Sancell’s EnviroBubble - Totally Degradable Bubble Wrap

I came across the EnviroBubble wrap while looking for packing supplies on the U-Haul web site.  It looked interesting so I researched some and have an interesting post ...

"Sancell’s ... EnviroBubble is the worlds first totally degradable bubble wrap incorporates EPI’s TDPA (Totally Degradable Plastic Additives) ... Since its release in May 2005, Sancell’s EnviroBubble product has become an industry leader ... strengthening its reputation as the most effective, versatile, cost effective and environmentally friendly product available today ... a controlled shelf life of a minimum of 12 months as the TDPA additives are added at a controlled rate to monitor and control the useable life of the product and allowing the bags to degrade at a specific rate."

" ... Sancell have now introduced EnviroProtecta Bags – the worlds first totally degradable padded mailer bags."

Via: Sancell LINK

GreenPack Green and Biodegradable Packaging and Tableware Products

Green Pack is an importer and wholesaler specializing in environmentally sustainable products.  We supply biodegradable and compostable tableware and packaging, and a fantastic new range of non-toxic, petrochemical free wax crayons and paper twine.

 

  Our product range includes: Areca palm leaf plates, sugarcane fibre (bagasse) tableware, GM-free starch cutlery, plantation timber cutlery, PLA Bioplastic cups and containers, PLA coated coffee cups, paper straws, recycled napkins and lots more

 

Green Pack caters for a wide range of customers. From wholesalers, hospitality, general business users to schools, hospitals, airlines and the general public. We also specialise in green event supply from the small private event to the supply of large organised public events.

Via: greenpack LINK

Swedish Research Develops Biodegradable Battery Made with Algae

"... hoped to find some sort of constructive use for the material from algae blooms ... said researcher Maria Strømme, a nanotechnologist at Uppsala University in Sweden ... creates new possibilities for large-scale production of environmentally friendly, cost-effective, lightweight energy storage systems...."

" ... batteries are said to hold 50 to 200 percent more charge than similar conducting polymer batteries ... batteries recharge faster than conventional rechargeable batteries ... can recharge in eight minutes and as quickly as 11 seconds.

" ...researchers plan to test the batteries for charge loss over time as well as how well they can scale into larger formats."


Via: SmartPlanet  LINK

HIP Labels: BioTag and EcoTag Compostable / Degradable Labels

HIP - Horticultural Identification Products produces a number of green labels and tags ... to make your garden greener and reduced the amount of plastic used in labeling potted plants.

"BioTag is produced using a ... polymer technology that relies on bio-based products such as corn, soybeans, sorghum, tapioca, and potato starches rather than fossil fuel-based resins. ... natural composition that is biodegradable in the soil in approximately one year. ... meets or exceeds all ASTM standards for compostable plastics and aerobic biodegradation."

" ... EcoTag, a degradable alternative to traditional plastic nursery tags. ... Manufactured using wind power ... is environmentally friendly ... rigid nursery tags retain their integrity until buried in compost or disposed of in a landfill. The buried degradation process takes 1 to 5 years."



Via: hiplabels LINK

EcoForms™ Environmentally Friendly alternatives to Plastic Pots

Environmentally friendly gardeners are looking for alternatives to plastic planters. Plastic pots are made from petroleum, require significant energy to make and when no longer needed are usually thrown in the trash where they can take centuries to decompose.

Here is one alternative from Sweetwater Nursery ... their line of EcoForms™ pots.

" ... Sweetwater Nursery LLC is happy to introduce a smart alternative: EcoForms™... all-natural pots ... contain no wood or petroleum ingredients, do not deplete natural resources, and decompose in the landfill. ..."

" ... lasting five years under average conditions ... made from grain husks (primarily rice hulls) and natural binding agents (starch-based, water-soluble binders and biodegradable additives). ... all scraps are recycled in the production process, no materials are wasted. \

See the ABC News Video (sort of long but look for EcoForms towards the end) ...


Via: EcoForms LINK

Biosphere Industries 100% Compostable / Recyclable Food Packaging

While shopping recently I found peppers packed in something other than a PS (#6) plastic foam tray. The paper-like trays were labeled as 100% compostable and 100% recyclable.

