Key transportation challenges for modern businesses

Transportation

Bhok Thompson

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April 24, 2022

Key transportation challenges for modern businesses

Road train, truckers in California — *The Road Train can help you get better fuel efficiency. Using a GPS can help as well.*

Now, the logistics sector undoubtedly plays an integral role in the supply chain and all the industries including healthcare, manufacturing and all are getting the benefits of it. But the innovation speed and technology that is evolving each passing day has become a concern for modern businesses. They need to complete the rapid demands of their customers and companies find it struggling to keep up with the fast-paced up world according to the latest developments in the technology. Though the best local moving companies like A-1 Auto Transport are trying to adopt the latest innovations still there are many challenges that all the transportation organizations are facing right now. If you want to know these then have a look here:

Completing the customer’s expectations

As technology is becoming more and more advanced, this has also changed the expectations of the people. this makes the entire industry go under tremendous pressure. of course, they need to go out of the box to make their clients happy and satisfied and have to improve both the efficiency and delivery speed.

Digital requirements

Evolving IT technology is also a concern for companies. Many companies present there stick to the traditional logs, paperwork, and records and are not using the digital technology but now it is required at the government level which is putting pressure on companies to get digital. The industry needs to be at the top in the advancement and have to make all the improvements in processing.

To reduce the transportation cost

To have happy and satisfied customers, organizations are required to offer their services at a less costly but the truth is that transportation is very expensive in logistics. But when considering the bright side, certain ways can help an organization to reduce the cost like coordinating incoming orders, optimizing the shipping routes as much as possible, meeting dock time, predicting the weather and traffic conditions, and many others that can be specific to your company only.

The increasing cost of fuel

eco shipping freight cargo — *Stacks of freight cargo*

With each passing day, the rates of fuel are increasing at a rapid rate which has become a challenge. Earlier, it was easier to run transport companies as fuel prices were low so they can generate a significant amount of money via it. Now, fuel prices have hit the roof and are affecting the margins of the companies making it challenging for companies to provide services efficiently while generating profit. This also makes them increase the cost of their services which makes them lose their customers and decreases the demand for services in the market.

*American ethanol is driving food prices up globally. Time to rethink the allure of biofuels?*

Unforeseen delays

The sector is affected by unpredictable things as the certainty is not there. The sector gets affects by traffic, weather, poor conditions on the road, and so on. Though yes, these things are predicted before embarking on the process but the accuracy is not a hundred percent. These uncontrollable factors increase the cost of service and also delay the process making unsatisfied clients.

Environmental issues

*A Tesla semi? The next wave of transport?*

The transportation industry has to follow a lot of protocols set by the higher authorities and government. Considering the environmental impact of transportation, carriers face significant compliance regulations that have been imposed thereby federal, state as well as local authorities. The emission of CO has put it necessary for higher authorities to set some standards.

Automation

There is the rise of automation in the industry. Both automation and AI are going to be big components of the company of the future. Automation helps companies to have more satisfied clients as it helps in fulfilling orders tracking the products and much more. But the transportation industry is experiencing the change too rapid making it tough for all the companies to stay up to date with the latest technologies to complete the demands of the customers.

Wrapping it all up

The transportation industry is growing at a rapid rate but is not without challenges. Upgraded technology is one of the main concerns. Though the industry is also enjoying the benefits of the innovation and also understands its benefits they are facing issues as they don’t know how to implement these technologies and how to get the advantage of them. Also, this leads to investing which currently they are not ready to make.

Just How Important Are Small Businesses?

Business

Bhok Thompson

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April 24, 2022

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Small businesses provide 75% of new jobs in the U.S. They also offer 40% of jobs and pay 44% of payroll taxes. The smallest companies create 13 times more patents per employee than large companies. 99.7% of employer firms are small businesses. If you have an idea for a startup, the first thing to ask is should this be a startup at all, or should it be a small business? There are dozens of reasons why you must support small businesses.

We’ve discussed them below;

Benefits of Small Businesses

Create more job opportunities

Startups play a key role in the creation of jobs. This is especially important during a recession when unemployment is high. The U.S. Small Business Administration states that small businesses create two out of every three new jobs in the country. That’s a huge number, now that startups comprise 98% of all businesses in the U.S, in accordance with SBA. According to SBA estimation, one in every two employees in the U.S. owns a small business.

Contribute to the development of the local economy

Small businesses also benefit the local economy by purchasing goods and services from other local companies, creating a cycle of economic growth within the community. Local businesses are more likely to support community programs

Thanks to small businesses, consumers have a chance to support their local community and keep money within it. Money spent at small businesses can be re-spent in the local economy rather than being sent away to corporate headquarters or investors. This helps build a stronger local economy and encourages further business development and growth.

Highly flexible

Small businesses can be more flexible than large corporations. Some small companies can make changes quickly, such as implementing new business processes or shifting directions in response to market demands.

Besides, when starting, you have everything to gain and little to. You don’t have to worry about corporate politics, making the numbers on a quarterly report, or pleasing anyone but yourself. If there’s a project you want to undertake or a new way of doing things you want to try, there’s no one standing in your way except for your own beliefs and fears.

Easy to change direction

With a startup, you can opt for a different direction with ease. If one part of your business isn’t working for you, it’s easy to shut it down and start over. Because you’re not tied down by large overhead expenses or investors’ expectations, it’s easier for you to make decisions based on what feels right for you and your business.

Innovation

Small businesses can innovate faster than large corporations because they typically have a flatter organizational structure and less bureaucracy, allowing them to make decisions with greater agility.

Essentially, one thing is for sure- big companies are not good at innovation. Although they seem like a great place to find innovation due to the availability of resources, they struggle with innovation. But resources are a double-edged sword. The more important a project is to a company’s future, the more risk-averse they tend to be. To get an idea of how this works in practice, just look at the corporate world’s record in adopting new technologies: it’s pathetic. Innovation has little to do with funding. When it comes to coming up with new ideas, you can’t beat small groups of clever people working on problems that interest them.

Key Takeaway

Starting a small business is the best decision. That’s because startups contribute to the growth of the local economy, lead to job creation and offer personalized customer service. Because small companies have fewer employees, customers often receive customized services that a large corporation may not be able to provide. Besides, they promote an entrepreneurial spirit. Working for a small company can empower employees who want to contribute on many levels of the business and grow professionally in ways that may not be possible in larger companies.

Tehran wins “world’s most polluted city” in April

Health

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April 24, 2022

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The Iranian city now passes as one of the world’s most polluted cities, as smog, dust and smoke overcomes it.

Kids were allowed to go back to school in Tehran in April but despite the freedom from Covid’s endemic status the students were told to stay indoors as the air pollution surpassed all global limits, making Tehran in mid-April, the most polluted city in the world in terms of air quality.

Al Jazeera reported that Tehran’s “very unhealthy” average real-time air quality index was 236, according to global air quality monitoring company IQAir.

The Swiss company’s index showed an “unhealthy” reading of 183 by noon on Saturday mid-April, but local estimates on Friday at one point indicated an index of more than 500, the maximum level that can be read by the scale.

