JungleVine Foundation, Established 2005 - Eco-Friendly Lifestyle News

Celebrating Earth Day

noemail@noemail.org (Amy McDowell) — Wed, 2 Apr 2025 17:42:39 -0500

Save 15% on all regular-price items through the end of April by using coupon code EARTH2025.

Celebrating Earth Day and 20 Years of the JungleVine Foundation

This Earth Day, we’re celebrating not just our planet—but also a milestone close to our hearts. The JungleVine® Foundation is marking 20 years of environmental and social impact. Since 2005, we’ve worked to preserve traditional Khmu craftsmanship, protect ecosystems, and promote sustainable, chemical-free products made from the remarkable jungle vine plant, Pueraria phaseoloides.

Every JungleVine® product supports environmental health. The vine itself is a natural wonder: it grows wild without cultivation, removes carbon from the air, and restores degraded soil. The production process uses no electricity, fuel, or synthetic chemicals—just traditional hand-spinning and generations of knowledge passed down through Khmu communities.

Beyond its environmental benefits, our mission has always been deeply human. JungleVine® empowers women to work from home while caring for their children. This creates economic opportunities without disrupting family life or community traditions. Each tote bag represents both environmental resilience and the dignity of handmade work.

As we honor Earth Day this year, we invite you to celebrate 20 years of grassroots sustainability with us. Every choice you make—every tote you carry—can help shape a greener, more just world.

Save 15% on all regular-price items through the end of April by using coupon code EARTH2025.

A Legacy of Sustainability

Since our founding in 2005, the JungleVine Foundation has worked to protect the environment while empowering indigenous communities. Our JungleVine® Totes are handmade using a naturally growing vine that regenerates quickly, making it one of the most sustainable fibers in the world. Each bag helps reduce plastic waste while providing fair-trade income to Khmu artisans, allowing them to preserve their traditional hand-spinning techniques.

Why Earth Day Matters

Earth Day is a time to reflect on our impact on the planet and take action to protect it. Every choice we make—what we consume, how we shop, and what materials we use—affects the health of our ecosystems. By choosing biodegradable, natural fiber products like JungleVine®, we can all contribute to a cleaner, greener future.

Join Us in Making a Difference

As we celebrate our 20th anniversary, we invite you to be part of our mission. Whether it's by spreading awareness, choosing sustainable products, or supporting ethical artisans, your actions matter. Small changes add up, and together, we can make a lasting impact for the next 20 years and beyond.

This Earth Day, let’s celebrate sustainability, tradition, and the power of nature. Thank you for being part of the JungleVine Foundation’s journey!

Bans on Single-Use Plastic Bags Within the U.S.

noemail@noemail.org (Amy McDowell) — Sat, 3 Sep 2022 21:13:25 -0500

Plastic use and bans on single-use plastic, particularly plastic bags, have become a hot topic over the last few years. The convenience that these types of products provide is outweighed by the damage they do to the planet. Plastic bags don't biodegrade over time, and they have become a real problem as they build up in landfills, clog waterways, and accumulate in the ocean. Even worse, incineration and photodegradation of these bags release harmful chemicals into the air, water, and ground. More states are adopting bans and placing other strict limitations on the use of plastic materials to encourage consumers to opt for sustainable and reusable alternatives that reduce our overall environmental footprint. JungleVine® tote bags are the most genuinely eco-friendly bags on the planet. They’re made using 100% sustainable JungleVine® fiber, which is harvested from a wild-growing perennial vine that grows without any agricultural inputs and regrows rapidly—more than 30 cm (1 foot) per week—immediately after harvest.

New Jersey Plastic Bag Ban Specifics

New Jersey has recently made the news for its decision to ban single-use carryout plastic bags along with plastic straws, and polystyrene foam (styrofoam) food service containers. The ban went into effect on May 4, 2022, and states that no store, grocery store, or food service business is permitted to provide or sell these products. Large grocery stores of 2,500 square feet or more are required to provide or sell only reusable bags. Smaller grocery stores, retailers, and food service businesses are permitted to use single-use paper bags. Plastic straws can only be provided at the express request of the customer.
This recently instated Single-Use Plastics Reduction Law supersedes prior laws set by counties or cities, and all people and entities are expected to comply with the new regulations.

Defining Targeted Businesses

Stores refer to any establishment that sells goods for customers to carry out, such as a convenience store, clothing store, pharmacy, liquor store, and any other retail business. Food services businesses refer to more than just restaurants and include any establishment that provides or sells food for carryout or on-site consumption. Coffee shops, movie theaters, vending carts, and cafeterias are some examples.

Regulations for Approved Carryout Bags

Reusable carryout bags available for purchase or use at any business must meet the following guidelines:
• Designed for 125 or more reuses
• Stitched handles
• Made from polypropylene fabric, hemp, cloth, nylon, PET nonwoven fabric, and other washable fabrics

Non-Compliance Penalties

Any person or entity that is found in violation of the new plastic ban receives a warning for their first offense. A fine of up to $1,000 per day can be issued for a second offense, and a fine of up to $5,000 per day for a third offense and beyond. The new single-use plastic ban is enforced by The Department of Environmental Protection, entities certified by the "County Environmental Health Act," and all municipalities.

Eight More U.S. States with Bans on Single-Use Plastic Bags

The recent news coming from New Jersey isn't the first time that a state has taken action to reduce plastic waste. These eight other states already have single-use plastic bag bans in place:
• California
• Connecticut
• Delaware
• Hawaii
• Maine
• New York
• Oregon
• Vermont

Still more states are considering placing bans, or are in the process of implementing them. Even in places without a statewide ban, more cities and counties across the nation are deciding to regulate single-use plastic and enact bans on products like plastic straws and bags.

Choose the Eco-Friendly Alternative to Single-Use Plastic Bags

It's no secret that single-use plastic has a profound and negative impact on the environment. Plastic pollution is a serious issue that affects everyone. Learn how to do your part to protect the planet, and your health, by making smarter, sustainable choices. Even if your state doesn't have a ban in place, choose the eco-friendly path with reusable JungleVine® Eco-Friendly Totes.

These stylish, handmade tote bags are made of handspun JungleVine® fiber and crafted by indigenous Khmu artisans from villages in northern Laos. The plant fibers are remarkably strong and durable, and the finished bags are completely plastic-free and cotton-free.

History and Culture of the Khmu People

noemail@noemail.org (Abraham Short) — Tue, 21 May 2019 16:54:00 -0500

The Khmu, pronounced kəˈmu, people is a large minority ethnic groups that is spread across the central highlands of Asia including sections of Northern and Central Laos, Vietnam, Thailand, Myanmar (formerly Burma) and Southwestern China.

Throughout their range, they are recognized as a separate ethnic group with the exception of those living in China where they fall under the official designation of undistinguished ethnic peoples (rough translation from Chinese). They are known by various names including Khamu, Kemu, Khammu or Khơ Mú depending on the specific area where they live but as would be expected, share a common language with only slight variations in dialects being noted and generally recognizable customs across the entire region.

Khmu Population Distribution

As can best be determined there are presently between 800,000 and 1,000,000 Khmu spread around the world. The majority of these (700,000 +) still reside in their traditional homelands located in Northern Laos mainly within the Luang Prabang and Xieng Khouang Provinces. However, some spreading has occurred mainly due to the effects of armed conflicts in the area.

In Vietnam there are now an estimated 50,000; 15,000 are living in Thailand. Another 10,000 are now within Chinese borders. 8,000 call the United States home and there is a small community, 1,500, in France. With the exception The Khmu populations in the U.S. and France, all are clustered along border regions with Laos.

Khmu Sub-Groups

The Khmu people are divided into many subgroups which are not easily distinguished by those outside of their tribes. Amongst them are the Keun, Kheng, Khongsat, Khouene, Me, Môn-Khmer, Ou, Lu, and Rok sub-groups.

The Nguan and the Kha Bit people are also closely related to the Khmu and some inter-marriage does occur between the tribes but these ethnic groups are quite different people belonging to the Lamet and the Samtao respectively.

Khmu History

As with many indigenous groups with limited contact with the outside world, Khmu history has been passed down through the tradition of storytelling by elders around the evening fire. Unfortunately, this tradition has increasingly diminished and much of the tribal history is in danger of being lost.

What is known is that they have lived in the highland regions of Laos for a minimum of 4,000 and possibly as long as 10,000 years. Scientist hypothesis from genetic tracings that the Khmu descended from the Austro-Asiatic peoples that were prevalent in what is now central China and at some point, possibly due to climate influences 10-12 thousand years ago migrated to their present homeland.

Arrangement of a Traditional Khmu Village

A traditional Khmu village will contain anywhere from 30 to 150 families. The preferred site for a village will be 600-800 feet above sea-level on a gentle slope above a basin suitable for grub farming. A nearby stream or river to serve as a water supply and place for bathing, fishing, frog hunting and to gather algae in the dry season is also a necessary feature.

Khmu houses generally have thatch or wooden shingled roofs though metal roofing is becoming more prevalent. Most are built of wood but many times traditional bamboo construction can still be seen.

Houses are built on stilts and it is not unusual to find a family's livestock living in the space under their home. Most homes are still built on a two-room pattern with one serving as the family area and the second as the sleeping quarters for single females only. They are built in enclosed village clusters with three or four gates, each guarded by an altar, leading out from the village being the norm.

