The July/August edition of Coco Eco Magazine puts the spotlight on the intertwined world of water pollution and fashion. And we’re proud to say that AirDye® technology is front and center in Coco Eco when it comes to making the textile industry eco-friendly.
In one article, “Making Ripples,” author Amy DuFault explores the devastating affect the fashion industry has on the world’s water quality. DuFault interviews our own Paul Raybin, chief sustainability and marketing officer, and learns that there are solutions, such as AirDye’s waterless dye technology not only has major environmental benefits, but can make a difference to the bottom line for fashion designers in other ways too. As Raybin explains:
As we try to get more companies to adopt the technology, we try explaining to them that not only are there positive beneficial impacts for their brand, they actually reduce a lot of inventory risks. The environmental benefits are just the icing on the cake.
And just in case you’re wondering, all those great Costello Tagliapietra designs pictured in the article use AirDye fabrics.
In “Plastacular Recycled Polyester Fashion Comes of Age,” Aysia Wright adds plastic bottles to the mix of fashion and water. AirDye licensee A Lot To Say is mentioned for their fashion-forward, t-shirts, umbrellas, scarves, and other items which are all made from recycled PET and AirDye technology. A great example of how brands can combine sustainable products and technology to create fashionable and eco-friendly clothing.
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Recycling is a hot topic for us. As we’ve talked about here, here, here, and here, we believe more needs to be done to make recycling effortless and automatic. But, there’s one type of plastic that should never end up in your recycling bin: plastic bags.
In the lingo of recyclers, plastic bags, dry cleaning bags, shopping bags, Ziploc bags, tarps, bubble wrap, Saran wrap, and so on are called film. Most recyclers don’t want any type of plastic bags, even when they are marked with a recycling symbol that they usually process. They also do not want bio-based or compostable bags; these plastics are not recyclable either. The problem with plastic film is that it clogs and damages recycling machinery.
What this means is that all those tons of bags, tarps, and other plastic film are ending up in our landfill or floating in the ocean.
Unfortunately, unless you’re living an extreme-green life, you probably feel as if you can’t do without plastic bags. But you can alway use less. Here are a few tips to reduce your plastic bag use:
reuse the plastic bags you do have
We have a little story to tell here. A friend, Brian, traveled to Ireland to see his mother a few years back. He had several large Ziploc-type bags in his luggage and his mother asked if she could have them. Brian of course gave them to her and thought nothing of it. He went back for another visit six months later. One of the first things she had asked him was if he had anymore of the bags, as the ones from Brian’s last visit were wearing out. Clearly, Brian’s mum knows how to reuse!
No doubt in your house right now there are all types of plastic bags. Now that you have them, do make the most of them. Wash and reuse produce or Ziploc bags. They clean up really well and clearly can be used multiple times. On top of being eco-friendly, you’ll also save some green. Just think about it, if you reuse each of your bags just one time, you cut the price of them in half.
return the plastic bags
It happens to the best of us, you end up with a thin plastic shopping bag. You’ve reused it and are ready to toss it in the can, but don’t! Instead, take it back to the store. Most grocery stores have bins right by the front door for your old bags. You can recycle bags from any store as long as they are #2 or #4. Do remember to clean out the bags before tossing them into the recycling bin. Some communities do have facilities that collect and recycle plastic bags, so check to see what’s available in your area.
Many of the recycled plastic film and bags end up as composite lumber decking. According to the American Chemistry Council, in 2006, 812 million pounds of the stuff was recycled. Enough to manufacture almost 1.5 million composite lumber decks.
buy reusable grocery bags, and use them
Might we suggest that as soon as you take your groceries out of the bags, turn right around and put the bags right back into the car. That way you don’t even have to thing about it when you go to the store next time. Worst case, you have to run back to the car before checking out to grab your bags.
One other thought on this, avoid buying reusable bags made from virgin plastic. There are plenty of eco-friendly bags now made from recycled plastic, organic cotton, hemp, or canvas.
choose biodegradable bags
The move away from virgin plastic bags that can’t be recycled is creating an entire new product line. One of the companies we’ve noticed recently is Green Genius. As they point out normal plastic bags never biodegrade. But they’ve created a line of trash and food bags which have their “magic ingredient” EcoPure. This organic material makes the bags a tasty meal for the microbes which live in landfills. This video will explain…
There are so many good reasons for reducing plastic use. What’s it’s going to take to get you to reduce, reuse, and recycle plastic bags? And for those of you who are already saving money, reducing pollution, decreasing our need for oil, and lowering your exposure to harmful chemicals, what’s your best tip?
