Green Holidays

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Do you know enough about both biodegradable products and biodegradable packaging?

I know it might seem obvious what they are when you just think abut the word ‘biodegradable’ as we all sort of know what this means – but what about behind the products?

When you think about biodegradable washing up liquid or shampoo for example, are you thinking about the product itself, or the packaging – or both?

And what exactly are the benefits of each – if any?

And is a product that breaks down even better than one that stays in it’s original form – chemicals or not?

Well, in this article I have put together a very basic summary of the good and the bad of both – so you can make a more informed choice when you think about your next purchase.

The Products:
Well, holiday toiletries and suncreams, etc should all ideally be biodegradable as otherwise your everyday shower is washing all these ingredients into the waterways and rivers of the village or vacation spot you are visiting.

This way, when you wash off your shower gel when in your hotel or out camping, it passes into the neighbouring ground or lake and gradually ‘breaks down’ with the help of bacteria, sunlight or water into virtually harmless little bits. 

Although it could still cause a bit of a problem in the first few days or weeks – it will eventually be gone – which is better than always being there for years and years no matter how diluted it is.

However would you be interested to know that there is no legal definition of ‘biodegradable’ for products in the US or EU – it’s just a vague assumption.  That assumption being that the product will break down more or less naturally into naturally existing particles in around 6 months or so.  However – it doesn’t have to do this at all to use the phrase on it’s packaging or advertising!

Needless to say – anyone can use this ‘claim’ on the product accompanied by a standard flowery or plant looking picture or image – and you can’t prove either way, you just have to take their word for it.

It is the same with the word ’natural’ on products.  This word has no legal right or wrong on packaging – and anyway, petroleum oil is natural and so is arsenic, so the word natural is a bit of a strange one anyway!

The Packaging:
Then there is the bottle it’s in.  It would be virtually impossible to not use plastic bottles when traveling, so you should really try to use biodegradable plastic bottles, right?

Well, there is an argument for and against strangely enough – and it’s all quite simple: if you buy a container that has been designed to degrade naturally over a period of time – then you can’t use it over and over again can you?

Buying a normal plastic bottle means that you can either recycle it or use it repeatedly for any product – but if that bottle is liable to start breaking down, then you certainly can’t use it over and over, it’s unreliable.

And of course, you can’t really recycle it either as otherwise the recycled products you make out of it will be unstable too and just as liable to break down as well!

So, it’s a tricky one really.

Buying biodegradable plastic bottles is encouraging continued plastic production – but is better than new regular plastic being made.  But if the demand for recycled plastic products drops as a result, then surely that is a bad thing; as all the existing non-biodegradable plastic will be left for ever on earth in dumps and floating in the sea!

And if regular plastic isn’t made anymore, then we won’t be able to reuse our bottles and tubs again and again forever – we will always have to buy new!

The End Result:
I can’t say for certain what is the better in terms of the whole plastic situation, but it certainly makes you think a bit further into the issue than just assuming that a biodegradable product is instantly better.

However, I certainly recommend seeking out products that really are made of safe natural ingredients and those which should not have a harmful effect on wildlife – as it means that they will probably not be harmful to humans either.

I mean using products on your body that contain man-made chemicals which are known to poison fish can’t really be that good for you either, can it?

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If you are thinking of replacing or upgrading your windows – make sure you do it before you go away!

With new technologies and strict guidelines governing manufacture – you couldn’t be more green and more secure at the same time!  Great if you are away for a month or 2.

Triple glazing units can reduce the amount of heat lost from your home (or reduce the amount of cold air escaping if you have the air con on!) and the secure ‘bolt’ system of new glazing units can deter burgulars. 

New UV coatings can also protect the goods in your home and reduce noise pollution if you live in the city or close to a railway, etc.

However – look closely at the ‘eco friendly’ labelling on some company websites – it can mean one of 2 things:

Eco Friendly 1 – 100%:
It is energy efficient and can save energy in the home as well as being made of eco friendly products from sustainable sources.

Eco Friendly 2 – 50%:
It is energy efficient and can save energy in the home ONLY.  It can be made out of any materials at all - for example limited resource aluminum or certain high-petroleum plastics.

And of course, you want to make sure that the company you choose has a decent reputation, and is preferably affiliated with, or a member of, a certification or National scheme - This would include the Master Builders Association or the Guild Quality Surveys and include Penguin Windows in the US, or FENSA and the ‘BSI Kitemark’ in the UK with firms like Everest Windows.