Old vehicles, smokestacks from factories and low-quality fuel used in Tehran were not the main cause this time. Storms and strong winds carried dust mainly from Iraq, and the effects of the more than normal dust is likely caused by climate change, drought and desertification.

air pollution tehran, iran — *A woman in Tehran wearing a mask years before Covid struck. She is protecting herself from the air pollution.*

Some years ago Iranians opted to try car-free Tuesdays to curb air pollution. In 2016 it was estimated that 26 people a day die from Tehran’s poor air quality.

Tuesday was the day picked because it is in the middle of Iranian week when traffic congestion is high and air pollution is at its worst.

According to the New York Times air pollution in megacities is hitting an all-time high and it is causing unprecedented rates of early deaths:

“In many megacities, pollutants increased between 8 and 14 percent year to year, which is up to three times as high as national or regional rates of increase. And the vast majority appeared to come from industrial and residential sources, not from agricultural practices like biomass burning that have historically driven air pollution in tropical regions.

“Some 180,000 premature deaths in large tropical cities in 2018 alone were attributable to increased exposure to pollutants since 2005, according to researchers at University College London.

“That number, they noted, is made all the more alarming by the fact that nearly three-quarters of megacities, those with 10 million or more residents, are expected to be in the tropics by the end of the 21st century.”

Learn How to Schedule Instagram Posts (and Free Up Your Time for Other Things!)

Business

Bhok Thompson

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April 24, 2022

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beth moon trees — People like Beth Moon who took this shot travel the world photographing trees. If Instagram is how you grow your eco and green business, find new ways to keep the business flowing while freeing up some of the time needed for social media.

If you’re intent on growing your Instagram followers, whether it’s for business use or as an individual – perhaps you’re a budding Influencer? Staying active on this popular platform is a full-time job! You need to keep your brand name high in your users’ minds and help it to regularly appear on your followers’ feed. You also want to be discovered by all of those other Instagram accounts, by using hashtags, posting Instagram Stories, using IGTV and the LIVE feature.

As well as regular posts, you need to be creative and post relevant, useful information that catches people’s eyes. It takes time to craft the perfect post, take the best-looking image and decorate it with emojis, symbols and hashtags. Most people don’t have time to just focus on their Instagram account – but even a few, rushed Instagram posts at random times of the day could cost you dearly. If you aren’t keeping your followers engaged, they will go elsewhere and worse still, click the dreaded “Unfollow” button! Don’t forget – for best credibility, your Instagram account needs to be verified, especially if you’re a business or brand. Find out about Instagram verification in this useful link.

How to Schedule Instagram Posts

You may already know that you can schedule Instagram posts and if you didn’t know that – then you do now. There are various tools available online, and even through Instagram (if your account qualifies) that you could take advantage of to plan your Instagram posts for the future. Once you’ve spent time scheduling a few, attractive and exciting posts, you free yourself up to get on with other things that matter, such as building your brand or business – or just getting on with your regular tasks of the day.

Why You Should Schedule Your Instagram Posts

In this piece, we’re going to teach you how to schedule Instagram posts using a variety of innovative tools. Before we do so, let’s recap the benefits of learning how to schedule Instagram posts:

You can grow your social media presence and ensure that you’re targeting the right potential followers. To further boost your profile, did you know that you can also buy Instagram followers for $1? Alternatively you might want to try buying likes for Instagram and buy Instagram views cheap – but choose a reputable Instagram marketing company in order to do so successfully.
It frees up your time so you can focus on other things you want to do.
When you book out an hour of your week to plan your Instagram schedule, you can use the time to get creative with your posts.
You perfect your posts in the future, and schedule them at times you know when you get the biggest audience engagement.
You stay active on the platform, even when you’re not “there”!

How to Schedule Instagram Posts – Tools to Use

There are various online tools designed especially to help you with how to schedule Instagram posts. They are third-party tools that you need to download, and most are available on the app store as well, which keeps it nice and handy as you only need your tablet or smartphone.

Best Tools for How to Schedule Instagram Posts

We’d recommend the following programs for scheduling your Instagram posts:

Let’s go into a little detail on each Instagram schedule tool, some are free, some you have to pay for.

Later

This Instagram scheduling tool is free to use, but if you choose an upgraded package, prices range from $12.50 to $33.33 for the most advanced package. The beauty of Later is that it’s dedicated only to Instagram and gives you a generous social media planning calendar and the option to simply drag and drop your posts into your planner. You can also post automatically, or you can publish to Instagram at a later date. There’s another additional feature attached to Later and that’s the Linkin.bio feature, using this you can link certain Instagram posts to targeted product pages. We like this Instagram scheduling tool and rate it very highly.

Tailwind

This Instagram schedule tool is not free to use. It costs from $9.99 for the basic package, right up to $49.99 for the most advanced package. This tool is designed especially for use with the Instagram and Pinterest platforms. There are lots of excellent features available, such as uploading a large number of images at once and there’s a useful hashtag finder so you can discover the best hashtags to use for your content. You can also use the Tailwind calendar to plan and preview your posting schedule on one, easy-to-interpret dashboard so you see exactly what your followers see, before you hit the post button.

Buffer

This Instagram scheduling tool has a variety of packages to choose from. The free package, the pro package ($15), the premium package ($65) and the business package ($99). If you have other social media networks that you regularly use for business or personal content then it’s a useful tool to download as you can also schedule your posts for Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest, and Google+.

The tool gives you a useful dashboard and you may also include relevant hashtags. Additional benefits include an insights area to see what’s worked and what’s not worked for you and there’s an extension for your Internet browser.

Loomly

Another very well-regarded Instagram scheduling tool, Loomly is more expensive, with starting packages at $34 right up to the biggest package which costs a whopping $332 per month, however, if you’ve got the budget this is the very best scheduling tool of all because you can manage all of your content in one place. It’s not just an Instagram scheduling tool, there’s an abundance of interesting features to explore and you can use this across your social media platforms. Additionally, there’s an automated Instagram ad feature. The app provides notifications, so you know when a team member has worked on a post, which makes it great for collaborations. The app also provides inspirational ideas for your social media posting, including holiday ideas, trends, and events to name a few.

What About How to Schedule Posts on Instagram Using Instagram?

For this feature, you need access to a business page, and you need to have access to the Instagram Creator Studio and to do this, you’ll need to meet the criteria of having 10,000 followers as a minimum. Here’s how to connect up your Insta account with Instagram Creator Studio.

Click on this page to access Creator Studio.
Find the Instagram icon on the screen.
Login to your account.
Linke your Instagram account to your Facebook page and if you don’t have a Facebook page, create one on www.facebook.com.
Once you’ve linked up your accounts, you’re ready to use the Creator Studio which has a scheduling feature.

Use Creator Studio to create your posts, view all of your activity in one place and to gain insights into how well your Instagram posts perform (across all categories, LIVE, IGTV, Stories etc.). Here’s how to schedule Instagram posts with Creator Studio:

The Creator Studio – How to Schedule Instagram Posts Using Instagram

To schedule your posts in the future login to your Creator Studio account and follow these steps:

Locate the blue “Publish” button, it’s at the bottom of your screen on the right.
Select the arrow facing downwards.
A popup will appear, follow the prompts to select when you want your Instagram post to appear.
Check that your post is perfectly prepared and then schedule.
The Creator Studio keeps all of your scheduled content in the Content Library that you can access any time and edit posts if you wish.