In a very sensible arrangement barns for the storing of rice are built 5-6 hundred meters from the village itself. This protects the rice from fire should a tragedy befall the village. A house can be rebuilt but for the Khmu rice is life. These storage buildings are also raised off the ground to help keep the rice dry and prevent rats and mice from invading the storehouses.

Khmu Village Life

Khmu society is still very traditional. Authority within the village is held by the community elders who are looked to for guidance and to settle any disputes within the village. There are customarily four positions of authority. A shaman who is knowledgeable in spiritual medicine. A Medicine Man or Woman who is an expert in practicing herbal medicine. A headman who is the political leader and is now chosen by the Lao government and a priest which is still a hereditary title.

The Khmu are primarily an agricultural people with hunting, fishing, trapping, gathering, raising livestock and bartering with neighboring tribes used as a way to supplement their food supply and generate income. Their primary crops are rice, corn, bananas, sugar cane and a variety of vegetables.

Most of their crops are raised in a communal fashion but each family may have as many as three small gardens that they use to supply their own needs and particular taste. Oranges, tamarinds, sayote along with other fruits, vegetables and a wide variety of fragrant herbs are to be found in these family plots.

Livestock was once raised as a source of protein for the families but has recently become more of a way to generate income. Smaller animals such as goats, native pigs and chickens are the most traditional but the number of buffalos being reared has steadily grown in recent years.

It should also be noted that as the modern world has increasingly encroached on Khmu lands many villagers have begun to seek work as farmhands preferring the small wages paid to the uncertainty of growing their own crops.

Khmu Trade and Work

Among local tribes, the Khmu are noted for their weaving abilities. The men weave baskets that are highly sought after by their neighbors as are the uniquely woven bags produced by the women of the tribe.

They are also known for their iron working abilities. Each village will have several Smithies with a number of blacksmiths working in each shop. Iron ore has by tradition been acquired through the native's bartering system but this is another area where the modern world has affected age-old ways. With the advent of the U.S. war in Vietnam, the Khmu were introduced to steel.

They initially acquired the superior metal by recovering fragments from the bombs dropped by U.S. aircraft. Now, they trade for almost anything made of steel and then rework it to meet their own needs and those of their neighbors. Their smiths are well known for their ability to judge the properties of a metal and its usefulness.

Khmu Beliefs

The Khmu people believe that each family is protected by a sacred totem such as a boar or eagle. They also believe that the fortunes of the tribes are tied to the spirits that inhabit the land, village and each household. You will find alters or amulets at each gate entering a village and inside each home to ward off fires and storms. It is taboo for anyone other than the priest to touch any of these sacred objects. Though many of the old ways are no longer practiced many families still perform the casting of spells and telling of fortunes. This makes them well respected and to some extent feared by their neighbors.

Written by Abraham Short

JungleVine® Fiber: Better Than Hemp™

noemail@noemail.org (Amy McDowell) — Tue, 14 May 2019 16:18:00 -0500

One of the great things about living in today's information society is that we are finally waking up to how the choices we make in our daily lives impact our world. As this awareness grows, old technologies are becoming new again as we search for environmentally friendly products to serve our needs.

For textiles, hemp (Cannabis sativa) is far more eco-friendly than cotton. But the Khmu people in Southeast Asia have been using a fiber for thousands of years that is even better for the environment than hemp. JungleVine® (Pueraria phaseoloides) could well be as much of an improvement over hemp as hemp is over cotton.

Cotton Textiles are Environmentally Brutal

More chemical pesticides and fertilizers are applied to cotton than almost any other crop on the planet. The phrase “fertile fields of cotton” is a myth; cotton fields are saturated in chemical residue and depleted of nutrients by the cotton plants.

Hemp Textiles are Better Than Cotton, However…

Hemp requires 1/10 of the water that cotton requires. It is naturally pest and weed resistant, so it requires little pesticide or herbicide use. However, hemp is an annual and must be reseeded and fertilized each time it is planted. This not only makes it more labor intensive, but necessitates the use of grain drills or other seeding equipment, increasing its carbon footprint. While hemp is more tolerant of poor soil conditions than cotton, it doesn't grow well if not provided with the proper nutrients. To be commercially viable, it requires the use of chemical fertilizers, which are a leading cause of surface water pollution. In the majority of cases, hemp requires the use of mechanical harvesters that burn fossil fuels, creating an even larger carbon footprint.

JungleVine® Fiber is Even Better Than Hemp

JungleVine® is a perennial vine that self-sows, grows, and re-grows without any cultivation or human intervention. It thrives without any fertilizers, pesticides, or any supplemental water beyond rainfall. As a member of the pea family (Fabaceae), the vine fixes nitrogen from the air into the soil and actually improves the soil where it grows. It can be planted in completely barren soil on construction-damaged sites, and as it grows, it improves soil fertility and heals the soil tilth, restoring a healthy ecosystem for insects, birds, and wildlife. JungleVine® is harvested by hand, consuming no fossil fuels in the process.

There is no doubt, from both an ecological and economical point of view, that textiles made from hemp are a vast improvement over cotton. However, JungleVine® Fiber far exceeds even hemp as an environmentally-friendly alternative fiber.

JungleVine® Products are Net Zero

noemail@noemail.org (Amy McDowell) — Fri, 10 May 2019 15:40:00 -0500

Why are JungleVine® Products Net Zero?

JungleVine® Products are handmade by Khmu artisans using fiber from a fast-growing vine. Artisans work in their homes and villages, not factories, so they do not commute to work somewhere away from home.

The vine they use, (Pueraria phaseoloides) is a member of the pea family (Fabaceae), and so it fixes nitrogen from the air into the soil. It actually improves the soil where it grows, and can heal the soil on construction-damaged sites. Like all plants, it purifies the air, converting carbon dioxide into oxygen. JungleVine® can be used as a graze or forage for livestock, it propagates readily, and once established, it requires little to no human intervention to flourish. It grows without cultivation, irrigation, or chemicals. It even has some medicinal qualities.

Most important is the fact that the vine supplies the base material for Khmu artisans to create not only a carbon-neutral product, but a carbon-negative one. This makes JungleVine® both profitable for the artisans who use it, and beneficial to the planet at large.

When the artisans harvest the vine stems for fiber, they do not consume the entire plant, so the crown and remaining stems regrow rapidly, making it a sustainable and self-regenerating resource.

The fiber is remarkably strong and durable, so JungleVine® Bags last a long, long time and can be reused for many years, perhaps even decades. At the end of their long lifespan, all JungleVine® Products are biodegradable and can be composted, where soil organisms and earthworms break down the vine fiber and make the elements of the plant material available for re-use by new plants.

How does the JungleVine Foundation’s Nature Bag Project Strive to be Net Zero?

While working to promote the Khmu artisans’ handmade products, we focus on keeping the carbon footprint of all JungleVine® products as close to zero as we can. Every step of bringing these handmade products from remote artisan villages to buyers all over the world is done with attention to the carbon footprint we create.

Transportation and Fossil Fuels

Each JungleVine® bag weighs less than 70 grams (2.5 oz.), which is an invaluable part of their light consumption of transportation and fossil fuel resources.

No fossil fuel is used until our project transports the finished bags from the acquisition centers to our global headquarters in Luang Prabang. We virtually always use public transportation for the bags within Laos; on passenger busses, bundles of bags are tied on top of the bus or stowed in the luggage hold.

Electricity

Most rural Khmu have nothing that consumes electricity, and if they do, electricity in northern Laos comes entirely from water and solar sources.

Of our warehousing sites, only one, in Iowa USA, requires small amounts of electricity for the occasional use of energy-efficient lighting. The space, insulated by earth on all sides, does not require heating or cooling. In Iowa, more than 37% of our electricity comes from wind power, thus even the small amount of electricity we use there is the greenest in the U.S.

Packaging, Shipping and Waste

Most of the containers we use to ship to buyers are extremely lightweight and biodegradable or recycled. Product inserts are on thin small-sized paper.

From beginning to end, our project creates very little waste. The trash can in our Iowa warehouse, for example, is a tiny 7-gallon waste bin that only needs to be emptied once every six to eight months.

Staff and Volunteer Activities

All of us involved in the Nature Bag Project are frugal with all resources.

Definition of Net Zero

According to the United States Forest Service, Net Zero is a goal to reach the point where our business operations are in balance with our environment. (Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KNBsllXNcBQ)

Staying Green During the Season of Giving

noemail@noemail.org (Abraham Short) — Thu, 8 Dec 2016 11:17:00 -0600

Despite the growing awareness of the many environmental issues facing modern society, it takes real effort to live a green lifestyle in today's world. During the holidays, it would seem almost impossible, but there is hope.

It is estimated that in the United States alone an extra 25 million tons of garbage is generated during the holiday season. Included in this number is 2.65 billion Christmas cards, which is enough to fill a football field higher than a ten-story building. Enough ribbon to tie a bow around the planet 12 times over and 4 million tons of wrapping paper, which accounts for approximately 30 million fewer trees on the planet.

