Bin Smart: Choosing the Perfect Waste Bins for Your Community

Iowa waste management

Which bins to choose for the communities of Iowa

Communities ensure the operational management of waste collection and processing. Choosing the right bins to install in public spaces encourages good behavior and selective sorting. How to choose this essential piece of street furniture?

Selective sorting bins

An American person produces more than 800kg of waste per year. This waste is more or less well recovered. Communities can encourage users to sort waste better by offering them bins designed for this purpose.

Bins with 3, 4, 5 waste streams and more

Selective sorting bins come in several forms to distinguish the different waste streams:
  • glass
  • paper and cardboard
  • plastic
  • scrap metal and metal
  • wood
In public spaces, along a sidewalk or near a bus station, a 3-stream bin is enough to recycle most of the products thrown away. Scrap metal and wood are generally added to activity zones or near company buildings. Since 2016, professionals must apply the 5-stream sorting of their waste. In addition, local authorities are targeted by a decree, which provides for the transition to 7-stream sorting of waste.

The colors of selective sorting

Each new waste stream must be clearly identifiable by users, professionals and individuals. The majority of them have integrated the yellow and green that adorn the paper/cardboard and glass bins. But some colors are less well-known and not always harmonized across the territory. This disparity is the result of different sorting procedures from one municipality to another, from one region to another, etc. The harmonization of the color of trash cans is part of the provisions of the anti-waste law for a circular economy.

Style, materials… Other criteria for choosing your public trash can

Outdoor trash cans are also chosen for their ability to withstand and adapt to their environment.

Trash bag holders

The trash bag holder is regularly set up as part of a sustainability plan. Coupled with transparent bags, these trash cans leave the contents visible from the outside. These solutions are very widespread in sensitive places and axes: train stations, tourist sites, museums, administration, etc.).

Openwork or perforated trash cans

Openwork or perforated trash cans also play with transparency, but for an essentially aesthetic purpose. These solutions blend more easily into their installation environment. The most emblematic model is certainly the tulip bin that is regularly found in public gardens.

Metal trash cans

Metal trash cans are regularly used in urban areas. Simple and robust, these products can be installed anywhere without difficulty. Public metal trash cans are generally made from galvanized steel. A particularly strong material that is resistant to the outdoor climate.

Wooden trash cans

Street furniture meets wood in most green urban spaces. Trash cans are no exception. Wood is also an ecological, durable and recyclable material. It is not uncommon to find this natural material in a metal core. The product then combines the advantages of both materials.

Concrete trash cans

Resistant, modern and not very dirty, concrete is a material of choice for making trash cans for public spaces. Concrete trash cans are resistant to fire, damage, bad weather, frost, UV rays, etc. Perfectly suited to outdoor hazards, concrete is also a material with a sober and contemporary aesthetic.

HDPE plastic trash cans

High-density polyethylene (HDPE) makes it possible to design very basic city trash cans. They can nevertheless be worked in different designs to accompany the architectural style of the site. The structure of the HDPE gives these bins good resistance to UV and bad weather. Bins, container shelters, ashtrays… Concrete furniture for all your junk disposal uses! Junk disposal companies of Iowa support you in the installation of qualitative and incentive street furniture. They favor simple and timeless shapes. Their public concrete bins come in different styles: with or without cover, front opening like a mailbox, ground socket or not… Depending on the model, you can also combine concrete with metal by opting, for example, for a stainless steel lid. They also offer concrete ashtrays and container shelters of all sizes to meet the different needs of communities in a given area. For a building, a large residential complex or an activity zone, they offer public ashtrays, with or without a collector, and large-capacity container shelters. You will also find more compact ones to install in parks or near a busy natural site. All the parts in the cleanliness range are made in Iowa. Designed to last, these elements are fireproof and cut in a fine and elegant style to support the community in the long term.

Waste Not, Want Not: Mastering the Art of Household Waste Treatment

plastic waste on California Long Beach

For all the waste in the house, it is advisable to adopt the best attitude in environmental matters. Here is information to easily identify how to better sort them, in order to recycle waste in an eco-friendly responsible way and to reduce pollution.