More on Instagram Creator Studio in this useful link:

Final Words on How to Schedule Instagram Posts

Now you know how to schedule Instagram posts, you can streamline your working day to get on with other important things or give your marketing team the tools to work faster and smarter. Try out some of the tools above to see which one works best for you.

Frankincense resin could slow Covid impact

Nature

Green Prophet

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April 24, 2022

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Plants from the past and used in the Bible may help us against modern ailments. Research studies to produce medicines capable of fighting COVID-19 from frankincense trees in Oman are being jointly undertaken by the University of Nizwa in Oman and the University of Oxford in England according to the Bahrain News Agency.

Ancient trees and plants from the Holy Land in Israel and written about in biblical times may have the power to heal modern ailments. We have heard a lot recently about CBD and THC from the cannabis plant but there are thousands of natural sources of medicine all around us waiting to be discovered. A recent UN report list 12 wild plants in need of protecting and one of them is based on this new research.

The new research project is looking to isolate certain key compounds from frankincense – known for its healing properties – and to use them to make antibiotics.

The resin contains large numbers of naturally occurring chemicals that could be used to inhibit the ability of the COVID-19 virus to infect people, the researchers suspect.

“We realised that the properties of these compounds being anti-inflammatory can be very beneficial, because we could use these to inhibit the m-protease protein in the COVID virus,” Dr Ahmed Sulaiman Al Harrasi, the Vice Chancellor for Research and Graduate Studies at the University of Nizwa, said.

“This protein is present in the spike protein of the virus, which is used to enter the host cells, such as the lungs, in the case of humans. We ran models of the m-protease, in which we treated this with our active drugs,” he added. “We could see a very strong binding between the two, which means the inhibition of the virus by these compounds could be very strong.”

The project is led by Dr Al Harrasi, who also serves as the Chair of the Natural and Medical Sciences Research Centre, which he helped found, and is conducting this research, and Dr Christopher Schofield, the Head of Organic Chemistry at Oxford.

“It starts with the isolation of active ingredients from the frankincense resin,”Al Harrasi said.

“It then has to go through several procedures conducted here. Some of these are self-developed methodologies and protocols that helped us isolate these bioactive components, purify them, and then characterise them. We came to know their structure through different spectroscopic techniques such as nuclear resonance, X-rays and mass spectrometry. Various techniques are used to identify and elucidate the structure of those components used to make drugs isolated from frankincense.”

The resin was chosen for this research as it contains a high number of boswellic acids, known to be excellent anti-inflammatory components, which have been used to treat ailments such as diabetes, cancer, joint pain and Crohn’s disease.

“Some of these are about to reach pharmacy shelves as real drugs.”

The next step of the research will involve testing the quality and strength of the compounds isolated from frankincense.

Protecting wild plants

There are wild ingredients found in your home that are now under threat and which could be the medicine of the future. Brazil nuts, argan oil, and shea butter are now classified among a dozen wild, threatened and at risk plants known as flagship species that need protecting.

A new report published by the UN called Wild Check: Assessing risks and opportunities of trade in wild plant ingredients, sheds light on twelve flagship species – the so-called “wild dozen” – that are hidden in our everyday products.

Thousands of species are at risk primarily due to habitat loss, as well as other factors such as climate change and over-exploitation.

Of the 21 percent of medicinal and aromatic plant species whose vulnerability status has been assessed, nine percent are considered threatened with extinction. About 1 billion of the world’s most vulnerable people are thought to depend on them for their livelihoods.

The wild dozen and why you should care about these plants

Karin Kloosterman

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April 24, 2022

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There are wild ingredients found in your home that are now under threat. Brazil nuts, argan oil, and shea butter are now classified among a dozen wild, threatened and at risk plants known as flagship species that need protecting. A new report published by the UN called Wild Check: Assessing risks and opportunities of trade in wild plant ingredients, sheds light on twelve flagship species – the so-called “wild dozen” – that are hidden in our everyday products.

Developed in collaboration with TRAFFIC, a non-governmental organisation working globally on trade in wild animals and plants, and the International Union for Conservation of Nature, the report aims to raise awareness about the sustainable use of wild-harvested plants. It can help consumers choose fair trade labels or opt out using these products altogether.

There is a surge in global demand for wild plant ingredients (an increase of more than 75 percent in value over the past two decades).

Thousands of species are at risk primarily due to habitat loss, as well as other factors such as climate change and over-exploitation. Of the 21 percent of medicinal and aromatic plant species whose vulnerability status has been assessed, nine percent are considered threatened with extinction. About 1 billion of the world’s most vulnerable people are thought to depend on them for their livelihoods.

“The sustainable use of wild plants has critical implications for food security and for millions of livelihoods around the world. It is time that wild plants are given serious consideration in our efforts to protect and restore habitats, promote sustainable agrifood systems and build inclusive, resilient and sustainable economies, particularly as countries work on the post-COVID recovery,” said Sven Walter, who heads FAO’s Forest Products and Statistics team.

Supply and demand

Plants make up around 80 percent of all biomass on Earth and play a fundamental role in supporting humans and other animals by providing food, medicine, oxygen and shelter. In some parts of the world, wild plants are collected by some of the most vulnerable people, often using traditional methods that date back generations.

Meanwhile, demand for wild plant ingredients keeps growing, especially in wealthier countries. Consumers in the United States alone spent an estimated 11.3 billion dollars on herbal dietary supplements in 2020, while preliminary evidence suggests the COVID-19 pandemic has renewed interest in the use of wild species as ingredients in traditional and modern medicine.

Overall, it is estimated that up to 5.8 billion people may be using wild or semi-wild plants globally, according to a study by Rhodes University in South Africa.

Despite their ubiquity, importance, and the threats they face, wild plant ingredients are often obscured from consumers and escape companies’ due diligence due to a lack of awareness and traceability.

The report aims to address these challenges by providing detailed information on a selection of ‘flagship’ wild plant ingredients, dubbed the “Wild Dozen.”

What are the wild dozen?

The 12 wild plants singled out in the report are:

Beth Moon Portrait of Time — *Beth Moon, Frankincense tree*

Frankincense: Found in north-eastern parts of Africa, as well as in Oman, Somalia and Yemen, its resin is used for incense, aromatherapy, cosmetics, perfumes and traditional medicines. Conservation status: near threatened

Pygeum: Also listed in ingredients for medicines and herbal products as Prunus, African cherry, red stinkwood or African almond, this tree grows in forests across tropical Africa. Conservation status: vulnerable

Shea: Grows across Africa, from Senegal to Uganda. Used widely in the food industry as a cocoa butter equivalent, it is also popular in cosmetics. Locally, it is used as a healthy cooking oil. Conservation status: vulnerable

Jatamansi: A perennial, aromatic plant that grows in the Himalayas, its roots are harvested for their medicinal properties. Conservation status: critically endangered

Gum arabic: This species grows in Africa and is primarily used in the food and pharmaceutical industries as an additive, emulsifier or stabilizer. Conservation status: not assessed

Goldenseal: Also known as hydraste du Canada or ground raspberry, this species is native to eastern North America and is primarily used for medicinal products. Conservation status: vulnerable