Beyond even these staggering numbers, though, is the untold extra number of sales flyers and catalogs that are sent out this time of year and the vast number of fad presents that consumers get talked into buying for their friends and family that will ultimately be destined for the landfills and incinerators of the country.

There are ways to lower the environmental impact of the holidays and thankfully, most of them are pretty easy to instigate, many will help you save a little coin this year and one special suggestion will even help you recoup some of the season's negatives by being carbon negative.

The most obvious way to cut down on holiday waste is to reuse rather than throw away wrapping materials. True, this may not seem practical for wrapping paper, as most people tear into gifts like a lion on a fresh kill, but the ribbon is another story. If each family in the United States would reuse just three feet of ribbon, it would keep 57,000 miles of ribbon from entering our landfills.

Another of the more obvious ways to trim the holiday waste is actually one of the fastest growing trends of the season, shopping online. The majority of people these days rarely if ever go a day without being online, and many stay constantly connected to the web through their mobile phones and tablets.

If you are going to be online anyway, why not save some time, gas and headaches by doing your shopping there and having it delivered to your door. A note of caution should be added here for the ecological minded. The way some companies package their products for shipping is anything but environmentally friendly, so it pays to do your homework or simply ask before ordering.

Another great new trend we are seeing is people embracing the idea of green gifts. Instead of buying the latest greatest that Madison Ave. is pushing this year, why not give a gift that is in itself a benefit to the environment.

One of the best examples around is the Nature Bag—Earth's Greenest Bag™. Nature Bags are not carbon neutral. They are carbon negative.

They are crafted from a fast-growing jungle vine that is found in northern Laos which actually cleans greenhouse gasses and other pollutants from the atmosphere. The story gets even better from there, though. They are not produced in some smoke-belching, energy hungry factory. Every bag is hand tied by members of the Khmu Tribe, using a design that has served them for over 5,000 years.

They are expandable, rugged, reusable, and beautiful to behold. Best of all, they are being marketed online by as part of the Nature Bag Khmu/Lao Poverty Reduction Project. This is a joint venture by two nonprofits, the U.S. based, JungleVine® Foundation and the Lao-based, Lao JungleVine® Development Ltd. These fine organizations are dedicated to promoting sustainable development, the preservation of native crafts, and protecting the environment.

Every penny spent on a Nature Bag goes to helping some of the poorest people on the planet achieve their dreams of educating their children, preserving their jungle home and providing a viable living for their families, all worthwhile causes.

Too often the joy of the holiday season gets lost in the hustle and bustle rush to get everything done yesterday and there can be a tremendous amount of pressure to forget those ideals that we work so hard to uphold the rest of the year. The holidays don't have to be the season of waste, though. With a little forethought, you can stay green, help those less fortunate, simplify your own life, and save a little money.

Preserving Lao Culture, Empowering Women and Building Bridges of Hope

noemail@noemail.org (Amy McDowell) — Sat, 10 Sep 2016 11:55:00 -0500

As most of us move through our daily lives; talking on our cell phones, driving around town, buying groceries in supermarkets and living in heated and air-conditioned comfort, it is easy for us to forget that there is an entire world of people out there that have little to no idea what many of these experiences are like.

In the landlocked, Southeast Asian country of Laos, there are many people who would fall into this category. For the most part isolated from the rest of the world by the rugged mountain forest terrain that makes up their home, they still live life much as their ancestors have for the last 5000 years.

Subsisting by growing their mountain rice sans mechanical assistance, raising a few farm animals and still practicing the hunter-gatherer lifestyle that has enabled their peoples to survive for millenniums, the forest and their traditional skills are both their tie to the past and, thanks to the work of a few caring people, the key to their future.

A Tale of Two Companies

Time, they say, stands still for no man and the same can be said for the people of northern Laos. As surely as the sun rises, modern society is moving into their world, or perhaps it should be said that they are moving into the modern world.

In recent years, these people, for the first time are gaining access to modern medicines, educational facilities and yes, modern commerce. Much of this is due to the growing efforts of the Lao government, but just as much credit belongs to organizations like Nature Bag and Lao Textiles, two organizations that share a common mission of helping the Lao people preserve their heritage and still reap the benefits the modern world has to offer.

Nature Bag

'Nature Bag Khmu/Lao Poverty Reduction Project' as it is officially named, is a not for profit organization that concentrates its efforts on helping members of the Khmu tribe and when we say not for profit that is exactly what we mean. There are no highly paid officers. In fact, though in business for over 10 years, its founders have yet to even recover their original seed money, preferring to reinvest the limited profits, from selling handcrafted, Nature Bags back into the communities that they serve through educational and logistical support.

Lao Textiles

'Lao Textiles' has been operating in Laos for almost 30 years and was the very first American Company to be allowed in the country after the Vietnam War ended. Husband and wife team Carol Cassidy and Dawit Seyoum first came to the country in 1989 as U.N. Development advisers but soon set up their own company.

Carol, a weaver from the age of seventeen, fell in love with the traditional silk weaving of the Lao people and has since dedicated herself to preserving it as a craft. In her own words, ". . . stability, ethnic identity, employment, women empowerment, culture is all interwoven in what we're doing here at Lao Textiles."

Two companies, two different sets of people, two different ways of doing business, but one common heart behind both ventures; a love for the Lao people, their culture, their traditions and an appreciation of the beautiful crafts produced by these very talented people.

Why Biking?

noemail@noemail.org (Alan Rodriguez) — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 10:50:00 -0500

Like many people my age, I grew up riding a bicycle. It wasn’t just for fun, but was practical transportation from my rural home a few miles outside our small Wisconsin town to wherever I wanted to go from the age of 10 or so until I got my driver’s license.

Now more and more people are biking, and the reasons are many and varied. After years riding a bike very sporadically (as evidenced by the dust and cobwebs I needed to clean off each time I took mine out of the garage), a few years ago I finally ditched my old 10-speed and got a new hybrid bike with a comfortable seat, which I’m trying to use more regularly. Knowing the pitfalls and perks I’ve experienced, I decided to delve deeper into why others make the effort to ride.

So, why bike? Here are four reasons I can think of:

One - Cheaper for you. For the price of a single car payment, you can buy a well-made bike that should outlast most cars. Though most households in the U. S. need at least one car, many could avoid the expense of a second vehicle by substituting the use of a bike. And with the cost of gas today, replacing even a short daily car commute with a bike will save you hundreds of dollars a year.

Two - Cheaper for the community. A 20-pound bicycle is a lot less rough on the pavement than a two-ton vehicle. Fewer cars mean fewer miles of roadways and bridges. What’s more, you can store a dozen bikes in the space it takes to park one car, so fewer parking lots are needed. Those vast expanses of concrete or asphalt have enormous environmental and financial impact, especially in urban areas.

Three - Greener for Planet. Obviously substituting leg power for a gasoline-powered engine is better for the environment. But there are other green bennies as well. A bike has a tiny manufacturing footprint compared to a car and is much easier to dispose of when it’s past its useful life. Think of the landfill space consumed by old cars and you start to get the idea.

Four - Good for Our health – The health benefit of regular aerobic exercise is well known. Not only is it good for your heart and lungs, but regular riding helps prevent many kids of chronic disease, including cancer. Biking increases strength, balance, flexibility, endurance and stamina. It’s a proven stress reliever. And then there’s the vanity appeal. Let’s face it – hardcore cyclers have amazing bodies. You can easily burn 600 calories per hour of cycling. Most bike commuters report losing 15 to 20 lbs. during their first year without changing their eating habits. And employers take note -- studies show that employees who regularly commute by bike are healthier, more productive and require less time off than those who drive a car.

Of course there are downsides to cycling, not the least of which is dealing with inattentive and careless drivers. Staying safe can definitely be a challenge anywhere other than on a trail. That challenge is partially being addressed through the development of more bike lanes and trails. Another challenge for those of us in northern climes is the weather, especially this past winter! You will never catch me on a bike in the snow or rain, but I figure cycling in good weather is better than not doing it at all. And for those who are willing to do it year round, more power to them.

Finally, there is the issue of where you put your stuff when using you bike, especially if you’re commuting to work or running errands. Many cyclists tote backpacks, which are often a good solution other than they are not particularly green. I’ve found a practical and green solution is to use my Nature Bag®. For a complete list of retailers and more info on the bags, visit the website at www.naturebag.org.

by Peggy Huppert, Earnest Earth Mother

Peggy Huppert is the mother of three adult children, one step-son and three granddogs. She is a senior leader for a national health nonprofit and lives in the Twin Cities, USA area.

The Great Pacific Garbage Patch: We All Contribute

noemail@noemail.org (Alan Rodriguez) — Fri, 7 Jun 2013 23:24:00 -0500

One of the most exciting (or depressing, I’m not sure which) aspects of my environmental journey is learning things I had no idea about. Sometimes I know a little (enough to be dangerous?), sometimes nothing at all. The topic of today’s blog falls into that “nothing at all” category.

Have you ever heard of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch (GPGP)? Well, neither had I until recently. Being a lifelong Midwesterner my initial reaction was “Nothing to do with me.” Turns out, it has a LOT to do with me, with all of us. We helped cause it, and we can help cure it.