Waste, household and similar, is of different natures and consists of different materials. But they are all residues of daily activity and intended to be thrown in the trash. They gather non-recyclable household waste, dry, so-called wet, organic or fermentable recyclable waste, glass, and bulky or hazardous waste.

Dry recyclable waste

Plastic waste

Plastic represents 11% of our trash in California. Its character, non-biodegradable, makes its recycling all the more important. It would be better to drastically reduce the use of it, even banish it.

Valuation: Even if this still remains quite partial and difficult, its development is continuous. Today it allows the creation, among other things, of flower trays, hats, scarves, or even opaque bottles and oil cans.

Sorting concerns water bottles, flasks or cans of household products. Polystyrene trays, plastic bags and films, oil bottles, yoghurt pots must be excluded.

Steel and aluminum

The recycling of steel and aluminum is all the more important as this waste is very voracious in energy. Today, all steel articles contain on average 60% recycled steel. These are the coins, the supermarket trolleys, tin cans, etc. All empty packaging, aluminum and steel, can be recycled;

Aerosols such as solvents or insecticides, spray paint, or very dirty steel packaging should not be thrown into the same bin.

Paper waste

Representing more or less 22% of our trash in 2012, paper cardboard is the first dry recyclable waste. Its treatment is easy, efficient and contributes to supplying papermakers with recycled fibres. Recovery: Whether it is recycled household packaging or packaging for food liquids, newspapers or other, their recycling allows the production of corrugated or flat cardboard, toilet paper or, again, wrapping paper, or cellulose wadding. Sorting concerns all newspapers, sheets of paper and clean boxes,

Paper handkerchiefs, paper towels, disposable plates and food papers, fax paper, stickers, window envelopes when they are not vegetable (often difficult to identify) should be avoided.

Organic recyclable waste

Completely biodegradable, organic waste concerns all peelings, leftovers, bread or garden waste. These green and fermentable waste can be deposited on the platforms forms of composting at the recycling center or recycling personally. Indeed, if you have a vermicomposter, they can be added regularly to obtain a very rich compost, useful for your various plantations.

Glass recycling

Glass is very easily recycled and already accounted for 13% of our trash in 2018. Sorting concerns all glasses (bottles, pots or jars) insofar as they have been rinsed before and must be placed in containers or glass collection bins.

On the other hand, glass recycling does not include culinary glass and tableware. Indeed their chemical composition does not allow them to be incorporated into cullet (crushed glass debris and cleaned) used in glass furnaces.

What to do with bulky or hazardous waste

Hazardous waste

The qualification of hazardous waste depends on the different legislations national and at the state of California level. It concerns flammable elements, explosives, irritants, harmful, toxic, carcinogenic, corrosive, infectious but also mutagens (trichloroethylene solvent), and requires specialized dumpster rentals.

Most of them are very polluting and a large part are poorly recycled. However, this does not mean throwing them down the sink, the toilet, the gutter or in his garden. The right attitude is to conduct these elements well locked up in the recycling center closest to you.

Among the very common uses of hazardous products, batteries are highly polluting elements that contain heavy metals and toxic. Don’t throw them in the trash. You have several solutions to get rid of it. The dump, a collection point in town hall or in a supermarket are the possibilities that are offered to you.

Bulky waste

All waste that does not fit in the bin or is too bulky is considered bulky items. Rubble, scrap metal, old bicycles, bedding, furniture but also small and large appliances, they may contain heavy metals such as lead or asbestos.

The eco-attitude is then to take them to the recycling center. You can also make an appointment with the Long Beach municipal services, which often have a bulky waste removal system!

The ideal solution: no or less waste

Today, Californian residents recycle better and better their waste but fail to reduce their number. Yet there are extremely simple solutions to reduce our environmental footprint.

While continuing the work of sorting, doing it correctly to avoid contaminating an entire batch of waste and causing a sorting process additionally, an eco-attitude could be:

  • favoring, for example, eco-refills for detergents or printer cartridges,
  • to opt for large format products with less packaging,
  • choose natural cleaning products and solid cosmetics to limit plastic packaging,
  • or by limiting the printing of various documents.

