One woman's search to find greening in the world today …

Monthly Archives: February 2012

What About Your Wine Cork?

You’ve enjoyed that bottle of organic wine, and tossed the empty bottle into the recycling bin. But what about the cork? Forget the plastic corks or metal twist tops, I am talking real cork. According to ReCORK;

“Natural cork is made up of billions of cells. This gives cork its buoyant, elastic quality as well as the ability to absorb and retain nearly 9 grams of CO2 throughout the life of a wine cork. And with 13 billion corks sold each year worldwide, cork is an important source of CO2 retention.

When you take the time to compare the features of natural cork against petroleum-based plastic plugs and aluminum screwcaps the difference is significant. In a recent PricewaterhouseCoopers study of the life cycle analysis of wine closures, CO2 emissions in aluminum screwcaps were 24 times higher than those from a natural cork closure, while plastic stoppers were 10 times greater than cork.”

What makes cork so sustainable? Cork is considered to be very green for a number of reasons, among them the ability to recycle into a wide array of products, from shoe soles to floor coverings. Even  acorns and leaves from the cork trees can be used for animal fodder and oil, and the wood of old trees can be firewood. A bit of background: cork as we know it is the outer bark of the cork tree, grown primarily in the Mediterranean basin. Trees live to be 200 years old, and after 25 years the cork can be carefully harvested, at the rate of about once every ten years. With over 6 million acres of cork forests, protecting this resource is vital to local economies and ecosystems, not to mention being a key to slowing  global warming. Cork is known to be a natural CO2 “sink” which means it takes CO2 from the atmosphere. So, it makes sense that the more cork grown, the better for the environment.

Back to the wine cork. ReCORK alone has collected over 31 MILLION corks so far, from individuals, restaurants, wine tasting rooms, airlines, etc. There are collection sites all over the United States. Other countries have similar organizations. And, let’s not forget the DIY crafters. I have seen corks used for walls, candle holders, bath mats, jewelry, picture frames and you-name-it. If you are so inclined, let your imagination run wild. Or, just take your corks to a recycling center for them. No place near you? You can just mail them to: Amorim Cork America
2557 Napa Valley Corp. Dr. #A
Napa CA 94558
USA

One more innovation -  Inhabitat  brings us a very creative use of recycled cork  for furniture:  ”This gorgeous Cortica cork lounge by DMFD seamlessly blends luxury living with sustainable design. Each lounge is made from 100% recycled cork that originates as the waste material from the bottle stopper industry. This piece bends beautifully in two directions, and it can be rocked from side to side or on its back while still fully supporting you as you stretch out.”

eco furniture, green furniture, top 7 furniture designs, furniture to transform your home, transforming furniture, green design, eco design, eco minded furniture, green interiors, eco interiors, voos, cork chaise lounge, cortia lounge chair

Raise a Glass to Organic Wines

This week I drove from Sacramento to Los Angeles through California’s Central Valley, which is gaining popularity as a wine-growing region. Along the highway, miles and miles of land is devoted to growing grapes. All that land, all those vines (this is not the growing season yet) and soon, all those grapes. Which had me wonder about pesticides, organic farming, and organic wines in particular.

We all know that when crops are grown with pesticides, they can get into groundwater, the soil, and the air – as well as the crop that is being grown. So, organic farming is big win for everybody. When an organic crop is made into something else, say wine, the grapes are organic, and the process itself can also be organic.

Just what is organic wine? According to the folks at LoveToKnow Organic, here is the scoop:

“During the growing process, grapes are subjected to chemical pesticides, herbicides, and fertilizers. These are usually not washed off before processing, which means that the chemicals still present on the skins of the grapes will now be present in the wine itself. During the winemaking process, a variety of chemicals and sulfites are added to the fermenting wine to adjust and preserve the flavor.

