Natural Environment Blog

China has officially released its new standards for plastic bags. The standards, which will be implemented in June, are an attempt to help eliminate the devastating impact that plastic bags are having on the environment.

The new standards prevent supermarkets and other retailers from handing out colorized plastic bags. These bags are usually made from wasted plastics, which pollute the environment.

The standards also ban plastic bags less than 0.025 millimeters thick. The theory behind this is that, by having thicker bags, people are more likely to reuse their plastic bags. Many bags in China are currently only 0.001 to 0.020 millimeters thick.

As encouraging as it is to hear this news, it would be better if China could encourage larger eco-friendly shopping bags - such as reusable jute bags. Reusable bags like these can hold much more than plastic bags, and they can last for many years.

If you’re interested in seeing some beautiful photos of nature, check out the winning photos from the Rainforest Alliance’s Picture Sustainability Photo Contest.

The purpose of the photo contest was to raise awareness about conservation issues while allowing the Rainforest Alliance to expand its collection of photos for use in its publications and on its web site.

Winners were chosen from the following categories:

• Wildlife on farms, forests or other natural habitats
• Landscapes (forests, waterways, flowers and plants, beaches, wetlands)
• Eco-tourism in Latin America (bird watching, hiking, surfing, scuba diving, kayaking and other nature-based activities)
• Macro (a technique of close-up photography — here, applied to insects, flowers and plants, leafy vegetation, birds, reptiles and amphibians, mammals, textures)
• Conservation in action (people working to protect natural resources, including water, flora and fauna)

You can check out the photos here.

I recently read this article from Dallas News about the reactions from some checkout operators when customers bring their own reusable bags.

Here’s how some of the checkout operators reacted when the customer refused plastic bags:

Case 1:

When I plopped my cloth bags onto the counter and asked the cashier to use them instead of the plastic, he looked at me as if I weren’t speaking English. After a pause, he reluctantly put a few items in my bag. Then he stopped bagging my items altogether. So I did it.

Case 2 (customer put items straight back into the trolley):

The cashiers at the Tom Thumb by my house have been thinking I was nuts for years now.

Case 3:

I have to be sure to hand my bags over before the scanning starts or the baggers will start stuffing things into their plastic bags.

I suppose it’s something I never really think about anymore - how the checkout staff will react when I present my reusable bag. I’ve been using reusable bags for 4 or 5 years now, and I can’t think of one instance where the checkout operator didn’t know what to do.

I admit that I can relate to case 3. I’ve learned to place my reusable bag on the conveyor belt in front of my groceries. Otherwise the checkout operator will start placing my groceries straight into a plastic bag. This is to be expected though - if I don’t present a reusable bag how can I expect the checkout operator to know that I have one?

I suspect this checkout experience is different for each country, and even in different states within those countries. The Australian government has been discouraging plastic bags and encouraging reusable bags for many years. They even introduced the “green bag” which is sold at most, if not all, supermarkets.

The green bag resulted from a campaign in 2003 to discourage retailers from giving away plastic bags.

So, it appears that if nothing else, the government campaign from 2003 has instilled an awareness in Australian checkout operators, so that they know what to do when someone presents them with a resuable bag.

Further to my article about eco-friendly shopping bags, here’s a list of six websites that offer reusable/eco-friendly shopping bags.

By using any of these reusable bags instead of plastic bags or paper bags, you will be doing your bit to reduce the devastating impact of plastic/paper bags on the natural environment.

Here’s the list:

• GreenHemp.com - Provides hemp shopping bags and other hemp products.
• JuteBags.com - Jute carry bags and various jute products.
• ReusableBags.com - Various reusable shopping bags and other bags etc.
• FairGoTrading.com.au - Hemp bags and packs.
• CleangreenBags.com - Various reusable grocery bags.
  
• Amazon.com - View the search results for reusable shopping bags.

Note that you may need to check some of these sites for availability/deliveries in your area.

Purchasing a reusable bag has more benefits than you might realize.

First of all, reusable bags are usually much larger than the plastic bags or paper bags that supermarkets supply you with - you don’t need as many.

Secondly, every time you reuse your bag, think how many plastic bags you’re preventing from entering the environment. I’ve been using the same reusable bag for years and it feels great every time I do my shopping!

Plastic bags are particularly nasty to our oceans and marine life. Read about the environmental impact of plastic bags on our oceans.