We are millions and this is our strength. So all the little gestures you can do in terms of consumption and recycling count!

There is a very wide range of advice on its site for reducing its waste. Throw away less, by limiting food waste, by buying well and by equipping yourself intelligently are also effective solutions.

This way, a very interesting study on the analysis of the value chain of recycling of plastic materials on the official website of Long Beach Dumpster Rentals HQ.

Using a dumpster rental for a home renovation

Why You Should not Go for Home Renovation

A home renovation is the ideal way to start a new project. This can be renovating your kitchen, bedroom, bathroom, etc. So you can improve the look of your home.

There are various reasons why you should not do this work yourself. You have to hire professionals who are fully and completely trained for it. If you do this yourself, you may fail, and if you fail, you will be wasting your time and money. You have to realize that a home renovation is not a quick process, it takes time and money so it is better to hire professionals for the task.

The Dangers Of Home Renovation

In order to avoid these problems while upgrading one’s home, it’s important to do lots of research into the topic. This can lead to many interesting discussions and is a great way to make the experience more fulfilling. While it may be tempting to make a few rash decisions when renovating, these decisions can end up having a huge negative impact on the experience.

For many people, a home is their most important investment. Renovating a home can be a rewarding experience, but it also has its risks, and may involve renting a dumpster. A poorly done renovation can lead to a wasted time and money, as well as potentially dangerous materials being put in the wrong places.

The Negative Impact Of Going for a Home Renovation

Home renovations are big business in the USA and they are big business for a reason. The feeling of walking through the door of a new home is an incredible feeling. It can feel like a whole new chapter in your personal life has begun.

It’s easy to get carried away with renovations, especially when you’re on a budget. You don’t want to be living in a house that doesn’t make you feel comfortable. Always remember that you’re doing this for you and your family. The most important thing is that it’s functional, comfortable and beautiful.

The Advantages Of a Home Renovation

It’s a common fact that we all want to live in a home that is comfortable and aesthetically pleasing. We usually do this by constantly making improvements to make our homes better. Renovation is a major part of home improvement.

It’s the process of improving and upgrading your home, whether it’s fixing up the interior with new flooring and furniture, or even completely remodeling it from the ground up with a new foundation and redesign of the interior and exterior. It’s important to know the advantages of home renovation so that you can make the decision about whether it’s right for you or not

How To Plan For Home Renovations

Renovations and home additions can be a great way to update your home and make it more livable. But it’s also a costly endeavor, so it can be stressful on consumers. Our extensive experience and work with hundreds of homeowners has helped us develop the right strategy for each client.

Here’s how we approach a renovation job. First, we take careful measurements of the room we’re working in. Then, we research the local area to see what kind of products people like and what’s most popular in the area. Finally, we come up with a budget including dumpster rental and a strategy for the renovation that fits the homeowner’s needs. Once we get started, we never miss a deadline and always complete projects on time.

How To Avoid Common Home Renovation Mistakes

Every year, thousands of people in the USA decide to renovate their homes. Whether it’s to update their kitchen and bathroom, or to create a whole new space, renovating a home can be an exciting and rewarding experience. Not only that, but it also adds value to your home, which is why so many people do it. The trouble is, a lot of people make renovations, but don’t get the results they were hoping for.

While this may be true for a lot of reasons, it’s not because of a lack of skill or talent. It’s because there are common pitfalls that these people fall into, and that can be avoided. That’s why we’re here. We want to help you avoid those common pitfalls and make the most of your home renovations!

Common Furniture Tips For Renovating Your Home

If you want to give your home a makeover, it’s important to find the right furniture. Buying furniture is a bit different than buying other items, so you need to know what you’re getting. First off, you need to decide on a budget.

Not all furniture is created equal, and if you don’t have a lot to work with, you should stick to simpler pieces. Also, you should only buy pieces that you like, as you’ll be living with them for a long time!

There is never a bad time to renovate your home. While people tend to renovate their homes when they move into a new place, some find that they want a change even if they are perfectly happy in their old home.