Other Factors To Consider:
There are other things to look out for when choosing a supplier and your preferred products as well, as there are so many combinations you can choose from – some will age quickly, be less secure and possibly not that eco friendly after all! And the length of the warranty can be as little as 3 years up to a lifetime guarantee!

It’s certainly worth paying a few $100 more from the off, than have to pay the several $1000 in 3 years time when it breaks of ‘yellows’ in the sun!

• Make sure it is Pilkington K glass or equivalent
• Make sure it is ‘low e’ glass (high thermal insulation)
• Make sure the frame is made from sustainable resources where possible
• Make sure the windows and doors come with at least a 10 year guarantee (materials & workmanship). 
• Make sure it has a fully welded framework to make it more secure
• Make sure it has metal reinforcement in the frame chambers to make forced entry more difficult
• Make sure all ‘glazing beads’ are on the inside to prevent people removing the panes from the outside
• Make sure it has a locking Saracen shoot bolt (mortise) through the whole frame
• Make sure it has a Secure By Design logo for extra security on top if you want!

Go on your 6-month grand tour without having to worry about the security of your home – and come home knowing that you will be more energy-efficient from that point on!

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Welcome to the first Blog Carnival of the new year – and welcome to 2010!

As expected, everyone has been very busy with the whole festive period – or have been trapped indoors for weeks with all this snow – so there are only a few articles for me to share with you today.

Lets start with some essential reading – especially after I started watching the BBC series ‘Survivors’ the other day where you really need some basic outdoor skills - and of course it helps to be able to take care of yourself outside of the city!  So lets join Dorrie for some reasons to think of Camping: A Valuable Reminder On Survival.

And surviving as a vegan while travelling can also be a bit tricky – so have a peek at 20stravel’s guide to Top 5 Tips for Eating Vegan On the Road for some inspiration.

Regular writer Guffly gives us not only: Best Eco-Friendly Getaways | Gufflyfor the new year, but also an insight into their eco friendly travel Green Products. Take a look yourself if you are planning a trip soon.

And how about this final article from Tyler Tervooren who spends a lot of time explaining the concept of the StayCation – and it really had me intrigued so take a look yourself at The Art of the Staycation and see if he convinces you……

Enjoy!

So, lets get straight back to it………

6) Keep It Clean:
You can easily buy multi-purpose eco friendly detergents for washing clothes and dishes – and yourself AND without polluting local waterways.  However, differing materials can have very different requirements.

Certain materials are much easier to keep clean or to remove odors from – so make sure you talk to your outdoor specialists to find the best options for your adventure and needs!  Also, make sure you talk to the locals where you are staying as they know all the conditions and – as we found out in Costa Rica – $1 wellington boots were 10 times better than $100 walking boots!

7) And Yourself:
Depending on the conditions where you are staying – and the temperature of local rivers and lakes – you can invest in a smart solar shower.  You just fill up the bag, hoist up onto a post and allow to warm in the sun.  Then simply let out the water when you are ready!

Make sure that you are sensitive to the area though and try to use the smallest amount of toiletries necessary and/or use bio-degradable shower gels and shampoos!  And don’t forget that what you are washing off can also cause damage – so limit the perfumes and hair products too!

Dinner Time:
Depending on the length of your stay away, you may need to cook food.  Obviously the more ready-to-eat food you can carry in the better so you don’t use any excess resources in the open, but when you do need heat – then a portable stove is the best.

You can use it anywhere without the worry of setting fire to brush or nearby vegetation – and you don’t need to collect up natural resources to burn.  Even dead wood and fallen branches are part of the eco-system and many animals depend on them, so take your own fuel!

9) Waterproof Power:
Make sure that you take water-proof matches with you so that when you need light or a flame you are almost 100% guaranteed of it!

Normal matches or even your lighter can stop working if it gets wet or broken – and of course the gas in your lighter won’t last for ever.  Whereas these matches are coated in wax that you scratch off to light.  So as long as you don’t lose them……

10) Extra Lighting:
If you need extra light around the camp overnight or while you are eating or relaxing, then why not take solar-powered lamps with you.

Lightweight versions or these are available in many stores and you would just leave them in the sun while there was daylight, and switch them on after dusk.  No need to worry about wasting candles, watching a fire or pumping your dynamo torch through the evening!

Just sit back and relax!

Obviously, once you get in the habit of these things – you might find that you can save energy back home by doing exactly the same thing – although you’ll have a lovely comfy bed to end up in!