eco glossary...

Helen Pope Check out the sources, materials and eco-credentials of our party products using the glossary below. For even more information, browse our recommended sites. *biodegradable:* A ‘biodegradable’ product has the ability to break down naturally, safely and relatively quickly as a result of exposure to moisture, heat and micro-organisms into carbon dioxide, water and organic matter. The time it takes to biodegrade depends upon how much exposure it has to these three factors, and the size and type of the material. *compostable:* A compostable item is one that is made of organic materials which can decompose naturally, resulting in a product rich in minerals and ideal for gardening and farming as a soil conditioner, mulch resurfacing or landfill cover. More than 50% of our domestic waste is organic and therefore compostable. www.compost.org.uk *responsibly-made:* From a human perspective, the producers of a responsibly-made product should ensure that they work only with manufacturing partners who demonstrate a commitment to health and safety, environmental protection and fair labour practices. In turn, they should support and reinforce these practices. *fairtrade:* The Fairtrade mark (or label) is an independent consumer label which appears on products as an independent guarantee that disadvantaged producers in the developing world are getting a better deal. Producers or organisations that supply Fairtrade products are inspected and certified by FLO (Fairtrade Labelling Organisations International) and receive a minimum price that covers the cost of sustainable production together with an extra premium which is invested in social or economic development projects. *FSC certified:* FSC Forestry Stewardship Council (FSC) certified forests are managed to ensure long term timber supplies while protecting the environment and live of forest-dependent peoples. *organic:* A farming method for crops, dairy foods and livestock which removes toxins, manufactured chemicals, synthetic additives, genetically modified organisms (GMOs) and provides products which are biodegradable. *paper tableware* When they aren't made from the dreaded plastic or polystyrene, traditional plates, cups and bowls are made from paper, usually using pulp derived from virgin wood rather than recycled pulp and lined with non-biodegradable plastic to make them resistant to heat. So not only are they often flimsy and ineffectual, they hang around without breaking down for years to come. *PLA* Our cups and straws are made from PLA, a bioplastic derived from corn-starch. * Fully compostable, sturdy and strong * Clear, plastic-like texture * Freezer safe * Handles hot items up to 120 degrees Farenheit * Sterilized and sanitized Bioplastics are a new generation of biodegradable and compostable plastics derived from renewable raw materials like corn. They are not hazardous in production and decompose back into carbon dioxide, water and organic matter when discarded. Our PLA cups and straws will completely compost under commercial composting conditions in just 45-60 days and a little longer within a home composting system. Bioplastics are more energy efficient. The production of bioplastics uses less energy than the production of conventional plastics, and so results in lower carbon emissions. Bioplastics are 100% sustainable. The plants used to make them grow back annually. The oil used to make conventional plastics is a finite resource, not renewable and unsustainable. Bioplastics are 100% biodegradable and compostable. They can break down relatively quickly into carbon dioxide, water and non-toxic organic matter. This organic matter can then be used as compost to support plant growth. Conventional plastics are not biodegradable or compostable. When they are disposed of in landfill, they take hundreds of years to decompose. All plastics are made of compounds called polymers. Some of these polymers occur naturally, for example in plant starch. This starch can be extracted from the plants, leaving us with the basic raw material for producing bioplastics. The production process is exactly the same as for conventional plastic. The only difference is that the starch polymers occur naturally instead of being manufactured synthetically. NatureWorks PLA has also been FDA certified for use in food containers and other food packaging. *plastic:* A shocking eight per cent of the world’s current oil production is used to produce plastics. The products made from these plastics then go on to take up a quarter of an average landfill site. To top it all, very little plastic is currently recycled as the mixed range available creates difficulties when attempting to separate it into different types. At eco my party we therefore avoid using standard plastic in our products and instead opt for brilliant biodegradable PLA. *polystyrene* is manufactured using oil, which, unless you have been living under a rock, you will be fully aware is a finite resource: once it's gone, it's gone, so why waste it? And to top that bit of bad news, they take literally hundreds of years to decompose in