So what is this exactly? Actually it’s two areas in the Pacific – one between California and Hawaii (Eastern) and one between Hawaii and Japan (Western) – that together make up the largest landfill in the world. Except, of course, it’s not on land. These areas were formed by gyres, a slowly moving, clockwise spiral of currents created by air currents. The area is an oceanic desert, filled with tiny phytoplankton but few big fish or mammals. Due to its lack of large fish and gentle breezes, fishermen and sailors rarely travel through the gyre. But the area is filled with something besides plankton: trash, millions of pounds of it, most of it plastic.

The scope is hard to imagine. Scientists estimate the size of the Eastern Garbage Patch alone at two times bigger than Texas. That’s a lot of plastic! Of the more than 200 billion pounds of plastic the world produces each year, about 10 percent ends up in the ocean. Seventy percent of that eventually sinks, damaging life on the ocean floor. The rest floats; much of it ends up in gyres and the massive garbage patches that form there,

with some plastic eventually washing up on a distant shore.

Of course you can imagine what that does to ocean life. We've all seen photos of dolphins and sea turtles bound by plastic netting or birds with plastic rings around their beaks. Then there’s the jellyfish that swallow plastic bags whole and the birds that turn up dead with bellies full of plastic. Plastic never completely biodegrades. Mother Nature is gagging on it.

So when you leave an empty water bottle in the grass or the beach, let a plastic grocery sack fly down the driveway or even flick one of those little plastic stickers from an apple onto the ground, you are contributing to the GPGP. There is really no effective way to clean it up. The best we can hope for at this point is to drastically slow down what’s feeding it, which is our insatiable appetite for disposable plastics.

Here are three suggestions of how we all can help shrink the size of the GPGP:

Don’t use plastic disposable water bottles. Instead, go with a reusable or (gasp!) glass of tap water,
Stop using disposable plastic bags. Again, go with reusable, like those from www.naturebag.org,
Travel only on cruise lines with ocean-friendly policies. Cruise, cargo and fishing hips are major contributors to the garbage patch.

by Peggy Huppert, Earnest Earth Mother

Peggy Huppert is the mother of three adult children, one step-son and three granddogs. She is a senior leader for a national health nonprofit and lives in the Twin Cities, USA area.

Nature Bag™ - Earth's Greenest Bag™ Reusable Bags

Banning or Taxing Disposable Plastic Bags: Not So Green

noemail@noemail.org (Alan Rodriguez) — Mon, 27 May 2013 00:47:00 -0500

I won my junior high school poster contest celebrating the first Earth Day. I've recycled for over 20 years. I follow family members around the house turning off lights and adjusting the thermostat.

Those are just some of my bona fides as a suburban mom concerned about the environment who preaches (and practices) “Reduce, Reuse, And Recycle”. Therefore it was quite disconcerting to learn that my disgust for disposable plastic bags and support for banning them may be misplaced.

Not that those annoying, flimsy plastic receptacles are good for much other than lining the pockets of those who make them. Au contraire. For one thing there are far too many of them – between 200 and 300 million bags PER YEAR are used in each major US city. Although they've only been in widespread use since the late 1970's they've become a consumer staple around the world.

It didn't take long for people to discover the downsides of these modern miracles. Each one generally turns into a piece of litter, which not only are a blight on the community landscape but also pose a serious threat to the health of citizens, wildlife and surrounding bodies of water. Since 2002, when Ireland became the first country to enact a per-bag tax, several countries and many local communities have followed suit, adopting either a bag tax or an outright ban. In 2007 San Francisco became the first US city to ban the bags (with some exceptions). In 2010 Washington DC imposed a per-bag fee of 5 cents on any type of disposable sack (including paper). That fee had a huge impact on consumer behavior, reducing bag usage from an estimated 270 million bags per year to 55 million.

Good, right? Well, hold on a minute. It seems we need to ask what we’re replacing those bags with. That’s because the cheap, reusable bags handed out for free, or sold for a dollar or two by many merchants, are made of something called “non-woven polypropylene” and have a greater carbon footprint than the flimsy plastic bags! Their short lifespan and the fossil fuels needed to manufacture them are harmful to the planet. Their remnants present disposal problems worse than plastic. And then there’s the concern that most of these bags are manufactured in low-wage Chinese factories.

A recent British study showed that the increasingly common, cheap, reusable bag would need to be reused 11 times to be on equal footing with disposable plastic that is not reused. If every plastic bag was reused only once (which many are), you would need to use the cheap “green” bag 26 times to be equivalent in reducing carbon in the atmosphere.

OK … what about higher-quality bags made from more natural material, like cotton? That must be better, right?

Unfortunately, no. In fact, according to that British study, because of the huge quantity of fossil fuels required for growing, processing and manufacturing cotton bags you’d need to reuse one non-organic, factory-made bag up to 327 times to equal the carbon footprint of one flimsy plastic bag.

So now I’m starting to feel bad, and a little used. Merchants pushing the cheap reusables in the name of being “green” are luring us all into believing we’re being good citizens of the earth when in fact we’re not doing much good at all. And what about all those nonprofits giving away reusable bags with their names and logos on them in return for a donation or participation in an event? I used to feel darn good presenting them to the grocery bagger. Not so much anymore.

So what’s Earnest Earth Mother to do? Thankfully I found a solution. We can use and encourage others to use more expensive reusables made of organic cotton, hemp, jute or JungleVine®.

That last one is something I just discovered, and I’m pretty keen on it. Called Nature Bag, these totes involve no manufacturing or agriculture and weight only about 2 ounces. That’s because they’re made from a wild-growing vine fiber (tropical kudzu), which purifies the air as it grows, removing carbon and producing oxygen. Although it looks fragile, it is in fact very durable, promising years of break-proof, versatile and stretchable use.

And here’s another thing to love about Nature Bag - the Earth’s Greenest Bag™ is made by members of the Khmu tribe, the indigenous ethnic group of northern Laos, which has used the bag for thousands of years. They hand-gather the vine and produce the bags in their villages, so no commuting or manufacturing is required. This venture is supported by the Lao government as an anti-poverty measure that strengthens traditional village life.

Nature Bag is truly an inexpensive alternative to plastic, ranging in price from $15 to $35. They’re well worth the price. I’m stocking up and making sure I have enough in my vehicles so I won’t be caught bag-less ever again.

Check out www.naturebag.org.

by Peggy Huppert, Earnest Earth Mother

Peggy Huppert is the mother of three adult children, one step-son and three granddogs. She is a senior leader for a national health nonprofit and lives in the Twin Cities, USA area.

Nature Bag™ - Earth's Greenest Bag™ Reusable Bags

Going Green Is So Much Simpler Than Most People Think

noemail@noemail.org (Vivian Ramirez) — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 10:29:00 -0500

by Colin Rojas

An increasing number of people are now wanting to do their part to save the planet due to the worsening problems caused by global warming. Unfortunately, numerous people assume that going green is costly and time consuming. Read on to discover several immediate things you can do to get on on the path to living green.

Recycling is the top way to start. A lot of people continue to place glass and aluminum items in their normal garbage even though recycling is not that hard to do today. In the US, it's not hard to locate a trash service that offers glass and aluminum recycling choices. Many people still continue to discard these items even though recycling bins are not hard to find. It merely takes a few minutes to wash off the cans and bottles before placing them into the recycle bin.

Newspapers are another item that overburden our landfills. But there are many other uses that you can get out of your newsprint other than poring over it it. Did you know that you can keep your windows clean using newspapers? If you're tired of seeing small white fragments and streaks on your windowpanes after you clean them with paper towels and cleaner, try to use old newspapers instead.

One more thing that could help you to start to live green is to begin walking a bit more. Lots of people routinely drive short distances merely to buy one thing at their local corner market. If you just walk to the store, not only could it take less time, because you won't have to locate a parking spot, but you will be saving money on gas and helping to save planet Earth by not burning those fuels.

If you wish to save even more on gas, take the chance to car pool when you can and only mow your lawn two times a month instead of weekly. A gorgeous lawn is good to have but skipping an additional week before you mow again shouldn't significantly affect it. Using a manual push mower like those more normally used many, many years ago will help to save the environment even more. Numerous hardware shops still carry this type of mower.

When people make up their mind to try green living, it's easy to make a few lifestyle modifications that will benefit our environment. Likewise, you can find lots of info all over the Internet on other ways to start living green, you only have to look for it.

Vivian H Ramirez
Editor/Project Volunteer

Nature Bag™ - Earth's Greenest Bag™ Reusable Bags

Images from Sack's Trip

noemail@noemail.org (Vivian Ramirez) — Tue, 26 Mar 2013 14:54:00 -0500

Passengers push their bus up a slippery steep slope near Nalae in Luang Prabang Province Laos. The Namtha (River Tha) can be seen far below.

Having made it through the greasy mud into the District Center, Nalae, Sack finds these young Khmu boys eager and proud to show a Nature Bag made by their family.

That's Sack in Nalae talking with a local woman about bag crafting villages in nearby mountains. She knew where they were and how to contact them to help meet future global demand for Earth’s Greenest Bag™.

Bokeo Province villager uses 2 Nature Bags. The heavy load of corn looks like a pain in the neck, but she's been carrying Earth’s Greenest Bag™ via her forehead since she was a young girl.

