Go Green, Seberapa 'Hijau' Diri Anda?

Jakarta, Dampak pemanasan global mendorong aktivis lingkungan hidup untuk menyerukan gerakan go green atau kembali ke alam. Mendukung go green juga semestinya tahu apa saja gerakan kembali ke alam itu.

Kampanye go green memunculkan berbagai istilah baru yang kadang tidak banyak dipahami, misalnya 'makanan organik'. Seberapa 'hijau' Anda memahami istilah-istilah go green?

Berikut ini adalah pengertian dari beberapa istilah yang banyak digunakan dalam kampanye go green, dikutip dari Discovery, Selasa (1/6/2010).

Sustainable Practices (praktik yang berkelanjutan) Merupakan metode untuk mendapatkan bahan pangan dengan cara yang sehat dan ramah bagi konsumen, pekerja dan binatang, tidak membahayakan lingkungan, memberikan keuntungan yang adil bagi petani, serta mendukung pemberdayaan masyarakat pedesaan.

Fair Trade (perdagangan yang adil) Merupakan tawaran kerjasama yang meningkatkan kesehatan

dan kesejahteraan bagi petani dan keluarganya, memungkinkan bagi petani untuk menyekolahkan anaknya lebih tinggi, dan mendapatkan bibit untuk pertanian. Sebagian keuntungan dari kerjasama fair trade digunakan untuk proyek komunitas, dan kadang-kadang untuk
memberikan pelatihan teknik pertanian organik.

Bahan makanan yang diberi label organik tidak boleh ditanam dengan pupuk buatan, kimia ataupun limbah pemukiman, tidak boleh dimodifikasi secara genetis maupun terpapar radiasi.

Daging atau unggas organik harus diberi makan dengan pakan organik, tidak boleh diberi antibiotik maupun hormon. Ternak harus diberi akses ke luar kandang, dan pemamah biak harus bisa menemukan padang rumput di sekitarnya.

Certified Organic (sertifikat organik) Label ini menunjukkan bahwa suatu produk agrikultur telah diproses sesuai standar Departemen Agrikultur AS (USDA).

Free Range (lahan yang bebas) Istilah ini digunakan untuk unggas yang tidak dikandangkan dan mendapat akses langsung ke lingkungan alami. USDA hanya memberikan sertifikat Free Range pada ternak dan produk yang dihasilkan (termasuk telur), sedangkan unggas liar tidak termasuk di dalamnya.

Antibiotic Free (bebas antibiotik) Label ini diberikan pada ternak yang tidak pernah mendapat antibiotik selama hidupnya. Apabila ada yang sakit, ternak tersebut dipisahkan dari kumpulannya lalu dirawat, tetapi tidak boleh diberi label Antibiotic Free.

No Hormones Administered (Tanpa tambahan hormon) Ternak yang mendapat label ini tumbuh normal tanpa diberi disuntik hormon apapun. Hukum di AS melarang pemberian hormon pada babi dan unggas.

Pesticides/Pesticide Residue (sisa pestisida) Pestisida diperlukan untuk mengusir berbagai jenis hama yang ada di kandang ternak seperti kutu, kecoa, tikus. Hingga batas tertentu, residu pestisida pada produk unggas masih diperbolehkan.

Feng Shui Merupakan praktik geomantik China yang bertujuan menyelaraskan diri dengan alam. Dalam Bahasa China, kata feng shui berarti angin dan air.

Acupuncture Praktik pengobatan dari China dengan menusukkan jarum steril pada titik tertentu untuk meredakan penyakit maupun rasa nyeri.

Homeopathy Merupakan praktik medis alternatif yang mengutamakan keselarasan dengan alam. Prinsipnya, suatu penyakit bisa disembuhkan dengan memberikan racun penyebab penyakit itu sendiri dalam dosis tertentu.

Naturopathy Merupakan prosedur penanganan penyakit yang sebisa mungkin menghindari bedah dan obat-obatan. Media yang digunakan bisa berupa air, udara, sinar matahari maupun peralatan elektronik modern.

Osteopathy Merupakan sistem pengobatan yang mendasarkan pada keutuhan integritas struktural. Rasa sakit bisa diperoleh ketika suatu bagian tubuh dimanipulasi oleh obat atau tindakan medis seperti pembedahan, sehingga harus dikembalikan seperti semula dengan pemijatan atau cara lain.

The Dangers of Using a Debit Card

Consumers need to be particularly careful during vacation season because identity thieves come out in droves. That makes it pivotal that consumers keep their debit cards on ice, said Beth Givens, director of the Privacy Rights Clearing House and one of the nation's foremost experts on keeping your private information private.

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What makes debit cards so dangerous? Givens has so many reasons, her organization has put out an exhaustive fact sheet on whether you should use cash, credit or debit cards when shopping. (The report also explains the shortcomings of gift cards.)

Here's the short version of the dangers of debit:

1. Loss Limits

Like credit cards, federal law limits your liability for fraudulent transactions on a debit card to $50. But that's only if you notify your financial institution within two days of discovering the theft. If you're a space cadet and don't check your bank statements for a couple of months, you could lose everything.

2. Pay Now/Reimburse Later

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If someone has fraudulently used your credit card, you don't have to pay the charge. But when somebody has fraudulently used your debit card, the money comes directly out of your account in real time. That means you're out the money while the bank does a leisurely examination of their records to investigate your fraud claim. Many consumers complaining to Privacy Rights Clearing House said they lost access to their funds for several weeks. In the meantime, they were caught short and unable to pay their bills, Givens said.

3. Merchant Disputes

The same problem affects merchant disputes. If you pay with a credit card when ordering something online, and that product comes damaged, broken or not at all, you can dispute the charge and stop payment with your credit card. If you used your debit card, the charge is paid when you made the order. By the time you find out the goods weren't what was advertised, the merchant has your cash and you're in the unenviable position of having to fight to get your money back.

4. Phantom Charges

If you use a credit card at a hotel, the hotel takes an imprint when you check in, but doesn't charge your card until you check out. It's a far different story with a debit card. Generally, hotels will put a “hold” on funds in your account for more than you're spending. Yes, more. They hold the full amount of your stay, plus an estimated amount for “incidentals,” such as meals at the hotel restaurant and dipping into the mini-bar. This is not an actual charge–the hold will come off your account at the end of your stay. But it affects the available balance in your checking account anyway and can lead to overdrafts. One consumer said these phantom charges cost him $140 in overdraft fees. These “holds” are commonly placed on debit card transactions made at hotels, gas stations and rental car companies.

5. Overdrafts, Overdrafts and More Overdrafts

Overdraft charges have been soaring in recent years and the vast majority of consumers who pay them explain that their overdraft was the result of a debit card transaction. Many consumers naively assumed that if they didn't have sufficient funds in their accounts, their bank wouldn't approve a debit swipe. But they were wrong. The result: a $4 coffee could trigger a $35 overdraft fee. Government regulators are reigning in these fees by demanding that banks give consumers a chance to “opt out” of automatic overdraft protection, but that doesn't start for existing accounts until August. (If you have a new account, it's starts in July.)

6. Skimming

Financial crooks have gotten sophisticated in recent years and are using “skimming” machines to read your card data and charge your account, Givens said. When your debit card is skimmed, your bank account can be drained before you know that you've been had.

from Yahoo! Sources