landfill. *post-industrial waste:* Essentially, this is the leftovers of any manufacturing process, such as paper off-cuts from printing processes and paper mills. *recyclable:* An incredibly deceptive product label, as, theoretically, anything can be recycled. In the UK, recycling facilities are limited and so very few types of waste are actually recycled and so most products labelled ‘recyclable’ actually end up in landfill. All eco my party products labelled ‘recyclable’ can be easily recycled in the UK. *recycling:* The perfectly logical practice of collecting solid waste, then separating and processing it in order that it can be reused in its raw material form or as finished goods. www.recyclenow.com www.reycle-more.com www.wasteonline.org.uk *recycled:* Recycled products have been made using the waste of another product. This reduces consumption of the earth's limited natural resources and can prevent non-biodegradable waste such as plastics languishing in landfill. *reuseable:* Can be reused many times (rather disposing and replacing). Why not make something an heirloom! *sugarcane bagasse:* is the fibre waste left after sugarcane stalks are crushed to extract their juices to produce sugar products. In the past, this waste was be burnt as an inefficient and polluting fuel, but can be much more sustainably used to make environmentally-friendly alternatives products traditionally made from paper and polystyrene, including our plates and cups. Our tableware and food containers are made by moulding crushed waste sugarcane fibre at high pressure and temperature Sugarcane bagasse products are more energy efficient to produce in comparison to pulping wood for paper or manufacturing polystyrene from oil. Sugarcane bagasse is a brilliantly sustainable and renewable resources as it is fast growing and has an annual growth cycle. Totally compostable and biodegradable, in composting conditions sugarcane products quickly and naturally break down into non-toxic organic matter, carbon dioxide and water, returning to the earth from whence they originally grew. *sustainable:* A sustainably-sourced product is one that is produced with minimal long term environmental impact. Sustainability is all about preserving the world’s natural resources for future generations. *unbleached:* Many bleaching processes are toxic and have a negative environmental impact. Unbleached paper is just as beautiful as bleached. Who said napkins need to be blindingly white? Check out the sources, materials and eco-credentials of our party products using the glossary below. For even more information, browse our recommended sites. biodegradable: A ‘biodegradable’ product has the ability to break down naturally, safely and relatively quickly as a result of exposure to moisture, heat and micro-organisms into carbon dioxide, water and organic matter. The time it takes to biodegrade depends upon how much exposure it has to these three factors, and the size and type of the material. compostable: A compostable item is one that is made of organic materials which can decompose naturally, resulting in a product rich in minerals and ideal for gardening and farming as a soil conditioner, mulch resurfacing or landfill cover. More than 50% of our domestic waste is organic and therefore compostable. www.compost.org.uk responsibly-made: From a human perspective, the producers of a responsibly-made product should ensure that they work only with manufacturing partners who demonstrate a commitment to health and safety, environmental protection and fair labour practices. In turn, they should support and reinforce these practices. fairtrade: The Fairtrade mark (or label) is an independent consumer label which appears on products as an independent guarantee that disadvantaged producers in the developing world are getting a better deal. Producers or organisations that supply Fairtrade products are inspected and certified by FLO (Fairtrade Labelling Organisations International) and receive a minimum price that covers the cost of sustainable production together with an extra premium which is invested in social or economic development projects. FSC certified: FSC Forestry Stewardship Council (FSC) certified forests are managed to ensure long term timber supplies while protecting the environment and live of forest-dependent peoples. organic: A farming method for crops, dairy foods and livestock which removes toxins, manufactured chemicals, synthetic additives, genetically modified organisms (GMOs) and provides products which are biodegradable. paper tableware When they aren’t made from the dreaded plastic or polystyrene, traditional plates, cups and bowls are made from paper, usually using pulp derived from virgin wood rather than recycled pulp and lined with non-biodegradable plastic to make them resistant to heat. So not only are they often flimsy and ineffectual, they hang around without breaking down for years to come. PLA Our cups and straws are made from PLA, a bioplastic derived from corn-starch. <ul> <li>Fully compostable, sturdy and strong</li> <li>Clear, plastic-like texture </li> <li>Freezer