Sack found these 4 women carrying a total of 5 bags in Luang Namtha city. Two are of non-woven polypropylene; 2 others are made from nylon cord. The traditional bag made of genuine Jungle Vine® is the darker of the 2 carried on the forehead of the woman on the far left.

The weather was dryer when Sack approached a Khmu village in Bokeo Province. He used a motorbike for his research during several days in Bokeo, which is fewer than 160 km (96 miles) from our global headquarters. Because of mountains, the bus ride between the 2 places takes from 14 to 20 hours.

Nature Bag™ - Earth's Greenest Bag™ Reusable Bags

We're Working to Save the Craft

noemail@noemail.org (Vivian Ramirez) — Thu, 7 Mar 2013 12:21:00 -0600

The traditional Khmu bag, known today as Nature Bag, Earth’s Greenest Bag™ is endangered. The craft of making it rapidly is disappearing from large areas in Laos’ north.

A traditional bag can take days to make.

In August 2012 Volunteer Sack spent 6 weeks tracking down villages in Bokeo and Luang Namtha provinces where the Khmu still can make the bag. If girls cannot learn the craft from their mother, it is unlikely they ever learn. Soon the craft could die.

Saving this ancient craft that dates back perhaps 5,000 years has become a primary goal of the Nature Bag Khmu/Lao Poverty Reduction Project. It is as important as sharing Earth’s Greenest Bag™ with our global community.

The trip was an adventure and lesson for Sack, whose family lives in a village similar to a Khmu village where his mother grows highland rice for family food and a little cash income. His father no longer can work because of lung damage caused by nicotine.

Currently serving as a “practice teacher” for 2 years without pay in a village an hour from Luang Prabang, Sack had experienced hard life there and in the remote village where he grew up. But hard life came in different forms while he prospected for bag-crafting skills during the rainy season school holiday.

Equally challenging but more exciting were his treks through mountain jungle to identify crafting villages needed to meet global demand for Earth’s Greenest Bag while saving the craft.

Help us continue this wonderful and ancient tradition by sharing our newsletters and visiting our NatureBag.org website. You can also join us on Facebook and Twitter.

Remember, Earth Day April 22, 2013! Make a difference and show your support.

Images from Sack's Trip

Passengers push their bus up a slippery steep slope near Nalae in Luang Prabang Province Laos. The Namtha (River Tha) can be seen far below.

Having made it through the greasy mud into the District Center, Nalae, Sack finds these young Khmu boys eager and proud to show a Nature Bag made by their family.

Bokeo Province villager uses 2 Nature Bags. The heavy load of corn looks like a pain in the neck, but she's been carrying Earth’s Greenest Bag™ via her forehead since she was a young girl.

Nature Bag™ - Earth's Greenest Bag™ Reusable Bags

Watch Where You Step: Understanding Your Carbon Footprint

noemail@noemail.org (Vivian Ramirez) — Tue, 19 Feb 2013 09:22:00 -0600

While making visits to national parks or forest preserves, you'll often be told to leave nothing but footprints. This is always a good policy in these types of situations. However, we often forget, or simply do not know that wherever we go, we actually leave two sets of footprints. Your physical footprint is, for the most part, a harmless indentation left behind wherever you step. Your other footprint is what is known as your carbon footprint, essentially the level of greenhouse gases your lifestyle and activity emit into the environment. We'd like to help you understand not only what your carbon footprint is, but also how to measure it and identify some simple ways to reduce it and to save energy.

Your Carbon Footprint: What Is It?

By definition, a carbon footprint is the total set of greenhouse gas emissions caused by an organization, event, product, or person. This means that if you live a lifestyle that requires the use of a greater amount of energy and fossil fuels that form greenhouse gases through combustion, the larger your impact on the environment and your carbon footprint will be. Often people consider their carbon footprint to be the result of their immediate use of fossil fuels and energy usage, like cooking with natural gas or using petroleum to run their automobile. However, your carbon footprint consists of many activities that can be far less obvious. This may include the fossil fuels used to transport the food that you buy at your local grocery store, or the energy used to dispose of the waste produced in your household. All this comes into account when trying to make an accurate estimate of what impact is left behind by your daily activities and choices.

How to Measure Your Carbon Footprint

Perhaps not surprisingly, the U.S. has one of the largest carbon footprints in the world, ranking #2 in total emissions (other countries near the top include China #1, India #3, Russia #4 and Japan #5) but #1 in emissions per capita. Since this much larger footprint is made up of many much smaller individual footprints, it is important to understand your contribution and responsibility to the greater whole. Individually, the average American produces 9.44 tons of carbon dioxide on their own each year! Did this surprise you? The link below will help you to calculate the size of the carbon footprint of your household: http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/emissions/ind_calculator.html.

How to Reduce Your Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Taking small steps to reduce your carbon footprint and saving energy is actually fairly simple. Here is a list of some easy things that you can do to live a more environmentally healthy lifestyle.

- Limit Consumption of Bottled Water. The production, consumption and disposal of bottled water leaves a rather significant carbon footprint. It requires the combustion of fossil fuels to make the bottle, transport it, and dispose of it if it's not recycled. In-house filtration systems can reduce your impact and cost for water.

- Unplug Appliances That Are Not Frequently In Use. Most of these items have a standby mode that wastes energy even when they're not in use. Unplugging is the best way to ensure that unnecessary energy is not lost. With a powerstrip, you can even switch off more than one appliance at once.

- Use Cold Water. No, I'm not suggesting that you start taking cold showers. Using colder water to wash clothes that do not require a hot water wash is a great way to reduce your carbon footprint. While washers already require a lot of energy to run, it takes even more to heat the water. Using cold water whenever possible can make a big difference and will increase your energy saving.

- Recycle And Reuse. Recycling uses a lot less energy since it is reducing the greenhouse gas emissions that would come out of creating a completely new product.

- Upgrade The Energy Efficiency Of Your Home. New energy efficient light bulbs, filters, and appliances could have a massive impact in reducing your carbon footprint. Less energy used means less greenhouse gas emissions. Even just maintaining and taking care of the appliances and products you already own can ensure a smaller footprint without spending a lot of money. You can measure the energy efficiency of your home and your potential energy savings at www.energyresults.com.

With easy steps like these, you are on your way to increasing your energy savings and reducing the size of the carbon footprint left behind. We all have a role in trying to shrink the adverse impact we have on the environment, not only as an individual, but also as a member of a household, as a citizen of a country, and as an inhabitant of planet earth.

Energyresults

Nature Bag™ - Earth's Greenest Bag™ Reusable Bags

Nature Bag Sponsors Natural Dye Workshop

noemail@noemail.org (Vivian Ramirez) — Wed, 16 Jan 2013 11:10:00 -0600

The early morning Northern Laos sky was a brilliant blue as an European, an American and 10 Lao gathered on a point of land at the base of the massive Kuang Si waterfall for a workshop on using nearby forest products to add color to Earth’s Greenest Bag™.

After exchanging greetings and sharing fresh organic coffee grown 500 km south in the landlocked Southeast Asian nation, the group moved into the surrounding jungle to find the bark of a special tree that would be the source of the color for the first natural dye. The temperature was comfortable thanks to a thunderstorm an hour earlier. The smell was sweet from a multitude of Lao jungle flowers.

As the roar of the quickly moving water falling from the mountain looming overhead permeated the air, a fire was built, and a large kettle half-full of water propped by rocks over the flames began to steam as the water’s temperature rapidly rose. While most of the group tended the soon boiling caldron, two Khmu Nature Bag crafters expertly extracted thin white ribbons of JungleVine® fiber from segments of stem of wild growing vine harvested an hour earlier further up the mountain.

This was the beginning of a 3 day collaboration involving people from 3 continents sharing knowledge and experiences. The purpose was to refine methods of using natural dyes to add color to the JungleVine® cord that the Khmu would soon “spin” using the satin-like glossy thin white ribbons now drying in the air.

Vanvisa at the Falls Lodge

The location seemed magical. It was at the countryside guesthouse, Vanvisa at the Falls Lodge, created and operated by Nature Bag Khmu/Laos Consultant/Volunteer Vandara and her husband. Located about 30 km (16 miles) outside of the UNESCO World Heritage town of Luang Prabang, it’s a great place to relax in dense jungle, to attend Lao cooking classes or to create natural dyes for decorating Earth’s Greenest Bag™.

In addition to the sounds of local children playing in the swirling currents of water nearby and birds singing their tunes, a relaxing “white noise” from bubbling torrents blanketed the setting, soothing and relaxing all who were there. One needed to resist becoming hypnotized by the hundreds of colorful butterflies in the air assisted by the soothing sounds.

As the liquid in the large kettle boiled and transformed to darker browns, pieces of the bark that had been in the developing dye for a few minutes were scooped out and replaced with fresh thin pieces of the special but abundant bark. Dried twigs, also gathered nearby, provided the fuel to make the raging fire and created a bed of glowing coals beneath the rock-supported kettle.

Organized and sponsored by Vandara and the Nature Bag Project’s Lao National Coordinator/Volunteer Sith, the countryside volunteers and the Khmu had traveled 14 hours on winding mountain roads the day before in Countryside Coordinator/Volunteer Ounkham’s truck to come from their villages in the more northerly Oudomxai Province.