Candelilla: Found in Mexico and confining parts of the United States, candelilla wax was a common ingredient in chewing gum. It is used as a food additive (E902) and in cosmetics and pharmaceuticals, as well as industrial waxes and polishes. Conservation status: not assessed

Argan: Also known as Moroccan oil, and rumored to be processed inside a goat’s butt, argan oil‘s anti-ageing properties make it a popular choice among European and North American consumers of cosmetics and hair products, while its oil is also used to treat a number of ailments, from acne to arthritis. It grows in Algeria, Mauritania, Morocco and the Western Sahara territory. Conservation status: vulnerable

baobabs, Madagascar, were a primary leafy green food for people centuries ago — *Beautiful alley of baobabs during sunrise in Morondava, Madagascar.*

Baobab: The A. digitata variety of this species is native to mainland Africa and famously eaten by our ancestors. Baobab powder is used as a food and beverage ingredient, while its seed oil is used as a cosmetic ingredient. Conservation status: not assessed

Brazil nut: Harvested entirely from the wild, the tree is primarily exploited for its nutritious, edible nuts packed with nutrients and antioxidants such as magnesium, zinc, protein and selenium. Its harvesting has contributed to preserving millions of hectares of Amazonian forests, which is why it is often called the cornerstone of Amazon Forest conservation. Conservation status: vulnerable

Liquorice: This perennial herb is native to Eurasia, northern Africa and western Asia, and is primarily used for medicinal purposes, as a sweetener and in the tobacco industry. Conservation status: least concern

Juniper: Juniperus communis is a species of the temperate and subarctic northern hemisphere. Its berries are a key ingredient in gin manufacturing. They are also used as a food flavouring, an essential oil, an ingredient in cosmetics, and have a long history of use in traditional medicines and for religious purposes. Conservation status: least concern

Finding Top-Paying Eco-Friendly Jobs

Good Job

Bhok Thompson

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April 21, 2022

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forest bathing, woman hipster contemplating nature in dark green forest — *Feel you are reaching out to a forest of abyss? Even greentech companies like solar energy need good sales skills. Here’s how to find the dream job.*

These days, more and more people have become concerned about the environment. This is something that they worry about not only in terms of their personal lives but also their professional ones, and many want to do their bit to ensure a safer and greener future for everyone. This includes doing things such as getting a job with a greener company, and you can find some eco-friendly jobs that offer very good pay. Working towards improving your skills and creating a solid resume using online resume examples can help you to secure jobs such as these.

If you want to find top-paying eco-friendly jobs, you need to make sure you take all the necessary steps to boost your chances of success. By finding the right job, you can do your bit for the green cause as well as earn a good income and benefit from job satisfaction. You can also help to do your bit to make the world a better place while enjoying the chance to earn a good living doing something you are proud of doing. In this article, we will provide some tips on finding top-paying eco-friendly jobs.

Some of the Things You Can Do

There are a few different factors that you should keep in mind if you want to find a well-paid eco-friendly job. Some of the main ones are:

Look at the Area You Want to Work In

One thing to remember is that there are eco-friendly jobs and businesses in all industries, so one of the things that you will need to do is to work out what sort of industry you want to work in. The good news is that you can find eco-friendly jobs in many industries, which means that you have far more leeway when it comes to your career choices. Once you know what sort of industry you are most interested in, you can then start looking for eco-friendly businesses and jobs within that industry.

Study for Relevant Qualifications

Another thing you should do in order to help you to secure top-paying eco-friendly jobs is to ensure you have the skills, knowledge, and qualifications you need. If you already have a job in mind that you are interested in, you should do as much research as you can to find out what is needed to improve your chances of success. You can then turn to internet training and educational sites to get what you need in order to get into the industry and job you are interested in.

Gain Some Work Experience

One of the other things that you can do in order to aid your chances of finding a top eco-friendly job is to gain some work experience. This is something that you can achieve in various ways such as applying to green charities, asking around local businesses, and registering your details for voluntary work online. This can make a big difference when it comes to securing a relevant job.

These are some of the steps that you can take in order to boost your chances of finding an eco-friendly job with a great salary.

Top Tips On How To Use CBD Products To Boost Sleep

Health

Bhok Thompson

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April 18, 2022

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Top Tips On How To Use CBD Products To Boost Sleep

sleeping CBD — *CBD can help you sleep, say some*

Do you have trouble sleeping at night? Are you constantly tossing and turning, unable to get comfortable? If so, you may want to try using CBD products to help you sleep. CBD is a natural compound that is effective in helping people fall and stay asleep. This blog post will discuss some of the best ways to use CBD products to improve your sleep. Keep reading for more information.

Take edibles before bedtime

One of the best ways to use CBD products for sleep is to take edibles before bedtime. Edibles are a great option because they allow you to get a consistent dose of CBD throughout the night. This can help you fall asleep and stay asleep for the entire night. Take the time to explore online sources where you may come across different CBD gummies for sleep with instructions how to use and the list of ingredients. Gummies prove to be an effective sleep aid due to their high potency and long-lasting effects.

Just make sure that you are purchasing CBD products from a reputable source. This will ensure that you are getting a quality product that will be effective in helping you sleep. You will know that you are getting a quality product if it is third-party lab tested and comes from a reputable source. This means that the product has been tested for purity and potency and is safe for human consumption.

Use CBD oil before you sleep

Another great way to use CBD products for sleep is to use CBD oil before bedtime. CBD oil can be taken orally or applied topically. If you choose to take it orally, start with a low dose and increase it gradually until you find the dose that works for you. If you choose to apply it topically, simply massage a small amount of oil into your skin before bedtime. The CBD will help relax your muscles and calm your mind, preparing you for a good night’s sleep.

Try using topicals

Topicals are another great option for those looking to use CBD products for sleep. Topicals are applied directly to the skin and can provide a localized effect. This means that you can apply them directly to areas where you are experiencing pain or discomfort. This can help you fall asleep and stay asleep more easily. There are a variety of topicals available on the market, so be sure to do your research to find one that is right for you.

In choosing the right CBD topical, it is important to find one that contains a high concentration of CBD. You may also want to look for a topical that contains other ingredients that are known to be effective in promoting sleep, such as lavender or chamomile. This way, you can get the most out of your topical application.

Smoke or vape CBD

hipster reads book while smoking a joint — *Covid has created a lot of loss, pain, depression and anxiety. Some people have turned to safer self-medicating using CBD, others need help with harder problems.*

Smoking or vaping CBD is also a great option for those looking to use CBD products for sleep. Smoking or vaping CBD allows the compound to enter your bloodstream quickly, which can help you fall asleep more easily. If you’ve never taken CBD before, it’s important to start with a low dose when smoking or vaping CBD. This will help you gauge how your body reacts to the compound. Once you know how your body responds, you can increase the dosage if needed until you find the amount that works for you. You should also keep in mind that smoking or vaping CBD may not be right for everyone. Thus, if you have any respiratory conditions, it is best to avoid smoking or vaping altogether.

