Green Products

Disappearing natural landscapes in Europe
Virgin forests are unfelled, undisturbed places.In Europe, humans have intensely transformed virgin landscapes (i.e., unfelled forests preserved in their original form). If we survey the history of land development in Europe, we discover that over the past few centuries virtually all the European forests — from Norway to Bulgaria, and Spain to the Northern Urals — have been felled, consistently and repeatedly.

They now cover only 1% of Europe. Editor’s note: 5% of America.About 2000 years ago virgin landscapes covered 80% of Europe.
Toward the end of the 19th century they had been so drastically reduced that they covered only 10-15% of their original area.
These landscapes were further destroyed in the 20th century. Now they make up no more than 1% of all of Europe. By the beginning of the 21st century, virgin landscapes were preserved only in a few geographical locations, including Europe’s northeast, the Caucasus, and Georgia.
Human activity, such as logging, is the culprit.Nowadays the destruction of virgin forests continues though deforestation, construction of new highways and industrial enterprises, and the excessive human use of mountain meadows and winter pastures. Lands that were once fertile have been reduced to “badlands” — barren, rocky, erosive land, devoid of soil and vegetation cover.

Why are virgin landscapes important?
Whit Gibbons, an environmental professor, has defined virgin forests as:

The original meaning is simple, from the word meaning “chaste,” representing a forest that has never been timbered and in which the dominant, old-growth tree species have reached their maximum ages.1

The International Union of Forest Research Organizations extends this view to include young growth:

Not all virgin forests are old growth.There seems to be general agreement that not every virgin or primeval forest is of great age; that young stands may be of virgin or primeval character although they are not old growth. These would be stands that have regenerated after natural disturbances and have not been subjected to human disturbances.2

Virgin landscapes are unique natural complexes that, among other things:

Virgin forests shelter other undisturbed landscapes, such as meadows. regulate climate; for example, they store large amounts of carbon dioxide that would otherwise contribute to greenhouse gases
maintain water cycles and freshwater resources
ensure the survival of unique and endangered species
protect one-of-a-kind mountain meadows, marsh tracts and other ecosystems within their territory
prevent soil erosion and flooding of streams
provide ecological refuges for indigenous knowledge
The size of virgin landscapes may vary. For example, landscapes in mountainous countries range from a few square kilometers to dozens upon dozens of square kilometers. It is of great significance that a landscape is a sum of smaller natural units. These units are closely interconnected and dependent on one another.

I found a wonderful article I wanted to share with you by Jeff Lakie who is the founder of Plastic Surgery Resources

With today’s image conscious shopper becoming more conscientious as a consumer, a line of vegetarian, or vegan, clothing and footwear has emerged. First there were cruelty-free cosmetics, which generally meant that the item had not been tested on animals and didn’t contain any animal by-products. Consumers responded well to cruelty-free products and a demand for compassionate clothing soon followed and with it, a line of vegan, or vegetarian shoes.

Vegan shoes, simply put, are shoes that are made from non-animal materials. Traditionally, shoes are often made from leather, thus making it difficult for those following a vegan lifestyle to find footwear, which were cruelty-free.

Hemp is usually the most common material found in vegan shoes. It is strong, yet flexible, making it a great substitute for leather. Many shoe manufacturers have opted to use hemp for shoes and other products, which were traditionally only available in leather, such as wallets and knapsacks. Hemp is a very strong fiber, and unlike traditional textiles like cotton, it is stronger when wet. Other manufacturers use materials such as cotton, or other plant-derived textiles. Vegetan, a new synthetic material, is being used more frequently. It’s look and feel is very similar to leather, but is completely free of animal products. It’s waterproof, breathable, and scuff-resistant, making it the perfect choice for shoes.

Vegan shoes come in a variety of styles, ranging from boots to sandals. Many of these styles are made to be long-lasting and comfortable, especially if they are made using hemp. For example, hiking boots made from hemp are very durable, water-proof, and are usually as comfortable as their non-vegan counterparts. Athletic shoes are also usually made from hemp, although they can also be made from canvas as well.

There are more and more vegan products entering the marketplace, making it easy for vegetarians to find fashionable and affordable footwear, that fit in with their beliefs.

Hemp, which is distinguished from recreational cannabis by its lack of THC as well as its practical use in an industrial capacity, has been utilized by civilizations all over the world. Since the crop grows in abundance without the need for pesticides, herbicides and other harmful chemicals, those who want to promote green living often turn to hemp whenever possible. Its uses include but are not limited to clothing, plastics, cosmetics derived from its oil and of course ropes and canvas bags.

The cannabis plant has been plagued with an enduring stigma in America, and the hemp industry has struggled to find a firm foothold. Fortunately, a grassroots movement to spread the word about the plant’s legitimacy and usefulness has sprouted in recent years. As a result, hemp hats, purses, handbags and wallets have become more popular. Hemp is known for its durability and its sustainability as a cash crop, and its future appears bright.

Just a few years ago, the mention of recycled clothes and accessories would have garnered giggles or perhaps even puzzled looks. Few people stopped to consider all of the waste that was created by throwing away old garments. After all, thrift stores have space and quality restrictions that prevent them from accepting every last article of clothing. The resulting misfit clothes would just end up taking up space in a landfill.