safe</li> <li>Handles hot items up to 120 degrees Farenheit</li> <li>Sterilized and sanitized</li> </ul> Bioplastics are a new generation of biodegradable and compostable plastics derived from renewable raw materials like corn. They are not hazardous in production and decompose back into carbon dioxide, water and organic matter when discarded. Our PLA cups and straws will completely compost under commercial composting conditions in just 45-60 days and a little longer within a home composting system. Bioplastics are more energy efficient. The production of bioplastics uses less energy than the production of conventional plastics, and so results in lower carbon emissions. Bioplastics are 100% sustainable. The plants used to make them grow back annually. The oil used to make conventional plastics is a finite resource, not renewable and unsustainable. Bioplastics are 100% biodegradable and compostable. They can break down relatively quickly into carbon dioxide, water and non-toxic organic matter. This organic matter can then be used as compost to support plant growth. Conventional plastics are not biodegradable or compostable. When they are disposed of in landfill, they take hundreds of years to decompose. All plastics are made of compounds called polymers. Some of these polymers occur naturally, for example in plant starch. This starch can be extracted from the plants, leaving us with the basic raw material for producing bioplastics. The production process is exactly the same as for conventional plastic. The only difference is that the starch polymers occur naturally instead of being manufactured synthetically. NatureWorks PLA has also been FDA certified for use in food containers and other food packaging. plastic: A shocking eight per cent of the world’s current oil production is used to produce plastics. The products made from these plastics then go on to take up a quarter of an average landfill site. To top it all, very little plastic is currently recycled as the mixed range available creates difficulties when attempting to separate it into different types. At eco my party we therefore avoid using standard plastic in our products and instead opt for brilliant biodegradable PLA. polystyrene is manufactured using oil, which, unless you have been living under a rock, you will be fully aware is a finite resource: once it’s gone, it’s gone, so why waste it? And to top that bit of bad news, they take literally hundreds of years to decompose in landfill. post-industrial waste: Essentially, this is the leftovers of any manufacturing process, such as paper off-cuts from printing processes and paper mills. recyclable: An incredibly deceptive product label, as, theoretically, anything can be recycled. In the UK, recycling facilities are limited and so very few types of waste are actually recycled and so most products labelled ‘recyclable’ actually end up in landfill. All eco my party products labelled ‘recyclable’ can be easily recycled in the UK. recycling: The perfectly logical practice of collecting solid waste, then separating and processing it in order that it can be reused in its raw material form or as finished goods. www.recyclenow.com www.reycle-more.com www.wasteonline.org.uk recycled: Recycled products have been made using the waste of another product. This reduces consumption of the earth’s limited natural resources and can prevent non-biodegradable waste such as plastics languishing in landfill. reuseable: Can be reused many times (rather disposing and replacing). Why not make something an heirloom! sugarcane bagasse: is the fibre waste left after sugarcane stalks are crushed to extract their juices to produce sugar products. In the past, this waste was be burnt as an inefficient and polluting fuel, but can be much more sustainably used to make environmentally-friendly alternatives products traditionally made from paper and polystyrene, including our plates and cups. Our tableware and food containers are made by moulding crushed waste sugarcane fibre at high pressure and temperature Sugarcane bagasse products are more energy efficient to produce in comparison to pulping wood for paper or manufacturing polystyrene from oil. Sugarcane bagasse is a brilliantly sustainable and renewable resources as it is fast growing and has an annual growth cycle. Totally compostable and biodegradable, in composting conditions sugarcane products quickly and naturally break down into non-toxic organic matter, carbon dioxide and water, returning to the earth from whence they originally grew. sustainable: A sustainably-sourced product is one that is produced with minimal long term environmental impact. Sustainability is all about preserving the world’s natural resources for future generations. unbleached: Many bleaching processes are toxic and have a negative environmental impact. Unbleached paper is just as beautiful as bleached. Who said napkins need to be blindingly white?

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eco-glossary 317592

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eco glossary...

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