Keep a journal

Finally, it’s important to keep a journal when you’re using CBD products for sleep. This will help you track your progress and make sure that you’re getting the most out of your experience. Be sure to record how much CBD you’re taking, how often you’re taking it, and how it’s affecting your sleep. This way, you can make adjustments to your routine as needed until you find what works best for you. More often than not, it takes a bit of trial and error to find the perfect CBD routine for sleep. But once you find what works, you’ll be able to get the restful sleep you need and wake up feeling refreshed and well-rested.

If you are looking for ways to improve your sleep, consider using CBD products. CBD products can be a great way for you to get a restful slumber. Be sure to try some of these tips to see what works best for you. Rest assured that when used correctly, CBD products are safe and can provide you with the sleep you need.

A Quick Guide On How To Clean A Dab Rig

Lifestyle

Bhok Thompson

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April 18, 2022

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Cannabis oil is a natural medicine that can have a profound affect on mediating pain and anxiety. One of the latest ways of delivering the medicine is by “dabbing” which is basically vaporizing cannabis oil.

As dabbing becomes more popular for using medical cannabis, so does the dab rig. It’s a water pipe that vaporizes cannabis concentrates. Dab rig filters the condensed vapor through the base’s water. Dab rigs are commonly smaller than bongs, which results in less drag, allowing the vapor to reach the lungs more quickly and retain its potency.

Cleaning a dab rig may appear complicated, mainly if you are new to dabbing. If this is your first-time dabbing, you might be concerned about the cleaning process for your dab rig. If this is the case, worry not, here’s a guide on how to clean your dab rig properly.

How To Clean A Dab Rig With Alcohol

Here’s a step-by-step guide for cleaning dab rigs with an alcohol solution.

1. Make Your Salt-Alcohol Mixture

Fill halfway with sufficient isopropyl alcohol to fill your dab rig, typically 16oz or less will suffice. Then, add approximately 14 to 12 cups of salt to the solution and stir until the salt has dissolved. Leave a small amount to add grains that aid in cleaning the solution. If you need more tips, here’s a great site to visit online.

2. Torch The Tip Of Your Nail

Dismantle your dab rig and clean each component individually. A simple method to clean a nail is to heat it with a torch until all residual carbon has been burned off. If there is only a small amount of buildup, torching a nail should suffice to remove it. Additionally, you can clean the surface of your nail with an alcohol-soaked cotton swab.

3. Put Your Caps Or Bags On

Now that you’ve loaded your cleaning solution, it’s time to secure your dab rig. This is where resealable caps and plastic bags are advantageous. If you have resolution caps, simply place one in each of your rig’s openings. If you do not have them, no worries, just simply secure the opening with a rubber band and wrap a plastic bag tightly around it.

4. Agitate The Cleaning Solution

After everything is sealed and secured, agitate the solution inside the rig. It helps to initiate the process and dislodge any significant buildups of cannabis on your rig. This is exceptionally advantageous and will expedite the soaking process.

5. Allow It To Soak Before Rinsing

Allow your rig to soak in the cleaning solution for at least 30 to 60 minutes, preferably overnight. Thoroughly clean your rig with room temperature water. Water that is too cold or too hot can cause cracks in your glass. Allow plenty of time for thorough rinsing to remove all of the alcohol and resin. At times, soaking your rig a second time may be necessary to clean it thoroughly. If you cannot thoroughly rinse your rig with water, you can remove any remaining debris using pipe cleaners, paper towels, or Q-tips.

6. Dry Your Dab Rig

While you wait for the interior to dry, focus on the exterior with your microfiber cloth. Due to the importance of cleanliness, the exterior should be just as spotless as the interior. It ensures that your first session following the cleaning is a success. After cleaning the area to an acceptable level, dry any excess water. Allow for complete drying of your glass and rig before using them again.

How To Clean A Dab Rig Without Alcohol

If you prefer not to use alcohol to clean it, here’s an alternative solution to do it.

1. Vinegar And Sodium Bicarbonate

Using vinegar and baking soda is another extremely effective cleaning method. However, the smell will be unpleasant during the process because you’re still using vinegar. The time required for soaking is comparable to salt and vinegar. White vinegar and baking soda will not only clean your prized dab rig but will also eliminate lingering odors once it’s dried. Due to the acetic acid content of vinegar, you can be confident that undesirable odors will be eliminated.

2. Lemon Juice And Water

The acidity of lemon juice is well-known as a powerful cleaning agent. However, it is the least effective method of cleaning your rig on this list. It smells divine, but be prepared to soak your rig overnight and possibly twice more. If you’re not in a rush and lemon is readily available to you, you can opt for this method.

3. Vinegar And Salt

Similar to salt and alcohol, but with a less pleasant odor. Additionally, dislodging the buildup takes a little longer. However, it’s not too bad with a minimum soak time of two hours.

Takeaway

To ensure that you continue to receive high-quality doses for an extended period, it’s critical to learn how to clean your dab rig properly. Fortunately, the entire procedure is straightforward and requires only a few simple pieces of equipment and cleaning solutions. Use this guide to help you thoroughly clean your dab rig and enjoy a fresh rig experience every time.

8 Team-Building Exercises to Start the Week Off

Business

Bhok Thompson

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April 13, 2022

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teams renewable energy — *Team building to change the world! The best renewable energy companies are ones that function.*

There’s nothing like starting the week off with a little team bonding. By bringing your employees together in a fun and collaborative environment, you can jump-start productivity and creativity. Here are 8 great team-building exercises to get your week off to a great start:

Play a game

This is a great way to get everyone interacting with each other in a fun and light-hearted way. It’s also a great opportunity to build team morale and just have some fun. You can play anything from traditional games like charades or Pictionary to more modern ones like Cards Against Humanity or Scrabble. If, while playing the latter, you find that people are having trouble shaking off the weekend rust a little bit, you might suggest using a word unscrambler tool like Unscramblex to help come up with winning word combinations.

High-intensity tactical activities are perfect for groups that want a change of pace while still encouraging communication and quick decision-making. Team managers often visit the Gel Ball Undercover store to gear up for scenarios that feel immersive without being overly complex to organize. These sessions give participants a shared challenge that naturally promotes cooperation and trust.

The start of the week meeting

This is a great way to get everyone on the same page and ensure that everyone is aware of what needs to be done that week. It also allows for any questions or concerns to be addressed so that they don’t become roadblocks later on.

Monday morning breakfast

This is a great way to start the week off on a positive note and get everyone in the right mindset. It’s also a great opportunity to catch up with each other and build rapport.

You (or the company) should be footing the bill for breakfast. You can order in or if there is a breakfast place close by that you all like, take the team there. How about an organic or fair trade restaurant that supports your local economy? It helps to alleviate some of the stress and malaise of Monday morning and gets everyone off to a good start. Plus it shows your values.

Team huddle

This is a great way to check in with each other, see how everyone is doing, and make sure that everyone is on track. It’s also a great opportunity to identify any potential problems and address them before they become bigger issues. It is usually nice to plan these sorts of gatherings for just before lunch so that people can take off right after.

Afternoon walk

This is a great way to get some fresh air, clear your head, and move your body. Walking also has a lot of health benefits, and it makes you a better worker, so it’s a win-win for everyone. Forest bathing is a therapy and a thing in Japan. Offer your team to try.

Plus, it’s a great opportunity to catch up with each other and bond. If you can, try to go to a park or somewhere with some nice scenery.