But this is 2009, when eco-consciousness has become the norm. Recycled clothes have lost their stigma; in fact, they are in high demand in trend-setting circles. Recycled messenger bags balance fashion with function, offering cool kids an excellent means to transport their laptops to and from class. It’s truly amazing that through sheer innovation and creativity we can be a bit kinder to the earth.

While cotton reigns supreme as the world’s most common choice for clothing, bamboo fiber is becoming more and more recognized for its beneficial properties when made into clothing. It feels and drapes like silk, but is much more durable and less expensive. Because the fiber has a very high soil release value, you can throw it into the washer and dryer like you would cotton. Bamboo is more antibacterial than cotton, and it wicks moisture away, making it great for your circulation and skin in hot weather or during exercise.

Bamboo womens clothing is great for women with sensitive skin because it’s hypoallergenic, meaning its organic fiber properties are non-irritating. Bamboo does not require pesticides or fertilizers, but cotton is one of the most pesticide-sprayed crops in the world. For the eco-minded, this is just another reason to wear bamboo clothing. Animal-lovers, don’t worry about stealing the pandas’ food; there are more than 1,200 species of bamboo in the world and most bamboo clothing is made from a species that pandas do not eat.

As one of the earliest domesticated plant, hemp has many uses in our society. While it is, of course, associated with marijuana, it is therefore on the receiving end of many drug-related jokes. But hemp is always used for industrial, non-drug uses. To that end, hemp often creates products in a much more natural and less carcinogenic manner. One of the major examples is hemp paper. While tree-based paper releases dangerous byproducts, the same cannot be said of hemp paper.

Hemp is also associated with a more eco-friendly plastic, food, fuel, and even textiles. This last category is particularly prevalent. To that end, hemp is used in tee-shirts, shorts, and many other kinds of clothing. There are even hemp purses for the stylish and eco-conscious individual. And these particular individuals can even apply hemp cosmetics after sporting that stylish hemp bag.

One of the most important steps to creating an eco-friendly lifestyle is making it fun for everyone involved. This means it can’t all be about sacrifices and conserving. One of the best ways to demonstrate to people what recycling can do is through recycled purses. These purses are often made from products such as the inner tubes of bicycle tires. They can also be made from the fabric of clothing that has long been discarded or forgotten.

A recycled purse can be elaborate or simple, plain or decorative. But whatever the end result ends up looking like, it’s a great lesson that trash can be tailored into something useful and beautiful. Carrying one of these purses is sure to be its own kind of fashion trend. Not only will the specific styles and patterns be considered trendy, but the overall idea of wearing recycled gear can catch on as its own trend.

Exercise every effort in keeping our environment clean. Advocate the use of eco-friendly products such as recycled bags. These days, bags made from juice foil/plastic containers are becoming a popular fashion trend among environmental advocates. These products are created using tetra-pack containers that are sewn together to create nice and trendy bags.

Refuse bringing goods home in disposable plastic bags. Always carry a recycled bag or tote every time you go out of the house. Keep this ready to contain whatever things you shop for to eliminate the need of bagging goods in non-biodegradable containers. Know that plastics are very harmful to the environment and we should minimize its use as much as possible.

Seven days to go green and save money. If that’s what you’re looking to do, not change your lifestyle this is for you.

To start off the with, I’m going to give you something simple to do.

These are the easy  things you can do.These seven days will put you well on your way to a greener, healthier home and way of life. But it’s  only a start.

Let’s get started! I want you to start by taking a shorter shower. The average home uses 15% of it’s energy in heating water. Taking a 5-minute shower instead of lolli-gagging and taking a 20-minute shower will improve your power bill and the amount of water you use, which is another benefit for the environment.

You could go all out and take a cold shower, but the title is 7 simple days, and taking a cold shower isn’t very simple.

The other way to save water heating energy is to only turn on the dishwasher when it’s full. Tonight, instead of turning on that dishwasher right away, peek in there and see if you could add some items before turning it on. Again, you’re saving water on top of your water heating bill.

Same goes for washing clothes. Only here, you can cut out hot water all together. Using cold water for laundry saves on average $63 a year. And there are detergents specially formulated for cold water that get your clothes the same amount of clean.

While you’re over switching your washer to cold/cold, turn the hot water heater down. What do you have it on now, hot? It should be set to warm, which is somewhere between 120-140 degrees. Can’t tell? Hold a thermometer under your sink and see what it reads– anywhere over 120 degrees is too hot.

That’s it for day one! See simple, quick, and didn’t cost you a penny.

• Take a shorter shower
• Turn on the dishwasher only when full
• Wash clothes in cold water instead of hot
• Turn the temp on your hot water heater down

Do this, and you’ll see the results on next month’s power bill, and water bill. I will post Day 2 soon for an Organically Green Lifestyle.

The move towards organically grown food items and commodities is growing fast. Whereas before only people with cancer or vegetarians were the biggest consumers, today more and more people are becoming more conscious of what they eat, wear, and use around the home, thus increasing the need for widespread availability. The organic movement started with food, when concern about chemicals such as pesticides contaminating harvested food prompted consumers to look for produce that was grown naturally. Soon organic farming methods found their way to the clothing industry, where organic men’s and organic women’s clothing became the savior of people with allergies.

Apart from these, home cleaning products which are made from organic components also proved to be a better option. These products were aimed at weaning people away from toxic cleaning chemicals, which can cause harm for both humans and materials in the long run. They wean consumers away from the thought that the strong smell of ammonia means clean, and instead create products using nature’s natural cleaners.