Ineke Poort-Van Euk from The Hague had flown 16 hours for her first stay in Laos as part of The Netherlands Senior Experts volunteer program to share European knowledge with third-world nations.

The American, Nature Bag Sponsor/Volunteer Bill was beginning a 3 week assignment in Laos, having traveled more than 30 hours from the U.S. state of Iowa on his 5th trip to Laos in 2012.

Soon it was time for a delicious lunch at tables set only a few meters away from the turbulent water of Kuang Si. The contents of the pot had become a dense almost black dye that would be fixed to the JungleVine® cord later in the day.

In the following days berries, leaves and flowers from plants growing nearby would be similarly processed to make natural organic dyes of a variety of colors.

The materials used for the colors had been carefully selected by Vandara. An expert on Lao jungle plants, she wanted to use vegetation that also would be readily available in Oudomxai where the Khmu crafters would be using them.

Bag crafters Pa Sa and Som already had experience making dye from plants. But most of the time when they added color to the difficult-to-stain JungleVine® fabric used in their Nature Bags, they used man-made dyes from Thailand.

The underlying objective was to enable the Khmu to craft sustainable bags with colors that would meet the stringent standards of being purely organic for Nature Bag retailers like Kanga Organics of Singapore. Currently Kanga Organics can offer its customers only the Pahk style Nature Bag because it is impossible to assure that each home crafted bag with color contains only natural dye. Although its rich tan/golden-brown silk-like sheer finish is inherently beautiful, sometimes one wants to make a bolder statement, and that requires color.

Ineke Poort-Van Euk would be Vandara’s guest for 2 weeks. Her expertise includes techniques to “fix” dyes so that they are more fade-resistant and do not “bleed” into nearby a materials. “Fixing” is especially critical when coloring a stain-resistant fabric like JungleVine®.

Our first completely organic color reusable totes will be in the Sidh or Noy styles and available early in 2013. After the 3 days of work in the jungle, everyone who participated had learned from the others while enjoying the diversity of backgrounds of their colleagues. Fulfillment was felt as the challenges of adding color to the stubbornly-resistant JungleVine® and fixing it to stay were met and solved by these 10 people from all over the globe.

Vivian Ramirez
Editor/Volunteer

Nature Bag Crafter's New Experiences with Natural Colors

noemail@noemail.org (Vivian Ramirez) — Wed, 16 Jan 2013 11:10:00 -0600

The Netherlands Senior Expert Ineke Poort-Van Eljk, Bag Crafter Pa Sa, Consultant/Volunteer Vandara, Bag Crafter Som confer before a workshop session.

For Nature Bag crafters Pa Sa and Som, the 5 day trip to learn about using natural colors in the stain-resistant JungleVine® fiber of their bags was a major life experience. Although the journey from their rural villages to near UNESCO World Heritage Luang Prabang took only a day, neither had ever been so far away from home or away from home for so long.

Pa Sa had traveled 80 km (64 mile) to a Khmu village near her provincial capital of Oudomxai 6 years ago to be a bag crafting trainer for a United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) project to replace income lost to opium eradication. Traveling with Nature Bag Khmu/Lao Poverty Reduction Project Bounsou Keoamphone, she then was excited but also apprehensive about being so far away from home.

But that was just one night away from her husband, children and neighbors, which were most of the world as she knew it. The trip to Luang Prabang would involve being away for 5 nights.

For Som, the trip to Luang Prabang was the first time she’d been more than 10 km (6 miles) away from her village, and the first night she’d slept anywhere except her own home. The guesthouse that served as her temporary home was a completely new adventure. There's nothing similar near her village; overnight housing for travelers is more than an hour drive from her village.

“The shower in the bathroom and the air conditioning are things I had heard about,” Som said. “But to actually experience them was hard to believe. I didn’t like the hot water because I’m used to bathing in the river or a village pond where the water can be cold,” she said.

Even the guesthouse beds were a new experience for the Nature Bag crafters. There are no beds in rural Khmu homes. Neither had ever slept in one.

“The first night it was strange,” Pa Sa said. “But by the last night I had grown accustomed to it. Perhaps someday there will be a bed in my house.”

On the fifth day, before beginning the overnight drive back home, Countryside Volunteer Khamdeng accompanied Pa Sa & Som to the large Phosey market in Luang Prabang where they spent some of the money the Nature Bag Project had given them to attend the natural dye workshop. They found lots of useful things to take home that are not normally available for them in their district’s markets.

There also was a little time for Pa Sa & Som to explore Luang Prabang’s main street. They were amazed to find so many tourists from all over the world, some of whom were dressed in clothing that the Khmu thought was “very strange.”

“We were surprised to find some of the foreign women revealing so much of their bodies,” Som said. “Many of our men and boys take off their shirts when it is hot and they are working, but to see men walking in the town without legs on their pants (shorts) made it difficult not to stare at them.”

Vivian Ramirez
Editor/Volunteer

Crafter Pia's Daughter Helps Her Create Bags

noemail@noemail.org (Vivian Ramirez) — Mon, 24 Sep 2012 13:26:00 -0500

Each month, we post a different Nature Bag Crafter interview so our readers can see how beneficial the Nature Bag Khmu/Laos Poverty Reduction Project is and learn more about the Khmu crafters of the eco-friendly tote.

Ounkahm: How old are you?
Pia: I am 48 years old.
Ounkahm: How many children do you have
Pia: I have 5 children.
Ounkahm: How many in your family help you make Earth’s Greenest bag?
Pia: Only two, myself and my oldest daughter.
Ounkahm: What do you do with the finished bag?
Pia: hmm… I sell, trade for clothes, blankets, bed sheets or anything that is needed for my family.
Ounkahm: How long have you been creating Nature Bags?
Pia: I have been making our organic totes since I was little. There was a time when there was not much interest in buying the bag, so most of us make the bag with the nylon because the material is cheaper and we can do it faster.
Ounkahm: I see, I think, making bag with nature material is great for the environment and you can preserve your old culture of making bag.
Pia: I agree with that if there is someone wants our Nature Bag.
Ounkahm: Well, we want them!

Souksavath Ounkahm
Countryside Coordinator/Volunteer

JungleVine® Fabric Is More Than an Exfoliant

noemail@noemail.org (Vivian Ramirez) — Fri, 21 Sep 2012 13:54:00 -0500

The Nature Bag Khmu/Lao Poverty Reduction Project learned several months ago that its JungleVine® fabric traditionally has been used as an organic skincare product in northern Japan. Responding to our article in last month’s newsletter, several readers suggested that JungleVine® on the skin probably was acting as an exfoliant.

An exfoliant removes dead cells from the skin surface. An exfoliant textile uses a mild abrasive action in the process. The luffa (also spelled loofa) sponge, from the interior of varieties of the luffa gourd, is the most widely-known non-chemical exfoliant.

Without doubt exfoliation is a natural result of using JungleVine® for skincare. Usually the fabric is dampened or used in the shower/bath similar to a sponge. Using it dry increases the abrasive effect, can remove hair and intensifies the stimulation of the skin, resulting in increased blood circulation.

Our experimentation with JungleVine® fabric for skincare continues. We have learned that it is safe (and believed to be wise) to use dampened JungleVine® gently on a baby’s skin beginning at the age of approximately 4 months.

Vivian H Ramirez
Volunteer/Editor

Earth’s Greenest Bag™ Searches for Artisans

noemail@noemail.org (Anousith Phonethasith) — Thu, 16 Aug 2012 11:45:00 -0500

Volunteer Sack is on a 6 week trip through 3 Lao provinces to identify villages where the skill to make Earth’s Greenest Bag™ still exists.

“I am trying to anticipate the need for increased bag production as global demand grows,” said Sack from Houay Xay, on the Lao/Thailand border. “My journey will take me into remote areas ordinarily accessible only to Khmu people,” he said.

Already there was enormous pay-off during the first week when Sack located people who had worked with Khmu villages on producing handicrafts nearly 15 years ago. They were able to provide much information about distant villages so that he could plan his itinerary.

“The timing of my trip is critical because many villages already use scraps of chemical-based fabric from Chinese shipping sacks to make their bags, which is much faster and easier,” Sack said. “Of course the artificial bags do not last as long, do not stretch and do not grasp their cargo like a Nature Bag.”

Other villages make bags similar to Earth’s Greenest Bag™ using nylon cord from China. Although durable, such bags are far from being “green” because of their fossil fuel content and the disposal problems they present to the environment.

Among the goals of the Nature Bag Khmu/Lao Poverty Reduction Project is the preservation of the art of crafting Earth’s Greenest Bag™ which has existed for thousands of years.

Anousith Phonethasith
Volunteer

The Importance Of Insects

noemail@noemail.org (Vivian Ramirez) — Wed, 25 Jul 2012 09:51:00 -0500

'Teach them to love the insects'

When the Dalai Lama was asked the most important thing to teach children, his response was (reportedly) "teach them to love the insects".

It's not uncommon to fear or loathe insects and "creepy crawlies". It's not an instinctive thing; rather learned behavior in many cases. Just as beauty among humans is often perceived based on what society dictates rather than the eye of the beholder, so to is it in regard to other creatures on our planet. Our views may also be shaped through limited experiences with a species.