Brainstorming session

This is a great way to get everyone’s creativity flowing and come up with new and innovative ideas. It’s also a great opportunity to build team morale and get everyone working together towards a common goal.

People may have had some great ideas over the weekend that they want to share, so this is the perfect time to do it.

Group project

The beginning of the week is a great time to plan a weekly group project. This is a great way to get everyone working together towards a common goal and build team morale. Plus, it’s a great opportunity to learn new skills and improve upon existing ones.

The project doesn’t necessarily have to be work-related but can be a nice way to bond with your team and have some fun.

woman in glass at the office — *Your company might be building solar panels but is the environment a healthy one for corporate culture?*

Weekend share

This is a great way to get everyone to share something about their lives outside of work. It’s also a great opportunity to build relationships and get to know each other on a personal level. You can have each team member share a little bit about what they got up to on the weekend, even if they just stayed home.

It’s a good way to show the team that their coworkers are all normal people and lead lives outside of the work context just like them. Often, especially with remote work, we can lose that human element when we only interact with people via screen all day.

Conclusion

In summation, there are a lot of great team-building exercises that you can do at the beginning of the week to help with productivity and collaboration. Try out a few of these exercises and see which ones work best for your team. There’s no need to do all of them; just pick the ones that seem like they would be most beneficial for your team. And, as always, have fun.

UN climate conference forgets faith, women and youth, say MENA groups

Act

Karin Kloosterman

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April 13, 2022

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The UN’s climate change conference, with the worst names, COP27, will happen in Egypt this year.

The Middle East region holds its own climate platforms via the UN (recently the MENA climate week in Dubai), not that most industries like oil and gas are listening, but did want to send a message to the UN’s mother event about to take place:

“If countries are to achieve effective climate action at a global level, COP27 and COP28 climate negotiations must include the most vulnerable communities across faiths, like women and youth,” said an announcement put together by a number of local groups.

Organised by ACT Alliance and Ummah For Earth, the side event “Multi-sectoral, multi-stakeholder engagement for effective climate action” was held on 30th of March 2022 at Atlantis Hotel – Palm Dubai. Speakers included Tarek Al Olaimi (ally of Ummah for Earth), Ines Belliard (Global One), Dani El Obeid (ACT Alliance, Lebanese University), and Devar Sher (ACT Alliance), and was facilitated by Julius Mbatia (ACT Alliance).

The event provided the opportunity for Muslim and Christian faith actors to reflect on possible solutions and pathways to strengthen multi-sectoral and multi-stakeholder engagement for effective climate planning and action. It also helped to identify the gaps to be filled in order to enhance multi-stakeholder and multi-sectoral approach, including the lack of youth, gender and faith inclusion in climate policy and decision making.

“Climate change represents one of the most urgent global challenges we are facing today. In order to tackle its impact, there is a need for a whole economic and governmental approach that contributes to low carbon, climate resilient and sustainable economies in MENA.

“Youth and faith actors need to be brought to the decision table every day, in order to include them in sectoral planning, prioritisation, and policy frameworks,” said Tarek Al Olaimi, from Ummah for Earth and somehow connected to Greenpeace as he offers a Greenpeace email for correspondence. (Email him: [email protected])

Muslims climate change — The year before, Ummah announced what Muslims want for the earth

“We need to take a step back and take a snapshot of the MENA countries, specifically where armed conflict remains a living hell. We can’t expect conflict-affected communities to be aware of the climate hazards. The MS-MS approach must have the people’s awareness at the heart of its activities and making everyone understand what a crucial role we have to fix the climate crisis,” said Devar Sher of ACT Alliance.

The speakers highlighted the need for better coordination in order to achieve an overall transformation of societies at economic and governmental levels. They focused on the role of faith communities in terms of filling the gaps between different sectors, organising and responding to specific needs in planning and action.

Noticeably missing from MENA or Middle East North Africa events are members from Israel, and the Jewish faith, visibly very entrepreneurial in the renewable energy sector and for the Middle East, but also conveniently left by Muslim-majority countries.

Solar shade fabric to light public park in pilot

Technology

Karin Kloosterman

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April 13, 2022

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Solar shade fabric to light public park in pilot

The city of Tel Aviv has installed a pilot of LumiWeave, a flexible and lightweight solar energy shade and energy system in Atidim Park in Tel Aviv to provide shade during the day and illuminate your path at night.

Initiated by Anai Green, an industrial designer, the idea is the winning project in the international technology competition of Women for Climate launched by the C40 organization. Sadly, women still need their own competitions to get noticed in clean tech and design.

At the heart of the development is a solar sheet that combines energy harvesting and lighting. The sheet is lightweight and flexible and allows immediate installation anywhere without the need to connect to main power outlets. The LumiWeave has no need for electrical infrastructure and allows the customer (in this case the city) to control the time and intensity of lighting and thanks to its simplicity (unlike let’s say the Solar Tree which isn’t at costs $100,000 per unit) the LumiWeave system saves at least 50% of the installation costs of standard lighting infrastructure and 100% of the electricity costs, according to Green’s estimates.

The system meets all safety standards, withstands all weather conditions and continues to provide lighting even after 3 days without sun.

The Lumiweave project is a unique project, as it combines addressing climate change and the growing challenge of shading in urban areas, with a technological solution that operates based on renewable and clean energy, and enables the supply of lighting that without the polluting fuels. Of course trees are the best solution for shade but in hot dry Middle East countries maintenance of trees comes with their own cost. Lighting is an issue in many desert communities only partially connected to the grid, or in Syria, where rolling blackouts have made solar panel energy the only mode of reliable energy for home owners and vendors.

Anai Green grew up in Israel, attended the Bezalel Academy of Art, and Worked in Japan before opening her independent design studio in Israel. Over the past decade, Anai’s interests have extended her work on lighting and furniture to the design of spatial objects and the relationship between materials, form and technologies to bring her designs to impact every day life in urban settings.

In 2010 She participated as a collaborator in Megama – a strategic design office – on an entry for the Landscape Urbanism Biennale called “32N Urban Shade” that focused on the significance of natural and built shade in the city of Bat Yam, Israel.

Creating public shade maps and shade walls, the installation offered respite from the sun in the industrial zone, as part of the event. Lumiweave and the preoccupation with climate and well tempered environments emerged from this early exploration. Lumiweave combines Anai’s unique interests in emerging LED lighting technologies, flexible PV cells, with the potential of textiles in outdoor uses to address the problem of rising temperatures in urban environments.

Following the win at the international competition, the Tel Aviv-Yafo Municipality is assisting and enabling the project to undergo a practical experiment, in collaboration with Atidim Park Tel Aviv and the Cityzone Innovation Laboratory, in which the experiment is currently being conducted. The venture is operated through LumiWeave and is overseen by designer and entrepreneur Anai Green, its founder, and Tal Perens, a serial high-tech entrepreneur.

The Tel Aviv-Yafo Municipality is a member of the international city organization C40, a network of major cities in the world committed to urgent action to combat the climate crisis. Within this context, the municipality initiates many actions including the municipal climate plan, a municipal plan for climate change assessments and reducing greenhouse gas emissions, a plan for massive tree planting, expansion of green areas, a program to remove polluting vehicles and ongoing educational efforts in schools and the public spaces regarding the consequences of climate change.

