Just One Vote For Natural Fibre Cotton Bags

Published On June 18, 2009

According to Frosty Wooldridge of the Denver Post we should forget paper shopping bags and plastic shopping bags and use reusable cotton bags. According to Frosty he has been using his four cotton bags for 28 years though they are now a little tattered. It is worthwhile doing the maths on this. Let us assume that 1 of Frosty's cotton bags replaces 1-2 plastic bags and we assume also that Frosty did his shopping on a weekly basis and used
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Queen Joins Obamas With Her Own Royal Organic Garden

Published On June 17, 2009

Both the White House and Buckingham Palace have agreed to throw out those chemical sprays and synthetic fertilisers and replace them with garlic spray, seaweed, compost, and other more environmentally friendly alternatives. The Royal abandonment of toxic chemicals and synthetic fertilisers is a boost for the organic movement who have been a virtual voice in the wilderness for environmentally friendly sustainable agriculture over the past century. Perhaps Australian political leaders will follow suit and make their own home made garlic
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2009 Voyage to Monitor Plastic Pollution in Great Pacific Garbage Patch

Published On June 14, 2009

From 10th to 25th June 2009 the Oceanographic Research Vessel Alguita, in partnership with Algalita Marine Research Foundation, will carry out the first part of their 2009 voyage to sample the surface waters of the “great Pacific garbage patch,” an area of central North Pacific Ocean where marine litter accumulates. The great Pacific garbage patch is located about 500 nautical miles off the Californian coast and extends across the northern Pacific, past Hawaii and almost as far as Japan. It
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Retail Shopping Centre Coles Follows Target With Compostable Plastic Bags

Published On June 12, 2009

On September 1 this year Coles will introduce compostable plastic bags in their stores around Australia. Compostable bags that meet the Australian Standard for biodegradable plastic bags(AS 4736 - 2006) will sell for 25 cents each. Coles new biodegradable bag will be manufactured from corn starch and will have a carrying capacity of 8kg. The bag is claimed to start breaking down within 7 days and will be significantly broken down within 45 days under controlled composting conditions. Following on
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Church Uses ‘Green Vans’ to Promote Jute Bags

Published On June 11, 2009

According to the Independent Catholic News the Archdiocese of Delhi in India has commenced using two special 'green vans' to promote the use of reusable jute bags. According to Archbishop Concessao the vans would carry an environmental message emphasizing the importance of minimising plastic pollution. Twelve months ago the Archdiocese of Delhi launched a "green shopper" campaign in combination with self-help groups that make jute bags. Archbishop Concessao said they had sold 300,000 jute bags in the past 12 months
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History and Legacies of the Organic Movement

Published On June 9, 2009

What is Organic Farming & Organic Food? Organic farming refers to the use of natural chemical free methods in the growing and production of primary products. That is, organic farming relies upon tradtional farming practices which do not utilise synthetic fertilizers, chemicals, hormones, and genetically modified crops. But organic farming is much more than farming without chemicals, it is a system of sustainable agriculture where the goal is to work with nature with respect for the environment and natural laws
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Australia Officially Launches Year of Natural Fibres

Published On May 28, 2009

At Darling Harbour in Sydney, on 21st May, the United Nations Year of Natural Fibres was officially launched by the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Tony Burke, and the Director-General of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization Dr Jacques Diouf. Visitors to Albury Enviro Bags who have read this blog or who have read our article on the United Nations Year of Natural Fibres will be well aware of our promotion of natural fibres for the production of
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Caution! Reusable Bags May Be Infectious – Study by plastics industry

Published On May 24, 2009

It seems, according to a recent study by the plastics industry, that those environmentally popular reusable green bags may pose a health risk to consumers and checkout operators because of germs carried by unclean reusable bags. Headlines cry out "Cloth Bags Condemned as Plastic Fights Back ", Study Commissioned by Plastics Industry Says Reusable grocery Bags Dangerous ", "Back to Plastic? Reusable Grocery Bags May Cause Food Poisoning", and "Plastic Industry Fights Against Reusable Bags". Who wants to catch food
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Target Bans Plastic Shopping Bags but Small Stores Feel the Pressure

Published On May 22, 2009

From June 1st Target stores around Australia will no longer supply plastic shopping bags to customers. Instead, Target will make available to customers a range of reusable bags from $1.00ea to $2.99ea and compostable bags from 10c to 20c each. Although Target's move to ban plastic shopping bags follows a trend in local communities which has been going on for the past few years, a trend which I should add has long been preceded by the organic movement, according to
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Albury Enviro Bags Authorised to Carry the UN Year of Natural Fibres Logo

Published On May 21, 2009

At Albury Enviro Bags we support the use of natural fibres for the production of reusable shopping bags and for this reason we have been authorised to display the UN Year of Natural Fibres 2009 logo. In Australia the Year of Natural Fibres has an undeservedly low profile with little visible public support from governments and environmental organisations. In fact, when it comes to reusable bags it seems many politicians, environmental groups and major retailers have opted to support petrochemical
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Plastic Bags Bagged but Natural Fibres Ignored

Published On May 21, 2009

From May 4th it became illegal for South Australian retailers to supply single use plastic bags unless they conform to the introduced standards for biodegradable compostable bags. Also acceptable of course, are the reusable "green bags". Retailers caught violating the ban face on the spot fines of $315 or a maximum penalty of $5000 while suppliers caught supplying bags which do not conform to the standard may face a penalty of $20,000. The ban is expected to remove 400 million
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Alaskan Teenagers Tackle the Plastic Bag Problem

Published On May 9, 2009

Teenagers in Alaska, members of Alaska Youth for Environmental Action (AYEA), are actively engaged in trying to preserve the pristine Alaskan environment. Amongst various environmental initiatives organised by these enterprising teenagers was the "Week Without Plastics" campaign which was the culmination of their "Rethink Plastics" campaign in 2008. The campaign was aimed at increasing the level of community awareness about the plastics problem and encouraging alternatives. The organiser or chair of the Rethink Plastics campaign was Zoe Fuller, a 15
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High Tea for the Caitlyn Ann Trust for Sudden Infant Deaths

Published On April 29, 2009

The Caitlyn Ann Trust was established by Mike and Wendy Hobley after the sudden and unexplained death of their 3 year old daughter Caitlyn, at 1:40 am on Sunday, 30th July 2000. Caitlyn was admitted to Princess Margaret Hospital for Children six hours earlier and was seen by a doctor at 10:00 am the previous day and sent home. Caitlyn had been a perfectly healthy child until 36 hours before her sudden death. Subsequent tests and post mortem have failed
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HeartKids Geographe 2009 Gala Ball 2nd May

Published On April 13, 2009

Don't miss the HeartKids Ball, organised by HeartKids WA, on Saturday 2nd May in Margaret River, WA, to raise much needed money for children with heart disease. With six babies born with heart disease in Australia every day and the Children’s Cardiac Centre at Perth’s Princess Margaret Hospital performing 110 operations, 1600 echocardiograms and 70 cardiac catheter procedures on heartkids every year, funds are desperately needed. HeartKids WA not only supports the families of these children, it works to ensure
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Plastic gone, jute on: manufacturers now look to win over Delhi buyers

Published On April 8, 2009

New Delhi Seen for long as an unattractive and coarse raw material fit primarily for gunny bags, jute is enjoying its days under the sun like never before, more so after the Delhi government imposed a ban on plastic carry bags. With poly-bags out as competition in a potentially vast market, jute manufacturers have now renewed their efforts to market jute bags: stressing on the fashionable factor for consumers, and the affordability angle for shopkeepers. “After the ban on plastic,
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The International Year of Natural Fibres