Several problems associated with urbanization such as over crowding, contaminated water, air pollution, poor sanitation and other such issues that concern the environment have now come to surface. The three issues of solid waste management, e-waste management and tree cover remain neglected as the years go by.
Bangalore is one of the leading e-waste generator States in India. According to environmentalists more than 1,000 different toxic substances are present in e-wastes that are injurious to the environment and to people. There are harmful heavy metals such as mercury, cadmium, nickel and copper in this e-waste. A large number of these metals are cancer-producing and may have an effect on the human nervous system. The very fact that no regulations exist and neither does any scientific system of disposal of e-waste is frightening.
Civic authorities in Bangalore have estimated that almost 2,500 tonnes of solid waste is produced every day besides industrial waste in the city. Environmentalists say that it could be even 3,500 tonnes. According to an environmentalist increasing commercialization has led to every purchased object being packed in packaging material and about 60-70% of this turns into solid waste. Municipal waste consists of a large component of packing materials, paper, plastic, cloth, metal, glass and organic matter from households, commercial setups and markets. Hospitals too generate waste which needs to be attended to.
Only 20-25 per cent of the solid waste produced gets to be recycled. The environmentalists say that the Municipal Solid Waste (Management and Handling) Rules 2000 are not enforced or implemented in its totality and the work of segregating solid waste is handled in an unorganized manner. Those who have a stake in this have not been trained or built in their capacity.
Not only has this, with the growth of the city cutting of trees for the purpose of road widening, construction of new buildings etc become rampant. Around 40,000 trees are estimated to be cut in future to widen 95 roads which amount to 400 km in length.
Policy makers, environmentalists, institutes, organizations and the public are confronted with these challenges and an ever lasting solution may emerge soon.
Flooring Trends
No matter which flooring you choose, it should be serviceable for your lifestyle, and if you are building a new house or renovating an older one, your choices in floor coverings are endless. Floors set the tone of the room - the look and feel of a room - but beyond appearance, the ultimate decision on which flooring material will be used should be based on how a room is used. For example, a room in which there is heavy foot traffic needs a hard wearing floor where as a bedroom floor needs to be soft and cozy on the feet. Once again, hard surfaces – hardwood floors, tiles and laminate are dominating the home décor flooring options, and in contrast, the carpeting trends continue to move toward softer, textured and more luxurious looks. Area rugs not only add warm and comfort to a room, but rugs are the definitely leading the way as the hottest decorating feature again. It is easy for the average homeowner to make environmentally friendly choices when it comes to home flooring products.
Laminate Flooring
Originally from Europe, laminate floors have taken over the floor covering market with the practical benefits of being durable, hard wearing, and beautiful. Laminates are replicating stone, and granite for endless decorating possibilities.
Hardwood Floors
Todays hardwood floors are adding old world elegance with a new twist, moving more toward distressed planks, planks in wider widths, and the introduction of exotic wood is becoming increasingly popular.
Fiber Floor is easy to install and no gluing required.
Vinyl Flooring – Offering the look of stone, ceramic tiles and hardwood – sheet vinyl and vinyl tiles are a natural solution for to days homeowner looking for quality and design.
Linolium – The original environmentally friendly floor covering, linoleum is available in a wide selection of colors and patterns, suitable for any decorating solution.
Ceramic Floor Tile – Ceramic floor tiles offer timeless beauty and durability.
Cork Flooring –Comfortable to walk on, incredibly warm underfoot, discover the beauty of cork floors.
Bamboo Floors –An environmentally friendly hardwood, bamboo is fast becoming one of the most popular flooring trends.
Carpet –The most practical home flooring, carpet brings color and warmth into every room. Endless patterns, colors and textures still make carpet the number one selling floor covering today.
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