Breakin’ It Down: Soy Fabric

Soy fabric is luxuriously soft and comfortable, often likened to silk or cashmere. Besides being softer than cotton, soy fabric is more durable and long-lasting (and it keeps getting softer the more times you wash it). It dries quicker than cotton and is extremely easy to care for.

Soy fabric is eco-friendly and sustainable because of the way it is made. Soy fabric is manufactured from the by-products of soy food products, like tofu and soybean oil. Since the process uses materials that would otherwise be waste, it is considered to “close the loop” on soy.

Posted by thuy

Breakin’ It Down: Resin Identification Code

The SPI resin identification coding system is a set of symbols placed on plastics to identify the polymer type. It was developed by the Society of the Plastics Indsutry (SPI) in 1988, and used internationally.

Most plastics can be recycled, but they have to be separated into their different polymertypes. Because of the difficulty and expense of sorting, collecting, cleaning and reprocessing, at the moment it is only economically viable to recycle PETE and HDPE. Thermosplastics can be remelted, but thermosetting plastics can only be crushed and used as insulation.

The symbols used in the code consist of arrows that cycle clockwise to form a rounded triangle and enclosing a number, often with an acronym representing the plastic below the triangle. When the number is omitted, the symbol is known as the universal Recycling Symbol, indicating generic recyclable materials.

Click here for a breakdown of the 7 types of plastic packaging, what they’re used for and if they’re recyclable.

posted by thuy

Breakin’ It Down: Sustainability

Sustainability is broadly defined as meeting the needs of the present generation without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.

(1) The term “sustainability”, when applied institutionally within a university, is essentially the development of a process or management system that helps to create a vibrant campus economy and high quality of life while respecting the need to sustain natural resources and protect the environment.

(2) Sustainable programs are those that result from an institution’s commitment to environmental, social and economic health, or the “triple bottom line”. Sustainability has both individual and institutional applicability, and is usually a balancing act.

To be sustainable, regardless of context, the earth’s resources must be used at a rate at which they can be replenished. There is now clear scientific evidence that humanity is living unsustainably, and that an effort is needed to keep human use of natural resources within sustainable limits.

Posted by thuy

Breakin’ It Down: Carbon Footprint

Carbon footprint: The total amount of greenhouse gases produced directly and indirectly to support human activities. In other words, when you drive a car, heat your house or fly in an airplane, you create a certain amount of carbon dioxide. Your carbon footprint is the sum of all emissions of carbon dioxide, which were created by your activities.

I bet you’re curious to find out your footprint, so when you have a few minutes, follow this link.

Posted by thuy

Breakin’ It Down: Precycling

Precycling refers to the consideration of the use and disposal of all components of the items you are purchasing, including the packaging. It means buying products that use less of the earth’s resources, create less solid waste, and conserve valuable landfill space.

NOTE- The purchased item in the image above is the tiny Pyrex bowl on the left. WTF??

• REFUSE what you don’t need
• REDUCE what you do need
• REUSE what you can’t reduce
• RECYCLE what you can’t reuse
• REBUY (buy recycled) whenever possible

Breakin’ It Down: Greenhouse Gases

Greenhouse gases are gaseous constituents of the atmosphere, both natural and anthropogenic, that absorb and emit radiation at specific wavelengths within the spectrum of thermal infrared radiation emitted by the earth’s surface, the atmosphere itself, and by clouds. This property causes the greenhouse effect. Greenhouse gases are essential to maintaining the temperature of the earth, without them the planet would be so cold as to be uninhabitable. However, an excess of greenhouse gases can raise the temperature of a planet to lethal levels.

Greenhouse gases are produced by many natural and industrial processes. Based on ice-core samples and records current levels of CO₂are approximately 100 ppmv higher than during immediately pre-industrial times, when direct human influence was negligible.

Source: Wiki

Posted by thuy

Breakin’ It Down: Off The Grid

The term off the grid or off-grid refers to living in a self-sufficient manner without reliance on one or more public utilities.

Off-grid homes do not rely on municipal water supply, sewer, natural gas, electrical power grid or similar utility services. A true “off the grid” or “off-grid” house is able to operate completely independently of all traditional public utility services. The idea has been recently popularized by celebrities including Ed Begley, Jr. and actress Darryl Hannah, who constructed her home in Colorado according to those principles.

Electrical power can be generated on-site with renewable energy sources such as solar or wind; with a generator and adequate fuel reserves; or simply done without, as in Amish communities.

Source Wiki

Posted by thuy

Breakin’ It Down: Upcycle

Upcycling is a reinvestement in the environment. It involves the use of waste materials to create new products. Upcycling takes something that is disposable and transforms it into something of greater use and value. Check out this site that shows you some great ways to get the most out of your disposables.

Posted by jen

Source- Wikipedia

Breakin’ It Down: Greenwashing

Before you buy into the latest product craze (whether it be cleaning, beauty, clothing etc), because they claim to be going “green”, you need to understand the concept of the term “greenwashing”.

Greenwashing is defined as “disinformation disseminated by an organization so as to present an environmentally responsible public image.” The term is generally used when significantly more money or time has been spent advertising being green, rather than spending resources on environmentally sound practices.

Click here for more info about the Six Sins of Greenwashing

Via sourcewatch and wikipedia

Posted by jen

Breakin’ It Down:LEED

LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) is a Green Building Rating Design system which was developed to provide a standard for environmentally sustainable construction. The rating system addresses six major issues:

-Sustainable Sites

-Water Efficiency

-Energy and Atmosphere

-Material and Resources

-Indoor Environmental Quality

-Innovation and Design Process

LEED certified buildings create healthier working and living environments as compared to those buildings that are built just to code standards. This in turn, contributes to higher productivity and improved employee health and comfort. The overall reduction in environmental impact along with the economic and occupant benefits, make a strong case for green building.

Source: wikipedia

Posted by jen