A press release issued by the city of Tel Aviv of course quotes its mayor Ron Huldai who will use any opportunity to tout his “green” projects to the international media while encouraging the endless building of mega towers in Tel Aviv. These commercial building products to create condos can forcibly remove residents who do not agree to sell their apartments in exchange for a unit in the newly constructed towers that can start at 30 floors.

Elderly suffer because they don’t want to leave their only homes and wait 4 years for a new tower to be built and usually have no interest in changing a small garden-facing apartment for one of hundreds of apartments in a new tower often just used as a second home or for AirBNB rental income.

Huldai has also made personal efforts to stop the funding of anthroposophical education in Tel Aviv, namely Beit Hinuch Aviv, a unique, wholistic method of teaching deep ecological values in children, citing that the system is encouraging segregation despite the students being from all faiths and socio-economic backgrounds. The school has started a program to teach Arab women how to become Waldorf teachers.

Huldai took the school to the Supreme Court in Israel so it would not receive municipal support. Meanwhile schools in Tel Aviv- Jaffa are segregated by Muslim-Jew, religious and non-religious.

Tel Aviv makes small steps in “green” progress only because Huldai wants to win favors in the international community.

Renewable Energy Storage in the form of an Ancient Technology

Energy

Bhok Thompson

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April 13, 2022

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Update: 2025 Torus scores a $200 M investment for its flywheel technology.

As the global consciousness about climate change increases and rapid development and modernization of cities across the world occurs, there has never been a greater need for sustainable energy solutions for urban life. In the Middle East alone, the 2020 energy demand in renewables increased by 34% and the use of oil had surprisingly declined, according to a report by BP. With the Middle East’s bountiful amounts of sunshine, solar energy is a prominent resource and wind, with Saudi Arabia’s $500 million Dumat Al-Jandal wind farm breaking ground in 2020. It may seem counterintuitive to find a region with so many natural gas and oil stores pivoting to renewable energy, but while these energy methods are finite, creating sustainable technology will create lasting energy solutions for the future.

Still, plenty of problems needs solving in sustainable energy, including the ability to store this energy efficiently. For example, natural gas is typically compressed and stored in CNG tanks, making it easy to transport and store for use in industrial, vehicular and residential applications.

Batteries have been a standard solution in the past, allowing the conversion of solar or wind energy into chemical energy, which then can be converted to electricity. But the nature of chemical reactions is corrosive, and traditional batteries are vulnerable and eventually decay, leading to costly repairs and maintenance. Moreover, degrading batteries themselves are harmful to the environment, as their chemicals leak into groundwater and soil if not disposed of properly. To truly make sustainable energy the future technology, it must also have a way to be stored sustainably.

This is the power of Amber Kinetics’ revolutionary flywheel technology, a renewable energy storage solution made of sustainable materials that don’t degrade and require very little maintenance. The flywheel itself is an ancient technology, one that has been used in many inventions as a store of energy. You can see the magic of this technology at work in the wheels of a toy race car. As the wheels wound up, energy builds up in the flywheel, which can eventually be released to propel the car forward. Similarly, flywheels can take energy from the sun, wind, or other renewable sources and store it as kinetic energy – the energy of motion. As energy is added, the flywheel accelerates in motion, and when energy is used, the flywheel decelerates, converting kinetic energy into electrical energy.

Now, imagine this efficiency scaled up in the form of a two-ton steel rotor, creating enough energy to power more than 350 houses a day – that is Amber Kinetics’ grid-scale flywheel technology. Their proprietary design, the Amber Kinetics’ M32, stores up to 32 kilowatt-hours of energy per unit – about the energy equivalent of powering an urban home for a day. When these units are put together, Amber Kinetics’ flywheel grid can store more than 10,000 kilowatt-hours of energy.

As the architects of the world’s first and only long-duration flywheel energy storage solution with the ability to handle the needs of a modern energy grid, Amber Kinetics’ has become a world leader in renewable energy solutions and has worked with countries all over the globe in providing energy storage. Currently, the company has installed flywheels in the US, Australia, Taiwan, Greece, and Philippines, with plans to add many more.

With the changing energy market in light of new geopolitical relationships and the COVID-19 pandemic, the rise of renewables has already begun and will only keep growing. The ability to efficiently store this energy and use it to power cities is something many governments are excited to pursue. With their innovative new technology, there’s no doubt that Amber Kinetics’ is at the forefront of this market.

What’s the Most Affordable Way of Shipping to Guernsey?

Transportation

Bhok Thompson

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April 12, 2022

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shipping freight at sea from above — *When you order from an online store consider the environmental impact needed to bring your goods to your home.*

There are two issues with Guernsey that make it different from most other parts of the British Isles in terms of shipping. Firstly, it is an island so you need to arrange to get your goods over the English Channel, something that you obviously won’t have to do if you are sending a shipment from one part of the mainland to another. Secondly, Guernsey isn’t officially part of the United Kingdom.

As such, different rules apply when sending goods there because they are classed, officially at least, as exports. Nevertheless, there are ways to ship to the island at a low cost if you know what to do. What are the main options when fulfilling an order to a customer on Guernsey today?

Posting Orders

Some British firms simply post their goods to Guernsey and the other Channel Islands. However, this will not work in the same way as usual Royal Mail services because Guernsey has its own postal service called Guernsey Post. As such, sending items – even small orders, samples and gifts – to Guernsey by post means making a declaration to UK Border Force officials.

Any goods under £270 in value being sent to Guernsey by post must be accompanied by a CN22 form while all large parcels and items over £270 need to be sent with a CN23 form. Without them, your parcels won’t leave the UK. In addition, you’ll need to declare and pay VAT for any posted order over £39 in value. As such, posting orders isn’t the low-cost option many people think it might be. In other words, it is good for documents rather than commercial shipping.

Door-to-Door Commercial Couriers

Because posting commercial goods to Guernsey is such a hassle, it is often better to arrange a door-to-door shipment instead. Many commercial courier firms collect items from warehouses and stock rooms and will board ferries from ports on the mainland to St Peter Port in Guernsey from where they can make their onward journey. Some will even fly goods to the island for onward delivery by road.

Regardless of this process, you’ll still need to make customs declarations for your exports. As such, using a firm that combines freight forwarding services and customs clearance agency work under one roof is the most cost-effective option. According to Barrington Freight, a company in Essex that combines such work, shipping freight to Guernsey is more affordable when both sorts of services are brought together in this way.

Groupage Shipment Services

It is worth noting that you don’t have to ship goods to your customer(s) in Guernsey directly. Because there are many ferry services from the UK to the Channel Islands every week, lots of other exporters will be sending goods to Guernsey at any particular moment, too. If you put your goods together into the same van or lorry, then you can both save.

This way of organising shipping is known as groupage. Most good freight forwarding firms can arrange groupage for you, allowing you to slash your logistical costs when shipping to places like Guernsey. The fact that the export route from the UK to Guernsey is so busy means that your shipments there will not be unduly delayed while they’re organised into groupage consignments.

Are water bongs healthier than smoking?