Earth Day is an annual observance aimed at raising an awareness of and an appreciation of Earth’s natural environment.

Actually, there are two different observances called Earth Day. Each have the same aim, but they are held on different days. The two different Earth Days are:

• The United Nations’ International Earth Day (or the “Equinox” Earth Day)- This is held each year on the March equinox (around March 20), and was founded in 1969 by John McConnell.
• The April 22 Earth Day - held each year on April 22nd in many countries around the world. Founded by Gaylord Nelson as an environmental teach-in. This version of Earth Day has been held annually around the world since 1970.

There are a number of different websites dedicated to the different Earth Days. For example, the US has an Earth Day website providing info about Earth Day and how to live in a more sustainable way. Here’s what it says about Earth Day:

Earth Day is a time to celebrate gains we have made and create new visions to accelerate environmental progress. Earth Day is a time to unite around new actions. Earth Day and every day is a time to act to protect our planet.

There is also the International Earth Day website, which includes the Earth Charter, as well as a plea from John McConnell, the Earth Day founder for there to be a singular Earth Day.

Whichever Earth Day you celebrate, it’s a good opportunity to think of the progress we’ve made so far, as well as consider the new ways we can help protect our environment.

Most people, when they think of NASA, think of space exploration. And fair enough too. That’s primarily what NASA was set up to do - to study space. And after all, NASA does stand for National Aeronautics and Space Administration.

But what many people don’t know, is that NASA also studies earth - from space. Ever since its creation in 1958, NASA has been studying the earth to some degree.

NASA’s Earth Science Program

In 1991, NASA got more serious about its earth studies and launched a program specifically to address this area. The program, which is called Earth Science Enterprise (ESE), includes the Earth Observing System (EOS) - a system for studying the earth comprehensively.

The purpose of ESE is:

To develop a scientific understanding of Earth’s system and its response to natural or human-induced changes, and to improve prediction of climate, weather, and natural hazards.

The program consists of three main components:

• A series of satellites - These can be used to obtain high resolution imagery photos of the earth.
• An advanced data system - With the ability to support the satellite system.
• And teams of scientists - These teams study the data captured by the satellites and stored in the data system.

The key areas that the program studies include:

• clouds
• water and energy cycles
• oceans
• chemistry of the atmosphere
• land surface
• water and ecosystem processes
• glaciers and polar ice sheets
• the solid Earth

ESE aims to “expand our perspective of the global environment and climate”. In doing so, they hope to find out whether and how Earth can sustain the pressures we’re now placing on it.

For more info, see NASA’s Earth Science page.

What is the Rainforest Alliance

The Rainforest Alliance is a member based organization dedicated to helping people, wildlife, and the natural environment.

Based in New York City, the Rainforest Alliance has offices throughout the United States and the world. The Rainforest Alliance works with people who depend on the land for their livelihood. It aims to help them become more sustainable in the way they work the land. In particular, the alliance helps these people grow food, harvest wood and host travelers.

The Rainforest Alliance has programs in many environmental areas such as forestry, agriculture, and tourism. It also offers third party certification and verification for forestry companies who opt for sustainable forestry.

Rainforest Alliance’s Approach

The Rainforest Alliance believes that it is possible to create a sustainable society. A society that protects the planet and provides sustainable livelihoods for its people.

To achieve this, it aims to transform the current destructive market system into one that values sustainable production, sourcing, consumption and equitable trade.

The Rainforest Alliance believes that the sustainable management of all businesses requires the following:

• Clean air and water
• Healthy biodiversity and wildlife habitat
• Reduction of waste and toxicity
• Reduction and mitigation of global warming
• Dignified and safe living and working conditions, with adequate food, education and health care for workers and their families
• Equal opportunity for all

Furthermore, it believes that the following is required in order to achieve a sustainable market:

• Sustainable sourcing, supply chain management and public accountability are standard practice
• Products carry prices that reflect their real environmental, economic and social value
• Sustainable producers, small and community-based businesses have equitable market access
• People demand and have access to high-quality, sustainable and healthy products and choices
• Financial and insurance sectors support sustainable operations and penalize unsustainable ones
• Governments support sustainability through procurement, incentives, and regulations
• Civil society sources sustainably

To learn more about the Rainforest Alliance, check out the official website.

According to KentOnline, group of British school children have created a campaign to persuade the Queen to stop using plastic bags.

The children have also targeted British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, celebrity chef Jamie Oliver, as well as their local MP.