Furniture is one area that can be easily changed and there are many different types available to suit all tastes. This article will discuss the different types of furniture available as well as the considerations that you need to make to ensure that you make the right choice.

If you rent a dumpster to remove the construction debris from your home renovation, you can also sue this as an opportunity to discard your old furniture. And you will be reducing pollution in the process!

Why dreaming of death is not necessarily a negative sign


Dreams of death are common, both in adults and in children, in men and in women. And if it can be scary, it is not necessarily a bad sign! Discover the meaning of the dream of death according to Freudian and Jungian interpretations among others.

Interpretation of the dream of death according to Nostradamus

  • To see a dead man crowned is an omen of illness.
  • Having the dream of being dead or seeing one’s death is a sign of imminent luck and if the dreamer is resurrected, it is even better it augurs well, of honor and bliss.
  • Dreaming of the death of a friend announces the reunion of a protective friend.
  • The dream of an animal dying on the road brings relief from some worries.
  • To be at the table with an unknown dead person and to eat with him in a dream is a sign of great near prestige.

Interpretation of Artemidore’s dream of death

For Artémidore the dreamer who sees the dead in a dream without speaking to them will have joy and fortune, but if a dead man steals the clothes, the money or even the dishes of the dreamer, then it is a fatal dream.

Giving money or clothes to someone who died in a dream is an omen of great unhappiness or serious illness.

There are scenarios and variants of the dream of death. Death in a dream can come in various forms: death of a loved one, illness, death directly from oneself or from someone else … In other words, more than a dream, it is more about a nightmare!

If it is very rare to dream of your own death, because the unconscious has a lot of trouble imagining it, dreaming moments before your death or the death of one of your loved ones remains frequent.

There are different variants that allow you to better analyze your dreams thanks to symbolism: dreaming of finding a skeleton, being chased in a cemetery, drowning, seeing someone being crucified, finding a decomposing body, to be buried or burned dead or alive, to be killed, to commit suicide, etc. And each of these variants can complete the analysis of his dream.

Jungian interpretation of the dream of death

Associated with the mystery of the afterlife and the unknown, the dream of death does not mean that we are going to die or that one of our loved ones is going to die. It rather reflects the emergence of a renewal in life, from the passage of an ordeal to reach a higher level of self-fulfillment.

According to Jung, such a dream often occurs during transition periods and shows the desire to move on. He considers that through the death of the body, the dreamer aspires to the immortality of the soul.

Dreaming of death would therefore be relatively positive and would testify to the disappearance of obstacles to make way for a more harmonious lifestyle. Contrary to all that one could think, one realizes by following the rules to interpret his dreams that it is a positive dream, a dream translating more lucidity and surpassing oneself in what concerns the dreamer. In this case, the dream of death attests to the dreamer’s desire to live.

Freudian interpretation of the dream of death

For Freud experts, the dream of death is interpreted quite differently since it shows a need to escape from one’s sexual impulses.

It is the sign of an internal conflict between the desire to fulfil one’s frustrations and the need to respect the order established by society. Dreaming of death, like many things we don’t know about dreams, actually has nothing to do with physical death.

The dreamer would therefore find himself faced with the choice of accepting his impulses or burying them forever. Death then appears in the dream as the ultimate punishment for not having managed to assume its frustrations and results in the guilt of the dreamer.

1.7 Million Children Die Each Year from Pollution


The World Health Organization estimates that 1.7 million children under the age of 5 die each year from environmental pollution.

The pollution of our planet does not only have an impact on the environment, it also obviously affects humans and especially children. This is what this recent statement from the World Health Organization (WHO) says, stressing that 1.7 million children under the age of 5 die each year from pollution.

There are many causes. The WHO estimates that 570,000 children die each year from infections linked to the respiratory system, which are directly linked to indoor and outdoor pollution, as well as passive smoking. 361,000 children die before the age of 5 due to illnesses linked to diarrhea, contracted due to poor access to clean water and, in fact, good hygiene. The remaining 600,000 deaths, detailed by WHO, include problems linked to water and air pollution, but also to diseases directly linked to the environment, such as malaria.