Intel is using its new 3D gaming system as a way to see what people in the Rio Grande area of New Mexico might do during times of prolonged water scarcity. The game, Water Wars, was created with the help of Sandia National Labs.
Water Wars is not intended to go toe-to-toe with Call of Duty; instead Intel is asking farmers, developers, environmentalists, policy makers and others who will need to address water shortages to play the game.
The goal is to educate the users about water consumption and hopes they will all work together to create water policy that benefits everyone.
In the game, when faced with water shortages a farmer, for example, can decide to grow fewer crops, collaborate with others, buy more water, or choose to steal it. But we do wonder if people will let their true nature come out in order to see how their choices have real and lasting effects on the area’s water supply.
What’s your feeling, do you think this will help form better policy? What do you think is the best way to get people with widely varying views on the subject to work collaboratively for real solutions?
It seems like large conferences, conventions, trade shows, expos, even large company meetings are unavoidable. Worse, they can generate tons of trash. Just think about how many plastic water bottles you used the last time you sat at an all-day event! Now multiply that by the hundreds of thousands and you have an idea of the amount of waste generated by the all those events.
Today, Hyatt Hotels and Resorts announced a new program “Meet and Be Green” to help event planners create an eco-friendly meeting, instead of a massive trash generating opportunity. In exchange for making a commitment to a green conference, the event will get a discount off their bill.
But Hyatt isn’t leaving event planners holding the bag, they’ve trained staff to help source eco-friendly products, find local suppliers, and reduce waste in general. According to Hyatt, the ten-steps to a “Meet and Be Green” event are:
Recycle during the meeting
Use products with 100% recycled content
Print materials locally
Minimize shipping
Rather than setting materials at every seat, place meeting materials, such as handouts, notepads, pens, etc., in a central location so attendees can take as needed
Maintain room temperatures at an appropriate level
Eliminate disposable water bottles
Minimize use of other disposable products such as plates, cups, napkins, and utensils
Select locally grown seasonal foods when planning the menu
Plan ahead for the meeting to make it easier and more economical to keep the meeting green
Of course, if you’re an attendee, we’d like to encourage you to do your part too. Bring your own aluminum water bottle, carpool, don’t take more food than you will eat, and be sure to recycle everything that you can. And if you’re an exhibitor, don’t overlook having an eco-friendly trade show booth.
What do you think can be done to make conventions, trade shows, and other large conferences more eco-friendly gatherings?
Last week 17 major retailers in Europe continued their commitment to sustainable business practices by signing the Retail Environmental Sustainability Code. Those companies participating include Ikea, Asda Wal*Mart (a subsidiary of Wal*Mart), and Marks and Spencer. The green code of conduct comes 18 months after the launch of the European Retailers’ Environmental Action Program (REAP).
As we’ve discussed here, European retailers have been working on improving their environmental scorecards on a variety of fronts. What’s new is that the largest retailers are seeing the benefits of and committing to more initiatives to reduce their environmental footprint across their businesses.
In a speech to the Retail Forum where the green code of conduct was approved, the European Union (E.U.) Environment Commissioner Janez Potočnik said:
I would like to see new, more ambitious commitments in terms of information provided to consumers. Because consumers play an important role in achieving resource efficiency, by choosing the most efficient products and by using them correctly at home. You are best placed to empower consumers to do so… As retailers you come in at a crucial – perhaps the most crucial – point in the cycle. That moment when a decision is made. Your profession is about influencing those purchasing decisions.
And isn’t this so true? As a eco-minded consumer, if the stores in your area are not carrying sustainable products how can you live a more sustainable lifestyle? With this program, European consumers will have more choices soon as companies will be putting more sustainable products on the shelves.
In addition to improved sourcing (offering eco-friendly products), the code of conduct addresses five other areas where sustainability should be improved:
resource efficiency
transportation and distribution
waste management
communication
reporting
What we wonder is when will other countries follow suit? Yes, individual companies such as Wal*Mart are investing a lot of time and money into sustainability, but wouldn’t it be better if the entire retail sector understood that environmental sustainability is the future?
Do you think sector initiatives, such as the voluntary Retail Environmental Sustainability Code are needed? Perhaps you’d prefer to see government regulation? Or maybe the ad hoc programs like that at Wal*Mart will let the market forces choose which way to go. Share your views on what you think is the right path for the U.S. and elsewhere in our comments below.
In one article, “Making Ripples,” author Amy DuFault explores the devastating affect the fashion industry has on the world’s water quality. DuFault interviews our own Paul Raybin, chief sustainability and marketing officer, and learns that there are solutions, such as AirDye’s waterless dye technology not only has major environmental benefits, but can make a difference to the bottom line for fashion designers in other ways too. As Raybin explains:
