Teresa Pinho | 14ºC What is Palm Oil? Palm oil is a vegetable oil extracted from the mesocarp (fruit) of oil palms, scientifically named Elaeis guineensis. The plantations are undemanding in terms of soil quality, and can grow in any tropical forest. There are plantations in Africa and South America, however, 84% of production comes from Indonesia and Malaysia. Its saturated fat content is similar to that of butter, higher than that of olive oil, but less than other oils such as sunflower. Thus, the idea that it would be healthier was quickly outdated, as a diet rich in saturated fats tends to increase LDL (“bad” cholesterol) cholesterol and increase the prevalence of heart disease and cancers. What is the...
Por Mariana Guerra | 14ºC Cerca de 40% do que colocamos no lixo são resíduos orgânicos, o que significa que se todos começássemos a fazer compostagem evitávamos que 130 toneladas de resíduos acabassem em aterros e fossem antes devolvidos aos solos na forma de fertilizante. Mas o que é exatamente a compostagem? É o processo de decomposição biológica, onde microorganismos transformam a matéria orgânica, como folhas, ramos, restos de fruta ou legumes, numa substância semelhante ao solo chamado de composto. Este composto é rico em nutrientes e pode ser usado como fertilizante para os solos, melhorando assim o crescimento das plantas. Os resíduos orgânicos são divididos em: Verdes - mais húmidos e ricos em azoto Castanhos - secos e ricos...
By Mariana Guerra | 14ºC Upcycle Also known as creative reuse, it is the process of reusing and/or transforming old materials or objects into something new, thus increasing the useful life of these materials. In the fashion industry, it is becoming an increasingly recurrent practice, where they reuse clothes, which would be thrown away, to create a new piece. This can be a good alternative to reduce the waste of this industry, which is one of its biggest problems. What differentiates the upcycle process is the fact that the product itself is not deconstructed to create something totally different, but rather reused and transformed. You can also upcycle old or damaged furniture, reuse different pieces and objects for the most...
The carbon footprint is the amount of carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere as a result of the production and use of a product or service. The individual carbon footprint depends on a person's daily activities and consumption. There are different sites where you can calculate your carbon footprint, but then how can you reduce it? Usually what contributes the most to your footprint is transport, housing and food. So let's give you several tips to reduce it. Transports Ride Less by Car Exchange the car for the bicycle, public transport, or whenever possible go on foot. If you didn't drive a car for 1 year, you would save 2.6 tons of carbon dioxide. Fly Less Times For longer trips,...
The current global food system is responsible for the emission of 20 to 35% of the total greenhouse gases, occupying about 40% of the available land. With the world population estimated to exceed 9 billion in 2050, food production will have to increase by 60%. On the other hand, 1.3 billion tons of food is wasted annually, which corresponds to about 1/3 of all production. (1) In the national case, according to a study (2) published in 2020, food is responsible for 29% of the Portuguese ecological footprint. In fact, we are the Mediterranean country with the largest per capita food footprint. Now, the way we eat and how we choose and buy food is a powerful tool to reduce...