Biosphere Industries " ... Renew-a-Pak® and Blueware™ product lines are ... ultra earth friendly starch based packaging systems. We do not convert starch into plastic, but bake it... successfully optimized this ... technology to manufacture rigid packaging products that perform unlike anything else on earth."

" ... made primarily of starches such as tapioca and potatoes and a smaller percentage of grass fibers ... advanced technology used ... is a clean process - no harsh chemicals, no plastics used. Steam is the only by-product ... For towns and cities without composting facilities, Renew-a-Pak biodegradable packaging materials may also be disposed of in paper recycling streams."


Via: Biosphere Industries, LLC LINK

Facts about plastic bags / Trash in the Pacific Ocean

We (should) all know that plastic bags contribute to litter and can take a long, long, long time to decompose ... or break down in nature.

Here are some interesting facts about plastic bags ... an a lot of reasons to consider using compostable bio degradable bags.

"Regular polyethylene-based plastic bags can take well over 100 years to degrade and are not compostable, ... Less than 2% of all plastic bags ever get recycled-most end up in landfill. ... Studies indicate that 100,000 marine animals and 2 million birds die each year from ingesting or being caught up in plastic debris.

I have been reading a good bit about HUGE swarms of plastic in the ocean and will post on those when I get a chance. In the meantime below is a sobering You Tube video on plastic in the pacific off the west cost of the US.

The video comes from the Algalita Marine Research Foundation. Since the video was made in 2001 and the amount of trash has significantly increased.




A very moving video. Two questions ...
>>> what were your reactions?
>>> has this spurred you to consider / reconsider using plastic bags and instead use a reusable bag?


Via: Ecolife Products LINK

Tweeds Dry Cleaning - A Greener Dry Cleaner

Most people think of dry cleaning as non environmentally friendtly ... with solvents like perchlorethylene (perc).

There are some newer process that use C02 and other safer cleaning agents.

Tweeds Dry Cleaning is one such environmentally friendly cleaner. In addition to using the Green Earth Cleaning process they use " ... biodegradable plastic bags ... and ... recycle our hangers to reduce waste in our landfills ..."

The " ... GreenEarth® cleaning process ... is better for the environment and your skin ... uses natural cleaning agents that don't harm the environment."



Via: Tweeds Dry Cleaning LINK

Biodegradable Trash Can Liners

I recently needed to by more garbage can liners for my simplehuman garbage can and found that they now offer biodegradable bags.

Per the text on the box (itself recyclable cardboard) it says " ... eco-friendly plastic degrades naturally ... made from an oxo-biodegradable plastic ... designed to degrade naturally into the earth".

" ... Traditional plastic is constructed of long, repeating polymer chains. ... bonds of these chains are very strong—too strong, in fact, to degrade naturally into the earth. ... additive ... interrupts these bonds, breaking the chains up into much smaller pieces. ... Mother Nature can break down the liners so that 50% is decomposed within 1-2 years. ... contrast to traditional plastic bags that may take upwards of 500 years to degrade—if at all."


Via: simplehuman LINK

Bonnie Plants - Come in Biodegradable (not plastic) Pots

Most potted plants come in #5 PP containers that are not very easy to recycle (few facilities) or in plastic that is not marked. Bonnie Plants offers plants in biodegradable containers so there is no plastic to throw away ...

" ... Bonnie Plants ... available in our exclusive 4- and 5-inch peat pots, ...introduced a new line of earth-friendly products this season under the "Going Greener for You" banner. ... is a company-wide effort toward environmentally friendly products. ...Included in the first phase ... are ... Exclusive biodegradable peat pots ... Jumbo biodegradeable fiber pots ... New recycling and reuse practices and facilities"

"Peat pots,...are 100 percent biodegradable. ... can be put into the soil "pot, plant, and all,"... peat pots have already prevented more than 100 million pounds of plastic from ending up in landfills. ... are the country's largest wholesaler of vegetable and herb plants for home gardeners."

" ... recycling facility at our headquarters reuses and recycles supplies, tags, pots, and plant container trays."


Via: Bonnie Plants LINK