I remember seeing an experiment many years ago where a harmless spider was placed in the presence of a mother and very young child. When the mother didn't react, neither did the child - he had no fear of the creature. However, when the same mother then expressed fear and disgust, it had a marked affect on the child; and continued to do so in experiments that followed.

(Trivia - a spider is not an insect, it's an arachnid; but anyhow).

When I was young, a friend told me that dragonflies drop acid "bombs" from their tails. I believed him and it took me years to get over my irrational fear of dragonflies. These days I smile whenever I see one, thinking back to how silly my fear was.

We often see insects as little more than biological robots, pests or even monsters - incapable of real thought or emotion. However, the concept of insects not experiencing emotion is being challenged. Some species may indeed be sentient beings.

Regardless of whether they have feelings or not, insects are an incredibly important part of our planet. They are a food source, they are pollinators (and not just bees), soil aerators, disposers of waste, control other pests and provide fertilizer.

In order to "love the insects", there has to be understanding and interest. Too often we are blind to these creatures; crushing them underfoot without a second thought; not grasping how incredibly intricate and refined they are.

We need to be able to marvel at the extraordinary strength of the ant, which can lift and carry fifty times its own weight; or the dragonfly that can zip along at speeds of up to 60 miles per hour. We should be in awe of the froghopper - when it jumps, it accelerates at 13,000 ft per second and endures a G-force over 400 times its own body weight.

Whether common or exotic, "ugly" or "beautiful", all insects have fascinating aspects.

Yes, insects can be poisonous or cause other problems, so we need to eradicate them in some scenarios. Even the Dalai Lama has a "three strikes and you're out" policy with mosquitoes.

But bear in mind everything has its place. A termite colony chomping away at your home isn't the same as termite colony out in the forest. It's not a problem there, it's an integral part of that ecosystem - and only 10 percent of the 2,750 known termite species are "pests".

Mention the word "cockroach" and many people will screw their nose up in disgust - but it's a similar situation there where a comparative handful of species have given the entire cockroach world a bad name. Only around 30 species out of 4500 are associated with human habitations.

A honeybee is not hell-bent on stinging you - it's far too busy going about its work and aside from the fact bees aren't generally aggressive except in specific circumstances; if a honeybee stings you, it dies.

To cultivate an interest in and respect for insects is easy. Think about the insects around your own yard and run a search on the species. You may be amazed at what you discover. Learning more about these creatures can also alter the way you deal with some insect problems you experience.

Don't forget to tell your children what you discover so they may also learn to "love the insects".

Michael Bloch
Green Living Tips.com

JungleVine® Fabric Used in Japan as Organic Skin Conditioner

noemail@noemail.org (Vivian Ramirez) — Thu, 19 Jul 2012 13:08:00 -0500

Our retailer in Singapore, Kanga Organics, is testing JungleVine® fabric as an organic skin conditioner. Our new volunteer Vandara (see the below article) has brought us exciting news that the fabric of the Earth's Greenest Bag has been used in areas of northern Japan to make aging skin young, blemished skin smooth and dry skin naturally moist.

Vandara uses the miraculous ancient fabric regularly, and her skin is as beautiful as we’ve seen. Several other volunteers are experimenting to see what results they experience. Its use can be as simple as rubbing it against the skin for a few minutes daily.

Vivian H Ramirez
Volunteer/Editor

“Green” on the Go...with Style!

noemail@noemail.org (Vivian Ramirez) — Tue, 8 May 2012 12:06:00 -0500

No matter who you are, we all end up having too much to carry with us. When choosing a purse, grocery sack or tote bag, there are few options out there where we can really “know” what they’re made of, let alone who made them and if they are eco-friendly too.

Nature Bag gives you the durability and style wanted in a carry along bag with the added benefit of knowing we are aiding the environment and helping to reduce poverty.

Unique in style, structure and shape, Nature Bag is homemade from wild-growing JungleVine® fiber in Laos and is completely bio-degradable. Lightweight yet strong and remarkably versatile, Nature Bag definitely makes a “green” statement.

The Nature Bag website goes into great detail about the indigenous Khmu people who are the designers of the bag and outlines how making Nature Bag has helped them.

The stretchable but durable fabric is completely organic and carries with it the unique property of being able to purify surrounding air by creating oxygen to breathe. For most, Nature Bag can last for a lifetime with modest care and when ready for a new one, simply drop into your compost pile to enrich your garden.

Nature Bag is now available across the world and comes in several styles, colors and sizes depending on the need. Great for use while shopping, as a recycle drop hung on a door, a gym or garden bag, a trendy purse, or given as a thoughtful gift.

Nature Bag is the right choice for an environmentally conscious world.

Vivian H Ramirez
Editor/Volunteer

Is your Cloth Bag REALLY Eco-friendly?

noemail@noemail.org (Vivian Ramirez) — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 15:06:00 -0600

Be careful that your cloth bags actually are eco-friendly.

Cotton bags (unless they are organic) have a much larger carbon footprint than "disposable" plastic because of the intensive agriculture and manufacturing they require. Even hemp bags, because they are made from cultivated hemp and usually in factories, have significant carbon footprints. The Nature Bag Khmu/Lao Poverty Reduction Project, sharing Earth's Greenest Bag globally, is truly eco-friendly because of its hand-harvested naturally-growing fiber, in-home crafting, long life cycle & minimal weight allowing delivery anywhere with almost no consumption of fossil-sourced energy. It's socially sustainable, too, being a tool for thousands of years for the ancient culture that makes it today to provide income without wasteful commuting & allowing traditional child nurturing.

http://www.naturebag.org

Vivian Ramirez

Volunteer

Make This Holiday Special

noemail@noemail.org (Vivian Ramirez) — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 12:28:00 -0600

When you select gifts for the holidays this year, how could you do better than Earth’s Greenest Bag?

Is someone who uses a sports or swim bag on your gift list? Surprise them with the ultimate tote for either purpose: the stretchable Nature Bag. Perfect for a beach outing, it’s a home-crafted present that will be cherished by almost anybody – not only your eco-conscious friends.

How about a fungus hunter who will be in the forests on the first perfect spring day gathering mushrooms? One of our less dense Pahk style bags is a perfect gift to carry the harvest while allowing the morel or other spores to return to the earth and generate more delicacies for the next hunt.

Perhaps you have a friend who loves to garden? The minimalistic Nature Bag is the right companion to hold all of the seeds, bulbs, starter plants, hand tools & soil conditioners needed for an hour or an afternoon of work around the yard.

And if you want to gift a trend-setting style aficionado, our sustainable tote will help them set a standard for earth-friendly design and beauty. It’s the best way to carry nearly anything almost anywhere!

Home-crafted in isolated mountain villages of an ancient culture, the stretchable multipurpose unisex Nature Bag tote gently grasps and protects essentials while allowing ventilation. Its durable JungleVine® grows prolifically without agriculture and is gathered by hand. The result is Earth’s Greenest Bag™--proved sustainable over thousands of years.

The carbon the JungleVine® filters from the air is stored until released into the soil after it is buried to biodegrade (if the durable green tote ever becomes unusable), while the oxygen JungleVine® emits during growth helps us breathe.

On behalf of the Khmu Nature Bag artisans and mission volunteers around the globe, we wish you happy holidays.

Bounsou Keoamphone
Founder

Bill Newbrough
Sponsor

JungleVine® Hand-Spun Fiber is Now For Sale

noemail@noemail.org (Vivian Ramirez) — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 11:07:00 -0500

The organic fiber that the Khmu bag crafters use almost exclusively can now be purchased at www.NatureBag.ORG.

“Over the years we’ve had requests from textile scholars as well as designers for samples of the fiber that is an important element in the amazing characteristics of the Nature Bag,” explained Volunteer & Primary Financial Project sponsor Bill Newbrough. “So we’ve decided to add samples of both the cord and the fabric as products for sale on our e-commerce website.”

In addition to scholarly study, the samples can be used for novelty gifts or included in homemade clothing and other hand-stitched fabrics.

One inquirer wanted to know how a piece of the fabric might work in a quilt. Now s/he can find out. If you find an unusual use for the stretchable fabric or the strong cord, please share it with us so that we can tell the rest of the world.

Although the Khmu traditionally used JungleVine® to make their fishing nets, the easy availability of non-natural cords has virtually eliminated that process. Other than in twine & rope, most Khmu today use the super-strong cord only to tie the umbilical cords of the newborn or in crafting the amazing Nature Bag.

Until modifications are completed in our e-commerce store, your access to ordering JungleVine® fiber or fabric samples is a little complicated. Click on here to reach the presentation of those products.

Vivian Ramirez
Volunteer

Why Thousands Are Switching To Cleaning Green

noemail@noemail.org (Vivian Ramirez) — Tue, 27 Sep 2011 14:19:00 -0500

It is surprising how many people in today's era of information are still not aware that our households are full of toxic chemicals. Despite this, thousands are switching over to safer products and this is why:

"Since 1950 at least 70,000 new chemical compounds have been invented and dispersed into our environment. Only a fraction of these have been tested for human toxicity."

"We are by default, conducting a massive clinical toxicology trial, and our children and their children are the experimental animals."
Herbert L. Needleman, M.D., Philip J. Landrigan, M.D. Raising Children Toxic Free.

It is alarming, the information about safety of products and the lack of labelling required for these products.