Health

Bhok Thompson

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April 12, 2022

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water bong CBD elderly — The water bong is easily associated with a stereotype of “lazy pothead” but it’s actually an important low-tech tool for administering cannabis as medicine to the elderly. It’s clean, simple and easy to dose quickly and precisely, unlike ingesting which has slow release and sometimes overly powerful effects.

Marijuana has become one of the most popular recreational activities for adults. Even growing in popularity for use as a holistic medicinal alternative to pharmaceutical medicines. You can find people from ages 21 to the elderly enjoying the therapeutic benefits of cannabis all over the globe where it’s legal from Canada to Israel.

Is It Healthier to Smoke a Joint or a Water Bong?

When it comes to smoking cannabis, many people assume that a water bong is the “healthier” option compared to a traditional joint. The truth is that both methods involve combustion, and therefore both expose the lungs to potentially harmful substances — though the experience and health effects differ slightly.

A joint burns cannabis rolled in paper. Each puff contains not only the psychoactive compound THC but also tar, carbon monoxide, and fine particulates that can irritate and damage lung tissue. Because joints lack filters and burn at a high temperature, users inhale more unfiltered smoke per puff. Studies have shown that regular joint smoking can lead to chronic bronchitis, coughing, and reduced lung function, even if the cannabis itself does not contain nicotine.

A water bong (or shisha or hookah pipe) on the other hand, pulls the smoke through water before inhalation. This process cools the smoke, making it smoother on the throat and lungs. However, the water removes only a small fraction of toxins and tar — far less than most people assume. The cooled smoke encourages deeper inhalation and longer breath-holding, which can actually increase overall exposure to carcinogens. Moreover, if the bong water or chamber isn’t cleaned frequently, it can harbor mold and bacteria that are inhaled directly into the lungs.

Health experts agree that while the bong may feel less harsh, neither method is safe. Any time cannabis is burned, toxic byproducts are produced. Safer alternatives include vaporizers, which heat cannabis below the combustion point, or edibles and tinctures, which eliminate smoke entirely.

In short, the difference between a joint and a bong is about comfort, not health. If your goal is harm reduction, avoiding combustion altogether is the best choice.

The history of cannabis and bongs

The history and use of bongs, while often associated with “potheads” who smoke and sit on the couch and eat munchies have been interwoven throughout human history. More than a decade ago when cannabis use was acceptable for the elderly for instance, there were few ways to dose and deliver the medicine quickly. For most people over 60 who haven’t smoked even a cigarette, accepting cannabis smoke by bong was the cleanest and easiest way. Over in Israel when I was visiting I met a woman who taught the elderly, with aches and pains, how to smoke using a water pipe, also known as a bong.

The oldest intact water pipes and bongs found are dated back to 400 B.C. And you can easily find them in the Middle East where they are used to smoke aromatic fruit tobacco. The first ones were constructed out of solid gold and used by the Scythians. Two have been found with the residue of cannabis still inside. Today, they are housed in a museum in Russia.

These tools gave insight into the history behind cannabis use, also mentioned in the Bible. The word “bong” has been linked to the Thai language. It stems from the word baung, which is a cylindrical tube, pipe, or container that is cut from bamboo. This has also been used for smoking.

There are health benefits from smoking through a water bong compared to smoking from blunts, joints, or various metal objects such as pipes. The water in the bong, which must be cleaned frequently acts as a filtration system. As the herb is burned, suction is applied via inhalation from the mouthpiece of the bong. The smoke is then pulled into the base of the water pipe, where water purifies and cools the cannabis vapors.

Be sure to check reviews on different products to see what other customers are saying. Are people raving over this product always helps to know if something was built to last. Or maybe it is a custom one-of-a-kind piece that needs to be handled with care. Some glass blowers make customized pipes with colors you like and the size you need. How much something costs and if it is in an affordable price range is always good to know.

Looking at various websites and seeing how they handle customer interactions is a must. If something arrives broken, will they allow it to be returned? Who can be contacted if a piece chips or breaks? Is something replaceable if something happens to it? All of these questions can generally be found on a businesses FAQ or Terms page.

The Benefits of Using a Water Bong

The ease of use with water bongs is an excellent benefit of using this device for smoking marijuana. There is no mystery behind the flow and quickness involved in a bong. Simple glass bongs consist only of 3 parts with no technology or “app” involved, unlike the fancy vaporizer pens.

The main body. This is where water will be filled into the base part of the bong. Sometimes ice cubes are also added for extra cooling effects. The mouthpiece is part of the long main tube leading away from the base.
The downstem. Stems come in various sizes such as 10mm or 14mm. They also come in male and female; fixed and removable. When purchasing a water bong this will be something to look at. Also you will need to learn how to clean it and put it back together. But again, you won’t need to use any technology.
The bowl. This will be where marijuana or CBD flowers will be added. There are a variety of different types of bowls that are artistic and functional. So even if a water pipe is made of simple and clear glass a touch of fun can be added in with a playful bowl.

Simple water bongs made of glass are also some of the easiest pieces to clean! Handwashing with the assistance of simple tube cleaners can make any bong as bright as new.

Types of Water Bongs

In the markets today, there are a variety of different types of bongs that are made from various materials. All have their benefits and features. This is great news as it gives more variety regarding budget and consumer tastes.

The different types of bongs:

Glass bongs – the standard practice of using bongs come from glass. These types offer the purest taste and come in a variety of prices, shapes, and sizes. However, most glass pieces can break easily, especially if dropped on a hard surface. But in terms of sterility, glass is second to none and that’s why glass is used in hospitals and laboratories.
Silicone bongs – are the easiest to clean, oftentimes being able to be put in the dishwasher. Positively unbreakable with the ability to handle high temperatures. Perfect for everyone.
Ceramic bongs – ceramics are nice when searching for artistic flair to add to the smoking experience. These types of bongs are easily breakable, just like glass. They are less sterile as time moves on as water can enter the pores and cracks.
Acrylic bongs – are generally the cheapest type of bong. These pieces are crafted from acrylic plastic and get very hot which might not be healthy for you. Plastic and heat can be toxic. Even though these types are essentially impossible to break they do affect the taste and experience of smoking.
DIY bongs – this type of bong is mostly used when there is no other option. Oftentimes fashioned from plastic or glass bottles with the help of pots and pans.
Gravity bongs – These used to be DIY bongs, but now there are great gravity bongs for sale online.

There are also many additions to bongs. Including aesthetic features involving intricate designs by glass artisans too. Other additions that are crafted into the design of some bongs include; built-in ice cube catchers, recycle chambers, and percolators. Go ahead, be creative!

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How To Clean A Dab Rig With Alcohol

1. Make Your Salt-Alcohol Mixture

2. Torch The Tip Of Your Nail

3. Put Your Caps Or Bags On

4. Agitate The Cleaning Solution

5. Allow It To Soak Before Rinsing

6. Dry Your Dab Rig

How To Clean A Dab Rig Without Alcohol

1. Vinegar And Sodium Bicarbonate

2. Lemon Juice And Water

3. Vinegar And Salt

Takeaway

Is It Healthier to Smoke a Joint or a Water Bong?

The history of cannabis and bongs

The Benefits of Using a Water Bong

Types of Water Bongs

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