Here at earthly passion we strive to be sustainable. When we need something for the house we look at our options – is there something we can upcycle or can we reuse something or is there an eco alternative. When it comes to buying eco alternatives what should you look for? What makes the products eco-friendly? So I thought I should highlight some of the materials you can look for that help to reduce the impact we have on the environment.
Bamboo is such a versatile material and totally sustainable. Used to make clothes, food products, gardening supplies, furniture, kitchen utensils and more. But there is more to love about Bamboo. It is fast growing, being harvested every three years and doesn’t require re-planting as it continually puts up new sprouts. Cotton needs huge quantities of water to grow - it takes 1500 litres (400 gallons) to grow enough cotton to make one t-shirt, while Bamboo requires a third less. Bamboo is naturally anti-bacterial, so it doesn’t require pesticides or fertilizers during growth, unlike cotton which needs both.Even better Bamboo releases 35% more oxygen into the air than trees. So now you can add some bamboo to your home.
Husk - made from natural rice husks, which would normally be burned or discarded. Used to make cups, plates and products normally used for eating out or baby products. The material is dishwasher safe, so you can use them again and again. Once buried it biodegrades completely after 2 -3 years and the rice husk fibre makes it great for composting.
Palm Leaf - Produced in an energy efficient process, the naturally fallen leaves of the Areca Nut tree are collected (found in India). Used to make dinnerware that is heat resistant and is safe to use in the fridge or freezer. Completely biodegradable, composting within 12 -26 weeks.
Wheat Straw – after harvesting wheat the crushed fibres and stalks can be used to make disposable dinnerware. Suitable for hot or cold food and leak proof . Once buried it will decomposed after 30 -90 days.
Flax (also known as linseed) - is a food and fibre crop grown in cooler regions of the world. Used to make the textile known as linen, and used for clothing, bed sheets, and table linen. The oil from the flax is known as linseed oil.
Cork - that is harvested from the Cork Oak (Quercus suber) only from early May to late August, when the cork tree reaches 25–30 years of age. These trees are commercially grown mainly in Portugal and Spain. Cork is extracted from the bark tissue, but the great thing about this sourcing of a natural material is that the cork can be separated from the tree without causing permanent damage to the tree. As the material is flexible and semi-impermeable it makes it very suitable for bottle stoppers, but it can be used for a number of other items such as in sporting helmets, balls (cricket and baseball), in musical instruments, household utensils and more.
Recycled materials – examples of these materials are rubber and polymer roofing that imitates slate to reduce weight and maintenance. Then there are items are made like IceStone, which blends 75 percent recycled glass with concrete for durable countertops, backsplashes, shower surrounds, walls, and floors.
There are many more eco-friendly materials that are available and as time goes on new sustainable and renewable materials are being developed (e.g. pineapple fibres as a type of leather). Understanding what you are buying will help you make better choices.
I hope this list helps and makes your shopping more earthly passionate,
Attracta & the earthly passion team. .