Between 11 and 14% of Children Have Asthma

Margaret Chan, WHO Director-General, explains that a polluted environment is deadly, especially for young children. Their developing organs, immune systems, bodies and smaller airways make them much more vulnerable to pollution and polluted water. WHO also highlights the negative consequences of these problems, which have a real impact on the growth of children around the world.

In fact between 11% and 14% of children suffer from asthma, 44% of these cases are linked to pollution. Without forgetting the chemicals present in food, such as pesticides composed of fluoride, lead and mercury, and other toxic substances, like paints containing lead. The growing increase in electronic waste is also alarming WHO.

Invest in a Greener World

Maria Neira, director of the WHO Department of Public Health said that a polluted environment has a very negative impact on the health of our children. Investing in the elimination of environmental risks, by improving water quality or using less polluting fuels, will bring huge health benefits. The world needs better better waste management solutions in order to combat that rampant pollution problem.

The solutions presented by the organization aim to renew urban environments with the improvement of public structures such as hospitals and schools, the increase of green areas and public transport in cities, as well as the phase out of pesticides and chemicals in several household cleaning products.

Can algorithms help fight noise pollution

You will have to train them first.

Scientists want to reduce noise pollution by using algorithms. Through a network involving computers and citizens, they want to identify the sounds that accumulate in New York.

Air conditioning, car horn, street music, sirens: what if we taught computers to recognize the different sounds of noise pollution? This is the objective pursued by Sonyc in New York, a project carried out by a group of scientists.

Their work, presented in the journal Communications of the ACM in February 2019, is based on the use of sensors and a machine listening system. It consists of training algorithms to recognize the sounds of New York City in real time.

A Network of Acoustic Sensors

The tool must therefore be trained to describe precisely what is the origin of the noises that pollute the sound environment of New Yorkers. The sounds will be recorded by the acoustic sensors, which are manufactured using Raspberry Pi nanocomputers and microphones. Each unit costs around 80 dollars to produce.

The inventors of Sonyc also want citizens to participate in the process, by passing noise deemed undesirable to an application (which has not yet been developed). Its users will be able to view data annotated by other people. One of the objectives would also be to be able to alert the authorities through the app.

The result of all these observations could then be presented to the competent authorities, in order to better identify the urban areas subject to certain types of noise pollution, a road axis regularly congested, for example. For the time being, the creators of this system have yet to deploy and test it in real conditions. They hope the results will allow Sonyc to be used across the United States.

And humans are not the only ones to suffer from noise pollution: some animals must adapt as well to continue living in the city.

8 Tips To Naturally Relieve Back Pain


It is estimated that there are 30 million people in a given time experiencing and struggle with back pain. Dubbed as the single leading cause of disability by the Global Burden Disease, back pain is usually treated temporarily using prescription pills.

Though it provides instant relief, painkillers such as this can cause ranging effects from stomach ulcers to painkiller addiction. If you want to naturally treat your back pain, here are a couple of tips and tricks that will save your life and your wallet.

Acupuncture

This traditional Chinese method of treatment is designed to improve your “Qi”; also known as your energy or life force. An acupuncturist will know the right points to target as they follow the meridian theory – that is a body contains 2000 focal points that are interconnected by meridians.

They will use hollow and pointed needles to correct the imbalance of your “Qi” and to relieve pain.

Cold/Hot Compress

If the pain is associated with spasms, it can get quite painful. Once spasms occur, a gush of white blood cells are sent to the spastic area and red blood cells start to deplete. This will temporarily block the are from the oxygen and nutrients in needs – which causes more pain and injury.

An alternative cold and hot compress will relieve the pain and the spasms. As soon as you feel that the spasms are starting, immediately apply cold compress on the area, alternating it for 20 minutes with compress and 20 minutes without the compress.

You must do this within 24 to 72 hours. You can start slow stretching alleviate tightness and increase circulation. Afterwards, you can add heat. The heat will help promote the healing process. Just as the cold compress, you need to do an on-and-off procedure for an interval of 20 minutes. You can do this process until you feel relieved.

