been introduced in the correct way for them. There are easy to follow books with instructions on how to set up your own projects, and these can be fantastic to explore with your children. Why not take a leaf out of one of these books and set yourself a challenge and see what experiments you can come up with for your family to enjoy together? Ultimately if you show a keen interest and help by giving the children the tools, they need to learn you’re giving them a great gift.

Build
There’s an excellent reason Lego is such a massive success, and it seems like nearly every household owns some at least, that’s because it’s simple, educational and fun! There is an incredible amount of choice available, and most children (and adults!) enjoy building these kits from scratch. This helps develop a fantastic sense of achievement and sets children up for a great start in life. As well as Lego there are some great kits available which include motors and electric circuits that show children exactly how things work. There are even Youtubers sharing information about how to run things from homemade lemon batteries, which, as with anything slightly strange, has captured the interest of many children around the world. All it takes is a spark of interest from the right child at the right time, and you’ll have a little scientist on your hands!

Friends
No doubt you will have a friend or family member that works in a STEM profession somewhere, so why not ask them to give your child an insight into what they do, and the many reasons children should study in this field. Sometimes it can be helpful to have an ‘insider’ view of the roles available, and talking to your child about their possible options when they are older, will make way for some potentially great decisions further down the line. Why not get your child to gather their STEM projects to take with them to your friend/ family members house so they can share their fun ideas and what they have learnt so far.

Youtube
Of course, Youtube is full of ‘noise’, and we aren’t likely to get around that fact, but there are some great Youtubers explaining science and using it to entertain us via their videos. It’s not just all unboxing videos, if you look in the right places, there are some informative and fun videos that children will love to watch. It saves them watching adverts and adds something to their life, ultimately that’s education, but the delivery of this education will always make a difference to the children watching, and if you’re looking to avoid the need for
Debt lawyers such as https://www.mccarthylawyer.com/ then finding out exactly which area of study suits your child sooner rather than later will really save you time, effort and money too.
In addition to the entertainment shows surrounding STEM subjects, including swimming pools full of jelly, there are instructional videos that will help with your maths project or your engineering questions too.

Competitions
Children can be quite competitive, and quite often there are competitions at school, online or even via local companies that will capture the imagination of children, a little challenge goes a long way and the prizes awarded are a great motivator. Why not find out what local competitions are available near you and mention them to your child. They may decide it’s a great idea and will enter with little help. It may even lead to a life long interest in STEM if nothing else as well!

Exhibitions
One way in which children usually find an interest in something they love is via exhibitions touring the country or at museums. Find out which exhibits are visiting your area and see if you get early bird tickets. From planetariums to science fairs, there is something for everyone. It’s also quite common for adults to have just as much fun as the children when it comes to events and exhibitions. These also allow for extra family time without distractions too, so not only are parents helping their children’s futures; it also brings the family closer together too!

Remember that helping your child find their interests is a worthwhile endeavour, and you will all be glad when they find their ‘thing’. Some people admittedly never find that one thing they love and that’s ok, but many people find STEM is the most fantastic thing in the world and can be used for so many good reasons. So know that if your child joins the world of STEM and you encouraged them to find that interest, then you’re doing great things in the world!

Eco-Friendliness You Control

A key focus of my blog is Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics. There are whole sciences that look at maintaining our planet. Something that likewise touches all of us is the health of the planet. Each of us can play a roll in preserving the planet earth. The following contributed post is entitled, Eco-Friendliness You Control.

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You know those situations where you know you’re not doing something 100% correctly, but other people do it, so you do it anyway. Those times when you have a little voice inside your head telling you what you’re doing is wrong, but you choose to ignore it? I think that describes most of our relationship with being environmentally friendly and considering our ecological footprint. One thing that is firmly in the public eye is the effect meat-eating has on the environment. And before you say it, no one is saying not to eat meat.

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The idea is to eat less of it. As producing cheap meat is exceptionally harmful to the environment, we should try to restrict our intake. And looking at the amounts we consume, that makes a lot of sense. And there will be loads of people who have taken this to heart and started doing meat-free days, or perhaps have gone vegetarian or even vegan, a lot of people would have read up on it and decided that it’s a bridge too far for them. It’s quite the lifestyle change for most, especially as we are bombarded with delicious looking burgers and chicken on pretty much all marketing channels.

Simple Things to Save the Planet

Perhaps the better way to approach is to look at things that don’t affect our lifestyle as much. We can just go about our lives, being more considerate of the environment, but not really giving up on things. A key one would be where you get your electricity from. Obviously, renewable is the way to go.

In most cases, getting your electricity from renewable suppliers isn’t even more expensive. It usually takes a simple application and switches to feel instantly better about your power. Another low-impact way to be better for the world is to recycle correctly. A separate paper, glass, tins and plastics bin. It usually takes up to 10 minutes per week, the same time you might spend longer in bed on a Sunday morning. Then there is avoiding single-use plastics, such as water bottles. Carry a reusable water bottle around, it’s now one of the most common things, and you will not only be creating less waste, but it’s also better for your wallet too!

