Environmentalist and Economist Concerns with Cement Regulations

There has been a lot of talk lately about the environmentally-conscious regulations that have been placed on the U.S. cement industry. It's a well-known fact that cement manufacturers are one of the primary contributors to CO2 emissions due to the nature of the industry, so cement manufacturing and shipping companies worldwide, such as Seament Holding, have been taking strides to try to reduce the impact on the environment and on their workers.

Environmentalists speculate that should they delay the crackdown on the regulations two years, as they have been considering, it could make for increased health risks for cement factory workers. The standards to be set are geared to reduce the amount of mercury, acid gases, particulate matter, and hydrocarbon emissions. These new rules will alter the methods for monitoring these emissions and the thresholds for the amount that can legally be released.

However, if they opt not to wait the two years, lawmakers fear that the American cement industry will, in turn, be crippled: jobs all across the country will be sacrificed due to the high cost of updating the cement plants. To compensate for the cost, manufacturers will begin to outsource jobs, raise their prices, and potentially close down entirely due to insufficient revenue to cover the new overhead.

But the EPA stands firm. According to their statistics, should the new regulations go into effect immediately, some 960 to 2,500 premature deaths will be prevented along with 1,500 non-fatal heart attacks, 17,000 asthma attacks, and a cumulative 130,000 lost work days.

The Educated Earth: Education Focused Charity Profiles

With so many different problems going on in the world, more and more people are feeling compelled to do something to make the planet a better place to live.  Many try to donate to charity, but since there are so many different established charities for various causes some people don't know which one to give to. 

There is a cause you can support that can help solve a variety of problems: education.  Businessmen from Bill Gates to Alex F Bouri devote their time and money educational causes.  Bettering the quality of and access to education around the world can only benefit humanity.  The future hunger activist, women's rights organizer, and environmental crusader will all get their start in a classroom.  There are many different educational charities you can volunteer and donate to, but for this blog post we'll just focus on one large education focused charity in India. 

Pratham: Every Child in School Working Well

Pratham was founded in the city of Mumbai in 1994, and since its founding it has turned into the largest non-governmental organization in India.  Their goals are to help underprivileged children in the country get access to better educational opportunities.  The charity has its roots in the Bombay Education Initiative, a program that was started by UNICEF.  The program formed a unique partnership between the government, corporate interests, and civilians in the country.  Eventually the program grew larger and faster than anybody had planned for, so it became its own independent organization in 1994.

The program began its work by teaching underprivileged students in the slums of Mumbai.  The teaching volunteers taught children in community spaces, offices, temples, and even the homes of volunteers.  The group eventually hopes to provide every children with a quality education, and raise the literacy levels of the poor.  Through increased education and literacy, Pratham hopes to improve the economic and social inequalities in the country. 

                                                                               

Seament Holding: A Company with Your Earth in Mind

In recent years, it seems as though every advertisement is geared toward how "green" companies are going. Sun Chips released their 100% biodegradable bag, for example, and Dell has been encouraging its customers to recycle their old or broken computers. A lot of consumers take these advertisements with a grain of salt, though, knowing that going green is important but also a generational craze. These brands have only incorporated going green into their campaigns because it is what sells at the moment.

But a company you can trust to be a friend to the environment is one who has made it their priority all along. They didn't decide to reduce their negative impact just because it became cool or popular – rather, their owners actually want to put forth an honest effort. Seament Holding, for example, has made reducing emissions and waste part of its foundation from day one. They have sponsored projects to implement environmental management systems to improve energy efficiency and reduce waste – and in the cement industry, which obviously requires tons of fuel, materials, and machinery, to boot.

Alexander Bouri, the founder of Seament, does not stop there when giving back to the environment. He is also on the board of directors for Envipco, a company that assists other businesses in creating environmentally-friendly business plans and hires its employees from halfway houses and shelters. His son, Mark Bouri, is the founder and CEO of EBM, or Environmental Building Materials: a company that makes use of the waste produced from thermal power plants by turning it into green construction materials. This company, in turn, turns negative costs into profits and provides its supplies to its clients at a lower price. In other words, it stimulates the economy in a positive way.

Chances are you, care about the Earth on which you live and your economy as well. It's time to start paying more attention to the agendas of the companies you support. You can buy all the "green" products you want, but real changes come from companies who truly care, like <b>Seament Holding</b>, not ones who are simply btaking advantage of trends to turn a profit.