Seek A Chiropractor

A chiropractor is a specialist who can assist you with pain management too. If your back pain is caused by a previous injury, it is very likely that there is pressure on your spine and nerves. This prevents proper communication with the nerves thereby causing pain and discomfort. In a case like this, a simple adjustment from a chiropractor would be a great help.

Natural Supplements

Using natural supplements to treat and relieve back pain is very common. There are products that can help lessen the pain and inflammation. Some of them can also help strengthen your bones. It all depends on what exactly you need. Looking for the right supplement that works for you will also take some time. Be patient if you want to go in this route.

One example of such a product is the EarthWell Turmeric Curcumin Extract Anti-inflammatory Supplement. It is based on turmeric curcumin, which is known to be one of the strongest natural antioxidants for pain relief. It also contains bioperine which is used for faster effect.

Weight Loss

It’s also possible that excess weight has contributed to your back pain. This weight usually drags the spine, pulling it in a more anterior-arched position. A good workout that can strengthen your core can provide a long-lasting relief for back pain.

Back Support

Sometimes, a back pain would come from improper seating position. If you sit on an uncomfortable chair for long periods of time, you can add some back support by using a foam pillow. You can also add cushions at your back to give you proper posture when sitting down.

Stretching Exercises

Stretching exercises can help you strengthen your lumbar muscles which will help support your weight better. This will also lengthen your back muscles thus alleviating the pain you’re feeling.

Yoga

Attending yoga classes is not only good for meditating but good for your flexibility and strength. This exercise focuses more on the connectedness of your body. Yoga can help increase flexibility, blood circulation and gives you a sense of well-being. You can let your yoga instructor know about your muscle pain so that he or she can teach you tricks that can ease your back pain.

What Causes Obesity and How To Treat It


It’s easy to see what are the causes of obesity on the surface; consuming more than what you can burn through physical exertion and activity will lead to weight gain and/or obesity. Though this is true, it may not be the entire case.

Each and every one of us are different – from the way we look, move, speak and act. Even our preference with food is different. These all are stemming from our genetic make up. And the risk factors that cause obesity can be a combination of genes, lifestyle choices and metabolic factors. Health conditions can also contribute to weight gain.

Genes

Is your mom and dad fit? Is one of them obese? Studies say that “fat genes” are real. You can inherit obesity from your parents if one of them is overweight or obese. If one or both of your parents is obese, you are 25% more likely to become obese yourself.

The areas where you carry weight depend on your heredity as well. If one of your parents carry the weight in the middle or hips area, you are most likely to get that too.

Choices in Lifestyle

If you are living a very sedentary lifestyle, even if you’re eating healthily, you are most likely to still gain some weight. Making sure that you burn more than what you eat will help you stay fit. Life choices is an extremely important factor when it comes to preventing or treating obesity.

If you prefer sugary, high in fat, refined foods, chances are you’ll still gain the pounds. As people prefer to eat-and-go, more people tend to choose fast food. This is not the kind of lifestyle you should take. A balanced diet and controlled portions should be your choice.

Metabolic System and Hormones

The calories from the food we eat becomes the energy we use to fuel our bodies. Though all of us use calories as the basic energy unit, we all metabolize differently. This means, the way you expend energy may not be the same as your sister’s. Metabolic rate is different for everyone. However, it also plays a vital role in determining your weight.

This is also the same with hunger. Hunger can also be triggered by hormones – even though you just ate 30 minutes ago. Hunger and appetite is dependent on how much ghrelin is released in your body. Hormones also play a part in the feeling of fullness.

Treating Obesity For Adults

Setting a goal is the important part in treating obesity. While some people may want to lose weight due to fashion, societal or vanity reasons, it is a must that losing as little as 10% of your current body weight will have a huge improvement in your health. The positive effects of losing as little as 10 pounds will alleviate some stress on your organs. No two people are alike.

A weight loss plan for you may not work for the other. Stick to a plan that works for you. The best method in losing the weight is to take it slowly. Often times, quick loss will spur up weight gain as soon as you slow down. Planning for a 2 lbs loss per week is more preferable. If you keep this course for the next 3 years, you’ll lose around 70 lbs for good.