Sustainability at Work

Then there are things you can do and influence at work. Most companies will have a soapbox-style employee suggestion sessions where you can propose things a company can do. One that makes an immediate impact is asking the company to recycle. Or to use recycled paper for printing, or even suggest an only-print-when-absolutely necessary policy. You could ask for promotional material to be sustainable and eco-friendly, find out more here. You could possibly suggest a stricter sleep-timer on computer screens. You will see that most companies will welcome these type of suggestions and it sometimes really need to come from employees to start something off.

So, no one is asking you to stop eating meat, there are plenty of things you can do to ensure a better planet tomorrow. Sure, not eating meat will get us there so much quicker, but sometimes even an endless journey starts with the first step.

How Can You Stop Your Lab From Landing Negative Results

Three of the focuses of my blog are Financial Literacy/Money, Business/Entrepreneurship and STEM. Medical labs are critical pieces in the healthcare industry as they help doctors understand the maladies that their patients face. Just like academic and industrial labs, it’s important to still do quality science. Doing so will assure continued business. The following contributed post is entitled, How Can You Stop Your Lab From Landing Negative Results.

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Medical labs are the backbone of the healthcare industry. From the development of new medications to the diagnosis of conditions; it all starts and ends in innocuous-seeming labs just like yours. As such, most of us have come to hold entrepreneurs within this industry in high esteem. Still, assuming this positive industry reputation will save your lab would be naive. Life-saving heroics aside, medical labs are as liable as any business to stumble into difficulties and even face failure.

If your lab-provider relationships keep turning negative, then, you may soon face issues. Instead of moving forward with misplaced ideas about saving the world, you need to address why things are going wrong. We understand that this can feel like a distraction from your ‘higher purpose’, but failure to get to the bottom of this will stop you from saving lives down the line.

That’s why you need to keep reading to find out how you can turn those negative results into a positive that saves your lab’s life.

Store samples properly

Collecting samples from patients can be a time-consuming and expensive process for medical professionals. If you carelessly ruin the integrity of said samples by failing to store them properly, it’s no wonder you aren’t making any friends.

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It’s incredible how easy it is to contaminate or ruin results by getting this simple point of your processes wrong. What’s more, there is no one-size-fits-all standard for how you should and shouldn’t treat each test that comes your way.

Of course, there are some basic staples, such as a lab refrigerator from Rollex Group and companies like them. You should also be sure to keep vials well-sealed, and within uncontaminated areas. For some things, though, such as specific blood tests and skin samples, even more specialist storage will be necessary.

Whatever you do, never play guessing games when it comes to this. Everytime something unknown comes into your lab, do thorough research into which storage processes you should put in place. If in doubt, it’s even worth asking the healthcare professional who’s sending it your way. Better that than risk making a mistake and having to come crawling later on. Once you have some idea, make notes. That way, you’ll always be able to implement proper storage processes for repeat samples down the line.

Implement a team who work well

There’s no getting around it; qualified lab technicians can be downright expensive to employ. The role requires intense training, after all, and the best teams are those who have a fair few years of experience working within the industry.

To save costs, though, it’s tempting to hire inexperienced staff who are fresh out of the classroom. And, guess what? This could be another fatal flaw for your lab’s success. Of course, all new graduates have to start somewhere, and taking on college-leavers could even work if you leave experienced members of your team to train them.

If your team solely consists of cheap and inexperienced team members, though, you’re fast heading for trouble. In this instance, you would be far better off hiring less staff with more experience. That way, you can balance costs and still enjoy results you can trust in.

It’s also worth noting that your team needs to have decent teamwork structures in place if your lab is to see any real success. A lab team have to collaborate on everything from test times to results across the board, after all. If your employees aren’t talking, things are never going to come together, and clients will never get the results they expect.

Make sure, then, that your team understands the importance of talking to each other about what they’re doing. You could even arrange a few group team working activities to bring the point home.

Speed up your processes

Whether your lab focuses around diagnostics or research, slow processes are never going to work in your favour. If you have a healthcare professional waiting on results, delays mean that they look bad in front of patients. You can bet that they wouldn’t hesitate about turning to a more trustworthy lab as a result. Equally, excessive delays from a research perspective could see the findings you’re working on or similar being released by another lab in the interim.

Of course, speeding things up is never worthwhile at the detriment of your work. A rushed research study is evident from a mile off and will never buy you the respect that you need. Still, it is possible to quicken your processes without compromising your work.

We’ve already mentioned the importance of teamwork. That alone can go a long way towards making sure everyone works faster with the information they need. The correct equipment, too, can speed processes no end. And, of course, a system which sends results straight to healthcare computers could lessen lost time at the end of your research. All while ensuring results land straight into the correct inboxes in no time.

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Make sure your insurance is inclusive

Lastly, lacking insurance policies could become significant nails in your lab coffin if you aren’t careful. The fact is that you’re dealing with lives, not just faceless samples. Everything you do (or don’t do) can create a ripple effect. And, this is what your insurance policy needs to account for.

If a doctor ends up getting sued for a misdiagnosis off the back of your test results, for example, you need to ensure that you have the correct malpractice and liability insurance in place. Mistakes happen, and results don’t always get things right. Still, this would ruin relationships anyway if a healthcare provider had to foot the bill due to your lacking insurance policies. Make sure, then, that you implement the correct insurance at all times, and keep your plans updated.

Negative results aren’t something we embrace in any lab, especially when they’re of this kind. Make sure that you’re able to turn things around as soon as possible to bring much higher levels of success to your lab door.