Organic wine must be made from certified 100% organic grapes. Organic growers use natural predators, mulching, and other methods to control pests and enrich the soil. During the winemaking process, no chemicals or sulfites can be added to the wine. Instead, winemakers use a combination of grape varieties to achieve the flavor profile they are looking for. In order to increase acidity, they may use grapes in various stages of development. Sulfites cannot be added to preserve the wine, although it is normal for a small amount of sulfites to be in the wine as a normal result of the fermentation process. 100% certified organic wine is not very shelf stable due to the lack of added sulfites and this can mean that the quality will vary from batch to batch.”

Another great thing, especially if you are a red-wine lover, is that you won’t ingest the sulfites, which can lead to headaches, flushed face, allergic reactions, or other allergic reactions.

Let’s toast to that!

2012 Super Bowl – Go, Big GREEN!!

One of the best kept secrets about the Super Bowl is that, for the past 18 years, the NFL Environmental Program has been working tirelessly to make a difference in sustainability and carbon offsetting. The good news? EVERYBODY wins! Each year the program gets stronger and more successful, so who knows the great things that can happen next year? The NFLEP works with the community to keep the offsets and benefits local. This year their efforts included:

  • 1st & Green issued a challenge to track carbon offsetting. So far, the Super Bowl activities have offset 1,402,421 pounds of carbon! This includes everything for the month leading up to, during and after the event. Once the game is over, the real work begins with the clean-up efforts.
  • 15,000 megawatt-hours of renewable energy certificates will be supplied by Green Mountain Energy Company to offset Super Bowl greenhouse gas emissions.
  • 1st & Green  is also tracking water usage, and over 2.5 millions gallons of water have been saved!
  • Donations will be made to the Urban Forestry Project and trees will be planted.
  • All the office supplies  will be donated to local schools.
  • Pepsico donated and placed recycling bins through the venue on game day.
  • With the help of food recovery group  Second Helpings, Tens of thousands of pounds of food will be collected and distributed to those in need.
  • Jackets, winter wear, shirts, etc. that weren’t used or were gently used will be donated to local Indianapolis charities.
  • Steel construction stuff, etc. will be saved to use in the future.
  • What about all those signs, shelters, etc made of mesh and fabric that were  all around town? Estimates were that several MILES of fabrics were used. They are being collected and will be repurposed into bags, wallets, and other inventive creations.
  • And, much, much more…

Take a fun look at the Green Mountain infographic:

Super Bowl XLVI Goes Green | Green Mountain Energy Company

6 More Weeks of Winter?

…according to Punxsutawney Phil. Phil, the ”official” weather-prognosticating groundhog, comes out of his burrow, which is located on Gobbler’s Knob, a small hill in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, on Groundhog Day, February 2. If he sees his shadow, that means 6 more weeks of winter. At least it does about 39% of the time, which is his record for accurate predictions. Phil is one of many groundhogs who perform this annual feat around the world, and this year, he is definitely in the minority, since most of the groundhogs believe we are in for an early spring in North America.

Nestled halfway between the start  and the end of winter, Groundhog Day is a fun way to celebrate midwinter. In fact, this year is unique because we are experiencing such a warm, mild winter. When Phil and his friends in Punxsutawney began the ceremony at 7:30 AM, they faced temperatures around freezing, which is unseasonably warm, and by midday the temperatures were expected to rise to the mid 40′s. Definitely not midwinter weather for Pennsylvania.

This got me to wondering about  animals like Punxsutawney Phil that hibernate each winter. How is global warming effecting them?  According to the National Geographic, “A recent trend toward increasingly mild winters is disrupting normal hibernation patterns for many high-latitude and high-elevation species—and in some cases it may be a matter of life or death. The change may be placing some species fatally out of synch with their environment. When animals hibernate they’re able to conserve the energy stored in their fat during periods when food is scarce. So when they are abnormally active, they risk using up their stored energy before they can replace it.”

More powerful reasons to be kind to the environment, practice sustainable living, and reduce our carbon footprints. It’s not too late, but the time certainly is now to make changes, and encourage others, including big corporations and the government to significantly reduce their carbon footprints.

Hey, we have 6 more weeks of winter – what are you willing to do to make a difference? Phil and his friends need all of our help!