2009 GREEN PLANET ANNUAL REPORT
2009 Green Planet Annual Report The world is using its resources at an unbelievable rate. The human race is living beyond its means. A report backed by 1,360 scientists from 95 countries - some of them world leaders in their fields - today warns that the almost two-thirds of the natural machinery that supports life on Earth is being degraded by human pressure. Because of human demand for food, fresh water, timber, fiber and fuel, more land has been claimed for agriculture in the last 60 years than in the 18th and 19th centuries combined. An estimated 24% of the Earth’s land surface is now cultivated. Water withdrawals from lakes and rivers have doubled in the last 40 years. Humans now use between 40% and 50% of all available freshwater running off the land. A growing proportion of the world lives in cities, exploiting advanced technology. But nature, the scientists warn, is not something to be enjoyed at the weekend. Conservation of natural spaces is not just a luxury. The people who live in the big cities need to start realizing that there is life outside of their fast paced world. Showing care for the environment around us is the only way to ensure a future for further generations. Resources are not only limited to keeping the world in a good condition, but also keeping people healthy. There are so many distractions in the world now because of technology and other advances that it is easy for people to stray away from a healthy lifestyle. Green Planet is also concerned with keeping people healthy which in return will put more emphasis on keeping the entire world clean and healthy. Keeping a healthy lifestyle not only gives people more energy, but also can lead to a more productive life. People want to succeed and without a positive environment it is harder to achieve goals that are set.
4 6 8 10 12 14
YOGA DRIED FOOD HYBRID CARS SOLAR POWER NATURAL FOOD STATISTICS
4
What is Yoga? Hatha yoga includes meditation and exercises to help you improve flexibility and breathing, decrease stress, and maintain health. People have practiced yoga for thousands of years in India. Yoga is based on the idea that the mind and body are one combined object that needs to be cared for. While practicing a posture, you do breathing exercises to help relax your muscles, maintain the posture, and focus your mind. Hatha is one of many types of yoga that is known. While each type focuses on different aspects of yoga, all share the same goal, which is not only improved physical and mental health, but to achieve a sense of “oneness” with a higher being, the self.
The Reason for Yoga Most people who practice yoga for meditation find that it also increases their flexibility and reduces stress. If you suffer from a long-term medical condition, you can often combine yoga and a conventional medical treatment which could potentially help. Several studies have shown that yoga helps lower blood pressure, improves a person’s sense of well-being, and can help people who have asthma learn to breathe more easily and better. Yoga helps stretch not only the body but also the mind in keeping it’s users feeling young and also agile.
Can Yoga Harm You? Experts consider yoga to be safe. Always tell your doctor if you are using an alternative therapy or if you are thinking about combining an alternative therapy with your conventional medical treatment. Being safe is the best way to avoid injury.
5
What is Dried Food? Drying is a method of food preservation that works by removing water from the food, which prevents the growth of microorganisms and decay. Drying food using the sun and wind to prevent spoilage has been known since ancient times. Water is usually removed by evaporation (air drying, sun drying, smoking or wind drying) but, in the case of freeze-drying, food is first frozen and then water is removed by sublimation. Bacteria and organisms within the food and from the air need the water in the food to grow. Drying effectively prevents them from surviving in the food. It also creates a hard outer-layer, helping to stop organisms from entering the food and creating a harmful substance. Keeping the food clean is a very important process.
Types of Dried Food Many different foods are prepared by dehydration. Good examples are meat such as prosciutto (a.k.a. Parma ham), bresaola, and beef jerky. Dried and salted reindeer meat is a traditional Sami food. First the meat is soaked / pickled in saltwater for a couple of days to guarantee the conservation of the meat. Then the meat is dried in the sun in spring when the air temperature is below zero. The dried meat can be further processed to make soup and other healthy snacks. Fruits change character completely when dried: the plum becomes a prune, the grape a raisin; figs and dates are also transformed. Drying is rarely used for vegetables as it removes the vitamins within them, however bulbs, such as garlic and onion, are often dried. Also chilis are frequently dried. Edible and psilocybin mushrooms, as well as other fungi, are also sometimes dried for preservation purposes, to affect the potency of chemical components, or so they can be used as seasonings.
6
7
8
Honda CR-Z
The Economic Impact
Here is the latest from Green Car Congress. The production version of the media’s favorite Honda FCX will be shown at the upcoming Los Angeles Auto Show. That can only mean one thing. The fuel cell powered vehicle is aimed to go from it’s concept to retail sometime in 2008. The news comes straight from Honda President and the CEO Takeo Fukui, who announced it at the Tokyo Auto Show today in front of hundreds.
The most vivid of examples of that development would be Honda CR-Z (above). Scheduled to be released in 2009, the sports coupe is powered by Honda’s trusted gas-electric IMA hybrid system. It signifies the automaker’s attempt to make a better car.
Of course, the main focus of the automaker’s global market ambitions will be on its commitment to hybrid technologies which are looking upward. According to the report, “Honda expects the hybrids to account for 10% of its global vehicle sales by 2010--about 5 times the current situational level.” The need for more egological cars is on the rise and the car industry knows this. Keeping ahead of the curve in the hybrid car field is the only way for a car making company to stay relative and in demand. Keeping up in the hybrid field is a must for today’s car makers.