I’m not aware of the above peoples’ stance on the plastic bag debate - whether they still use them or not. Also, according to the article:

A Buckingham Palace spokesman said she could not disclose the Queen’s private thoughts on the matter at this stage…

In any case, it’s great to see 9 and 10 year olds supporting their local Ban the Bag campaign, and being proactive about getting the message out.

Source: KentOnline

When shopping for clothes, many people shop based on things like comfort or style, but not many people check for clothing’s eco-friendliness.

More and more clothing companies are providing clothes made from eco-friendly fabrics. Demand for these clothes is increasing too. This makes sense given the environmental issues we’re faced with in today’s world.

What Makes a Fabric “Eco-Friendly”?

Eco-friendly fabrics generally have the following characteristics:

• Minimum use of chemicals and pesticides
• Best land manangement practices
• Sustainable farming practices
• Eco-friendly certification (i.e. EU-Eco label certification)
• Animal friendly
• Production adheres to fair trade practices

By purchasing organic, you can be sure that the product was produced without the use of harsh chemicals and pesticides, and is not only healthy for the environment but is also healthy for you.

The Fabrics

Here’s a list of eco-friendly fibers to look out for. Next time you’re shopping for clothes, look out for clothes that are made from the following fibers (or other eco-friendly fibers):

1. Hemp - An amazing natural fiber. Some say hemp could have 25,000 uses. Hemp provides enormous benefit to the natural environment. This is true when used in products and when growing the hemp plant.
2. Jute - Similar to hemp, jute is a type of vegetable fiber used for thousands of years, with outstanding potential for the future.
3. Ingeo - Trademark for a man-made fiber derived from corn.
4. Calico - Fabric made from unbleached cotton. Also referred to as muslin.
5. Hessian Cloth - Coarse woven fabric made from jute or hemp.
6. Organic cotton - Cotton grown organically (without pesticides etc)
7. Recycled Polyester - Polyester created from used polyester garments.
8. Bamboo Fiber - Bamboo fabric is very comfortable and 100% biodegradable.
9. Tencel^® - Brand name for a biodegradable fabric made from wood pulp cellulose.
10. Ramie - Ramie fibers are one of the strongest natural fibers. Ramie can be up to 8 times stronger than cotton, and is even stronger when wet.
11. Organic Wool - Organic wool is wool that has been produced in a way that is less harmful to the environment than non-organic wool.
12. Organic Linen - Linen that is made from flax fiber. Could also refer to be linen made from other organically grown plant fibers.
13. FORTREL EcoSpun - Fiber made from plastic containers
14. Milk Silk - Silk made from milk
15. Soy Silk - Silk made from soybeans
16. Nettle fiber - Made from stinging nettle (commonly known as a weed)
17. Spider-web fabric - Fabric made from spider webs. Still in the experimental stages.

Eco-Friendly Finishes and Dyes

As well as the fabric used to make clothes, many clothes are dyed and/or have laminate finishes etc. Here are some eco friendly options:

• Biodegradable TPU Laminate - Solvent free TPU that can biodegrade in as little as 4 years.
• NanoSphere^® Textile Finish - Self cleaning textile finish for clothing and other textiles.
• Non-Toxic Dyes - These can be better for your health as well as the environment.

The New South Wales (NSW) government of Australia has agreed to introduce new legislation to make industrial hemp cultivation legal.

After decades of opposition to hemp, the NSW government is finally recognizing the benefits that hemp can bring. As well as reaping the great environmental benefits of hemp, the government expects that this will pave the way for a new and viable industry.

Primary Industries Minister, Ian Macdonald, says:

Industrial hemp fibre produced here in NSW could pave the way for the establishment of a new viable industry that creates and sells textiles, cloth and building products made from locally grown industrial hemp

Although hemp cultivation has been illegal in NSW until now, trials have been carried out in the west of the state. These have yielded 10 to 12 tonnes of dry stem per hectare, which is similar to yields reported from crops in other Australian states, as well as in Europe.

The National Farmers Federation are welcoming the legislation, although they aren’t aware of many farmers who are hanging out to grow hemp. I suspect over time, many farmers will diversify into this area. Especially if they find it commercially viable.

I sure hope the hemp industry in NSW gets all the support deserves. After all, how many other plants can yield the amazing environmental benefits that hemp does? And how many other plants can provide for such a diverse range of product applications as hemp?