In the end, it is the life choices that you make that will matter. Obesity is not easy to treat, as obesity can also affect your mentality and emotions. As mentioned, setting a goal is very important, but staying on the goal is the key to a successful weight loss. If you are an individual who is suffering with obesity, check with your physician on options that you can take to become better.

Agriculture and greenhouse effect


Agriculture is both one of the sectors most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change and a net contributor to anthropogenic emissions of greenhouse gases. With 15% of global emissions, agriculture rejects methane from livestock and land, nitrous oxide from fertilization with nitrogen and manure management and carbon dioxide from energy consumption.

The impact of agriculture

According to its impact on agricultural lands and practices, agriculture can also be used to capture CO2 from the atmosphere and thus mitigate climate change, but it can also contribute to global warming, for example by causing deforestation.

If emissions from agricultural sources are declining in most industrialized countries, the globalization of trade and population growth partly explain the sharp increase in agricultural emissions in developing countries.

Similarly, if methane (livestock, waste management and rice cultivation) is the main gas emitted in the South, it is nitrous oxide (use of fertilizers and manure management) which tops agricultural emissions in the North.

However, it is important to note that due to the complexity and variability of agricultural systems, uncertainties remain regarding the assessment of these emissions, necessitating a research effort in this area.

All agriculture production except the ones for organic cultivation use fertilizers and synthetic pesticides, which must be produced, and this requires fossil fuels, thus generates CO2 emissions (synthetic fertilizers are produced from natural gas). So when you eat carrots or apples, or when you drink coffee or orange juice, remember that this contributes to the global warning effect. Not just driving your car.

If we reason to the hectare, synthetic fertilizers are mainly upstream emissions, pesticides are much more marginal emissions for greenhouse gas emissions. Moreover, intermediate chemical reactions in the fertilizer production also generate some N2O.

Economics behind it

Of course the emissions associated with the manufacture of these products are not counted under agriculture, but under “industry”. Expenditure for the purchase of raw products such as vegetables or fresh fruit in bulk, or fresh meat, represent only about 20% of all of what we spend on food on average.

The rest of our spending is devoted to production of processed food like pasta, canned and frozen foods, ready meals, biscuits and sweets, drinks,… These industries consume energy directly, and therefore emit greenhouse gases as well that will be included in the products we buy, with about 15% of the energy industry in developed countries made by the food industry. Next these products are usually packed.

It turns out that the manufacture of packaging represents a significant fraction of base material that we produce such as aluminum and plastics. Basic materials production is responsible for 70% to 80% of emissions from the industry, with a part of the package that will be used at the supermarket.

Solutions exist to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases in agriculture: optimizing of the use of nitrogen fertilizers, better waste management to producing energy from waste, development of simplified cultivation techniques but also in some cases deployment of energy efficiency and use of renewable energy.

The future of agriculture

Today it is not possible to make a precise comparison between farming systems (organic, rational, conventional) from the standpoint of only gas emissions. This is partly due to many uncertainties, but also to the lack of accurate data on the full gas balance of different systems, both because of their their diversity and complexity.

However, it is clear that agriculture in the 21st century will have to answer a series of environmental, social and economic challenges involving a fundamental change in practice, notably to meet the need of mitigation of gas emissions and the preservation and ecosystem restoration.

The international community is committed to maintain global warming to below a 2 degrees Celcius increase. This implies a division by at least 2 of global emissions by 2050 and a reduction by a factor of 4-5 in the industrialized countries. In this sense Europe has committed to at least a 20% reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by 2020. These objectives defined at the international level require the mobilization of all sectors, including agriculture, which will have to undergo a profound change to meet the climate challenge.

The adaptation of agriculture and forestry systems to this new climate situation as well as the effects on diseases, pests and weeds require new skills in agronomic and forestry: development of new varieties, development of cultivation techniques adapted or forestry, etc. This adaptation also leads us to consider the geographic mobility of production areas.

Migration of cropping or forest species to enhance adaptation, new agroclimatic potential and forestry, biotech opportunities in connection with the economic determinants, and more generally the future direction of the duties of the agricultural and forestry production.