Green Technology

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

Posted by Green Dude at 05:32 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

" ... our corporate commitment ... on reducing waste and any harmful environmental impact throughout the manufacturing process or footprint ... we can’t eliminate all activities that affect the environment ... we can focus on the activities that can reduce our environmental impact ..."

"Lili ... is a commitment shared by the leaders and employees of Intertape to continually look for opportunities to lower our environmental impact so sustainability is within reach.  We invite you to do the same."

" ... try this suggestion for lowering your impact ...  Lower your energy consumption and save money by replacing bulky computer monitors with a flat panel monitor.  They use 1/3 of the electricity which is the equivalent to the savings of leaving a 50W bulb burning for one year. "

Via:  Intertape Polymer Group  LINK

Continue reading "Intertape Polymer Group - Green Packaging and Lili" »

Posted by Green Dude at 07:04 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

"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

Posted by Green Dude at 06:05 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

 Samsung unveils a very green phone ... the casing is made of biodegradable plastic made from corn.

" ... SAMSUNG Reclaim™ is the first phone in the U.S. made with bio-plastic materials, which are 100% biodegradable. ... comes with an Energy Star-approved charger. ... packaging is made with recycled materials. ...  Bio-Plastic materials make up 40% of the phone’s casing. "

And because cell phones are made of hard to recycle innards Samsung offers easy recycling.  "... commitment to a greener future doesn't end when our products are sold. We have fixed drop-off locations in all 50 states, making it easy for you to recycle your old Samsung TVs, camcorders and other electronics."

Click to find a recycling location near you.

Via:  Samsung  LINK

Posted by Green Dude at 09:01 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

"International Paper ... seek ways to improve our environmental impact while creating better solutions for our customers. ... partner with companies who share our values. ... goal is to create packaging made from fully renewable resources that leave a smaller environmental footprint. ... first step is ecotainer® - ... line of BPI certified compostable packaging ... includes paper hot cups, paper cold cups, food containers, ...  ecotainer® uses a plastic lining made from plants. All products are compostable ..."

Via:  International Paper  LINK

Continue reading "ecotainer® by International Paper" »

Posted by Green Dude at 08:09 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Ecolife is a Canadian company that makes a line of earth friendly line of cleaners and biodegradable plastic bags.

Ecolife Products tagline is "Changing the world without changing the Earth". 

" ... we believe in making the world a better place ... by promoting biodegradable, compostable and other eco friendly products... "

" ... we care about the environment and our products are designed to work with no or little effect to the world around us.  ... an old native proverb about the earth we believe in.  It reads, " We did not inherit the Earth from our grandparents. We borrow it from our children"."

Via:  Ecolife Products  Link

Posted by Green Dude at 11:56 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

 I have been paying a lot more attention to the packaging in the consumer and other products I use ... recently I saw the Green Restaurant Association logo on a non prepackaged salad package from a local Whole Foods.  Most of their plastic containers are #2, well marked and therefore recyclable.

Their non prepackaged containers previously were plastic clamshells (I recall) ... now they area recycled paperboard ...

Read on for more about the Green Restaurant Association >>?

" ...Green Restaurant Association℠ (GRA), a national non-profit organization, provides services in research, consulting, education, marketing and community organizing. ... involves restaurants, manufacturers, vendors, grassroots organizations, government, media, and restaurant customers. ... provides a convenient way for all sectors of the restaurant industry, ... to become more environmentally sustainable."

Check out Dinegrenstore for an idea of the available green materials ... in a wide array of product lines.

Via:  dinegreen  LINK

Posted by Green Dude at 05:30 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Cameron Catering of Seattle Washington, is a green caterer ... just what is a green caterer - what sets them apart from your regular caterer ?

" ... We also believe that we need to protect the earth and the people who live on it. That is why we research our menus with an eye towards ethics and sustainability and treat our environment with respect. ... commits to: ...  Take advantage of seasonal fruits and vegetables from local producers ... Incorporate alternative energy vehicles into our delivery fleet ... Recycle everything possible ... Maintain partnerships with like-minded organizations "

" ... Cameron Catering offers a "zero waste" events.  ... an event where all the items on the table are 100% compostable.  ... able to find corn based products to replace all traditional plastic products.  ...  all food are compostable through our commercial composting service.  In 60 days, these items become nutrient rich soil.  ..."

Via:  Cameron Catering LINK

Posted by Green Dude at 05:02 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

For Philadelphians - the question of "paper or plastic" may no longer be a choice they have to - or can make.