Unlike the Toyota and Ford hybrids, the engines in Honda’s hybrids warm up but don’t shut down completely until the first deceleration to a stop. This “auto stop” mode—conventional vehicles are wasting gas and spewing emissions during idle, while the hybrid is silent and gas-free goes away when you lift your foot off the brake pedal, shift into gear, or depress the gas pedal. The car knows when to take it easy and when you need just a little more power to make it up those steep hills. Depending on how hard you step on the gas pedal, the car’s computer will determine how much power to draw from the ICE. It will also know how much power to pull from the car’s electric driven motor so the driver can always feel that they have enough. This is the latest from Green Car Congress. The production version of the media’s favorite Honda FCX will be shown at the upcoming Los Angeles Auto Show. That can only mean one thing. The fuel cell powered vehicle is aimed to go from it’s concept to retail sometime in 2008. The news comes straight from Honda President and CEO Takeo Fukui, who announced it at the Tokyo Auto Show today. The computer will determine how much power to draw from the ICE.
9
10
What is Solar Energy?
Home Use
Solar energy is the utilization of the radiant energy from the Sun. Solar power is often used interchangeably with solar energy but refers more specifically to the conversion of sunlight into electricity, either by photovoltaics and concentrating solar thermal devices, or by one of several experimental technologies such as thermoelectric converters, solar chimneys or solar ponds.
The use of solar power in the home is becoming an attractive proposition for a growing number of people. Once thought of as an idea only found in science fiction, solar power is now becoming a very real prospect. Many people use solar power by harnessing the sun’s energy to heat their homes and to run different appliances. It is an economical and earth-friendly way to bring power into the homes of many families.
Solar energy and shading are important considerations in building design. Thermal mass is used to conserve the heat that sunshine delivers to all buildings. Daylighting techniques optimize the use of light in buildings. Solar water heaters heat swimming pools and provide domestic hot water therefore lowering the electric and sometimes the water bills in the process.
There are a number of ways you can use solar power in the home. Some homes in California run basically from solar power. The utility bills for these zero-energy homes have cut power consumption by 50 to 70%. This greatly helps family with bills. Once implemented in the home, solar power can be used to heat the home. You can also use solar power to generate hot water. When you use solar power in the home, you not only lower utility bills, but also add value to your home when you come to sell it.
11
The Difference The average conventionally grown apple costs less and is a proven family favorite. But the average organic apple has a label that says “USDA Organic.” But does that mean it’s better? Safer? More nutritious? Many differences between the nonorganic and organic foods exist. Become a more informed consumer for your next trip to the supermarket or to your local food stand. Eating fresh foods leads to a healthy lifestyle. The word “organic” refers to the way farmers grow and process agricultural products, such as fruits, vegetables, grains, dairy products and meat. Farm practices are designed to encourage soil and water conservation and reduce pollution. The farmers who grow organic produce and meat don’t use conventional methods to fertilize, control weeds or prevent livestock disease. For example, rather than the use of chemical weedkillers, organic farmers conduct sophisticated crop rotations and spread mulch or manure to keep weeds. Farm practices are designed to encourage soil and water conservation and reduce pollution. The farmers who grow organic produce and meat don’t use conventional methods to fertilize, control weeds or prevent livestock disease. The choice of natural foods could be told in terms of Anthony Giddens’s theories about people’s calculations of risk elements in their modern everyday life. Health issues, fear of diseases, and ultimately lasting questions, such as the fear of death, are the underlying reasons that people began to examine what foods they could trust in a global society.
12
13
Revenues Gains and Other Support Unrestricted
Restricted
Contributions Federal government Other grants Investment return Educational programs Promotional events and material sales, net of cost Net assets released Total costs
$97,703,883 $317,999 $62,457 $2,086,471 $1,111,458 $435,041 $140,907 $4,141,597 $105,999,813
$5,638,182 $317,999 $909,054 $2,086,471 $1,111,458 $435,041 $140,907 ($4,141,597) $7,053,325
Cash and equivalents Accounts and interest receivable Grant reimbursement receivable Prepaid expenses and other Contributions receivable Interest in net assets of Green World Foundation Property and equipment, total depreciation Total assets
$38,612,877 $57,502 $190,275 $647,589 $1,816,116 $50,392,470 $40,004,108 $131,720,937
$31,636 $52,432 $40,273 $217,649 $514,112 $312,470 $864,135 $926,647
$1,745,823 $4,660,269 $269,724 $9,169,540 $15,845,356
$445,856 $960,347 $112,131 $990,525 $945,193
$48,914,191 $25,075,918 $41,885,472 $115,875,581 $131,720,937
$23,911,323 $11,065,943 $12,845,465 $35,872,546 $98,440,124
Assets
Liabilities Accounts Payable Accrued Expenses Refundable Advances Long-Term debt Total liabilites
Net Assets Unrestricted Temporarily restricted Permanently restricted Total net assets Total liabilities and net assets
14
International Regions
Africa Florence Italy Cameroon, Africa Asia and South Pacific Chengdu, Sichuan Central and Eastern Europe Warsaw, Poland The Americas North America Alejandra Caballero Tlaxco, Tlaxcala Honolulu, HI.
Unrestricted
Restricted
$27,703,883 $457,962 $312,457 $1,686,434 $2,108,445 $3,456,051 $240,967 $8,157,896 $3,125,659 $27,457 $23,434 $68,675
$3,657,186 $213,675 $109,054 $1,086,543 $1,141,358 $1,435,641 $130,907 $4,576,839 $1,063,647 $10,454 $9,325 $21,610
15
For more information about Green Planet visit us at: www.greenplanet.org Š 2009 Green Planet