From several news stories on the radio and in the paper -- part of the argument was that the bags are everywhere, require extra labor to pick up and are clogging parts of the city water system / sewer system. Another is that animals can either get caught in them or ingest them.

For all their value - they can be a mess when on the loose as TRASH / LITTER. 

In February 2009 Philadelphia City Council  " ... re-introduced a bill that would ban the distribution of plastic grocery bags. ...  tried two years ago but retailers and chemicals companies successfully argued that the same results could be achieved through a recycling program and public education campaign."

" ... ... problem ... was never any follow through. ... Here's the wording from the 2007 plastic bag ban."

"Mandatory Use of Recyclable and Compostable Checkout Bags. 

   (a) No supermarket or pharmacy shall provide checkout bags other than:
     (i) recyclable paper bags;
     (ii) compostable plastic bags; and/or
     (iii) reusable bags."

What is your take?

>>> Do you use / prefer plastic bags?

>>> Do you recycle / reuse plastic bags?

Via:  WHYY  LINK

Posted by Green Dude at 06:20 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

EarthDrive is a "USB thumb drive" made with PLA -polyactic acid) - and is highly recyclable.

" ... built using ... (PLA), resulting in a fully recyclable product. PLA ... polylactic acid) is a biodegradable polyester derived from renewable resources, such as corn. ...

" ... partnership with American Forests' National Tree planting projects ... planting of over several thousand trees already, we have made on ongoing commitment to continue the planting of trees with a portion of the profits generated from the EarthDrive line of products. ..."

Via:  EarthDrive  LINK

Posted by Green Dude at 05:33 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

My family and I had Thanksgiving dinner at Longwood Gardens (Kennett Sq, Pa) - a beautiful garden that is getting more into being GREEN and their impact on the planet.  As I was eating leftovers I noticed that the plastic container was not the #1, #2 or #5 that I expected ... but #7 (inside a recycling triangle) PLA and was marked as composable.

"PLA stands for polylactic acid, or Polylactide, ... produced by NatureWorks LLC.  ...  made from lactic acid. Lactic acid is made from dextrose by fermentation. Dextrose is made from starch and starch is made from carbon dioxide and water."

"Ingeo™ biopolymer is the world's first and only performance plastic made from 100% annually renewable resources. Corn-based Ingeo™ biopolymer ... Clear and strong like petroleum-based plastic, yet Ingeo™ biopolymer can be commercially composted."

The label shows the container comes from NatureWorks and is composable.  I will see if it decompooses in my mulch pile (may take a while as it is probably inactive in the winter ...)

Look for a future post on my success with composting this ...

Via:  NatureWorks  LINK

Continue reading "NatureWorks Compostable PLA Plastic" »

Posted by Green Dude at 08:30 PM | Permalink

Marriott International Inc has embraced going green.  Read about what they are doing corporate wide to become more environmentally friendly.

" ... a brochure, printed on recycled paper, titled "Social Responsibility & Community Engagement," that outlines the company's environmental sensitivities. ... chief executive Bill Marriott blogs about the "greening of Marriott." ... travels to hotel groundbreakings to tout environmentally sensitive buildings and speaks regularly about his commitment to the subject."

" ... has installed low-flow shower heads and toilets at its hotels. It is moving to compact fluorescent light bulbs. It strives to reduce energy consumption year-over-year. At its headquarters cafeteria, Marriott is using biodegradable utensils made of potatoes. And by 2010, the firm hopes to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 1 million cubic tons."


" ... getting help from Conservation International, an on-the-ground protector of the environment that is now nudging companies ... toward meaningful green efforts."

Via:  Washington Post  Link

Via: Marriott  Link

Posted by Green Dude at 05:13 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Paper or Plastic?

One of the negatives about plastic bags is that they contribute to trash and asre found "lost" most everywhere.  Here's a possible option to eliminate on of plastic bag's major drawbacks - they do not decompose. 

How about biodegradable plastic?

"Ecoflex® is BASF's completely biodegradable and compostable plastic. ... ideal for trash bags or disposable packaging as it decomposes in compost within a few weeks or in soil without leaving any residues. ... designed to process like Low Density Polyethylene into films, bags or coatings. ... is shelf and warehouse stable for one year."

Via: EcoFlex Biodegradable Plastic by BASF  Link 

Posted by Green Dude at 05:34 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)