"Of the 70,000 chemical compounds, only 25% have been tested - and they were tested individually. Chemicals do not occur individually in our body, they occur in combinations.Tiny amounts of only 2 toxic chemicals at the same time are 1,000 times more dangerous than 1 of them alone." The Center of Bio Environmental Research

Are they in our homes?

Sadly, yes they are. "The nation's worst pollution is found inside our homes. A 15 - year study has shown American homes have chemical levels 70 times higher than outside. The number of chemicals used inside the home has more than doubled since 1950." The EPA, Environment Protection Agency

It is of importance to note that the following is only a small glimpse of the products containing these chemicals. These would include dishwashing detergents, household cleaners, disinfectants, furniture polish, air fresheners, fabric softeners, bleach products, mold/mildew cleaners and shampoos.

We become poisoned by ingestion, inhalation and absorption through the skin. "Some products release contaminants into the air right away, others do so gradually over a long period of time. Some stay in the air up to a year." American Lung Association.

All of this results in poor health and less vitality than we would normally have in a fresh, unaltered environment. "50% of all illness is due to poor indoor air quality" 1989 State of Massachusetts Study. The red flags of this toxic crisis are staggering. One person in three has allergies severe enough to be treated by a doctor. One person in ten suffers from migraine headaches or high blood pressure. One in five families have a member suffering from mental health concerns. "70% of cancers are triggered by exposure to hazardous substances in our environment" Toxic Substances Strategy Committee. Shockingly, One in every two now get cancer. "Women who work in the home have a 55% higher death rate from cancer than women who work outside the home." 17-year EPA Study. "Asthma rate has tripled in the last 20 years." "Incidence of lung cancer has increased 364% despite the fact that smoking has declined in the general population." National Cancer Institute.

There is so much more. We have not even touched on how these chemicals effect children or pets who are much more vulnerable.

WHAT SHOULD WE DO?

"Damage to organs caused by environmental chemicals frequently cannot be repaired or corrected once they injury has occurred. PREVENTION, is therefore essential." Herbert L. Needleman, M.D., Philip J. Landrigan, M.D., Raising Children Toxic Free.

"Just by reducing (not eliminating) environmental carcinogens alone, we would save at least 50,000 lives taken annually by cancer." Dr. Lee Davis, former advisor to the Secretary of Health

This is what has consumers, such as myself switching to healthier, safer cleaning and personal care products. "Green cleaning" is not a new concept. People have been making their own cleaners for years. Typically they have used ingredients such as vinegar or baking soda. But in the last several years, some commercial brands have appeared on the shelves, websites and through mail order. There are other brands as well such as ecover, Earth Friendly Products and Seventh Generation. All of these tend to be better than the home "recipes" as they typically clean much better and can sanitize. These cleaners are formulated with surfactants which can remove grease and oil, mildew and mold. If you are not having your products delivered to your door, you sometimes need to search for them or get them at a few different stores, but they are available. You may need to go to your local health food store.

It's all about reducing as many toxins as you can. Prevention is the key!

Vivian Ball Ramirez
Volunteer

The Khmu People, Makers of the Nature Bag

noemail@noemail.org (Vivian Ramirez) — Tue, 3 May 2011 15:51:00 -0500

The Khmu ethnic group inhabits large parts of Northern and central Laos, Vietnam and Thailand.

In Laos, they represent the most important Môn-Khmer ethnic group. Their territory stretches from Phongsali to Pakxane in Bolikhamxay Province, but the Khmu are mostly found living in groups throughout the provinces of Luang Prabang, Oudomxay, northern Sayabury, southern Phongsali, eastern Luang Namtha, also in the center and west of Houaphan and Xieng Khouang and north of Vientiane.

This ethnic minority is divided into many subgroups which are not easily identified ethnically, amongst them are the Môn-Khmer, Ou, Lu, Rok, Me, Keun, Kheng, Khouene, Khongsat.

The Nguan and the Kha Bit who are closely related to the Khmu are attributed to the Lamet and the Samtao, which are quite different ethnic groups.

The Khmu Me share the Khmu Ou's territory in the north of Luang Prabang Province (Nam Bak) and to the west. This represents the southern boundary of the Khmu Rok's territory, which extends throughout the Mekong buckle. The districts of Houn and Beng in Oudomxay Province are the centre of the Khmu Rok's territory and are also inhabited by the Khmu Klong.

The Khmu Lu they have their own territory in the districts of Xay and Namo in Oudomxay Province as well as in the district of Nam Tha in Luang Namtha Province.

The Khmu Rok, after the Khmu Ou, represent the second largest group within the Môn-Khmer family.

HISTORY OF THE KHMU

The beliefs and the religion of the Môn-Khmer family are related to the well-known Pumpkin story which explains their origins. The memories and the stories told in Houn district show that the Khmu Rok have been living in the region for more than 400 years. In many stories, relations with the Lao and the importance of Bronze Drums are recurring subjects, unfortunately, this knowledge is only found with the elderly people who are worried about losing their traditions.

MAIN FEATURES OF THE KHMU GROUP

Roofs of houses covered with wooden tiles or thatch
Enclosed village with storage houses grouped outside the village
Basket-ware is very important: for self-usage or exchange, baskets are woven by the men between June and August
Hunting, picking and iron smith's activities are important
Use of a silver pipe to smoke tobacco
Some old people have full tattooed bodies
Upland dry rice cultures
Special rice storage houses on pillars protected from mice and rats
Legends and stories are told during evening time, near the fire
Recovery ceremonies for serious diseases, epidemics or natural disasters: buffalo sacrifice occurs exceptionally

TERRITORY AND RESOURCES OF THE VILLAGE

The Khmu prefer the valleys of average altitude (400 m to 800 above sea level) with a slope-basin which is favorable for grub cultures and their settlements.

The most desirable resource is a large quantity of biomass which is burned to enrich the soil for better produce. Moreover, the grubbing territory should be large enough to provide for a whole village of 30 families, sometimes up to 150 families.

Traditionally, the land was left fallow for 15 years in between harvests. Nowadays, it the fallow period is reduced to 3 to 5 years. Under these conditions, it is sometimes necessary to practice the burn-beating technique.

The Khmu always settle near a river where they can bathe, get water supplies, go fishing and hunt frogs. During the dry season they harvest seaweed (river algae).

In the past, small livestock was intended for consumption and exchange; nowadays, it represents an important source of income to most villages. Big livestock like buffalo or cow are seldom.

The Khmu are used to visiting other ethnic minority villages. They traditionally practice barter with other ethnic groups and they also look for work when necessary. The barter system is very old and the Khmu and their NTFPs (Non Timber Forest Products) are well appreciated. It is important for the Khmu to keep up good relationships with their neighboring villages, as both depend on each others services. Seasonal jobs taken up with the Lao and Lue communities of Nam Beng i.e. are now part of the production system of many Khmu families.

PRODUCTION SYSTEM

The traditional production system is mainly made up of slope rice culture, hunting and picking fruits of the forest, raising small livestock and exchanges of baskets with neighboring villages. In recent years, there have been very few changes concerning the production system. Only the people fortunate enough to have access to irrigated land changed their traditional systems. For the others, reduction in fertile land yields less produces and forces the families to work in many different domains. This is why some families would rather work as farm workers instead of sowing rice and waiting for an uncertain harvest.

THE VILLAGE

Khmu villages can be very big with up to 150 families. They are traditionally settled on forested slopes, between 400 and 800 meters above the sea level. A river and a large territory for sticky rice growing are the main criteria for choosing a village's location. Before 1975, Khmu people used to organize an animist ceremony to ensure that the spirits of the district, the particular spot and the forest were pacified.

THE RELIGION

Animism and beliefs in spirits of the living and dead are the main features of the Khmu religion. These are characteristic to most of the Môn-Khmer ethnic groups. But magic and trance-like behaviors are specific to the Khmu. Nowadays, although the cases are rare and nobody wants to openly speak about these practices they are still existent.

The neighboring ethnic minorities know of the Khmu magic performances and are afraid of them. The importance of spirit beliefs has decreased a great deal, most of all since the 1975 changes. Equally, most religious rituals organized for special people or for annual ceremonies within the rice growing cycle have disappeared from the majority of the villages.

TABOOS

It is forbidden to touch the altar or the amulets representing the house's spirit

No ceremony is organized for a newborn baby if the child is born with the feet first. The shaman has to select an animal for sacrifice, generally a pig. If the child is born head first, the pork becomes sacred and shouldn't be eaten by the family.

One should not enter into a house without the chief's permission

ATTITUDE TOWARDS DEVELOPMENT

The Khmu are able to adjust easily to socio-political organizations. They accept to work within production systems of neighboring ethnic minorities that are better organized.

Sometimes, they adapt to development to such an extent that they give up their traditional characteristics and taboos which are a means to protect their ethnic group. When a loss of culture is not compensated by new contexts that are readily integrated into their society, the Khmu community looses its identity and inner balance.

Therefore, the Khmu should be lead into a development system which is adaptable, progressive and sustainable at the same time.

Is Your Skin Care Product Really Organic?

noemail@noemail.org (Vivian Ramirez) — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 15:43:00 -0500

Autor: Lee Dobbins

Today most people realize that organic is better - better for the environment and better for you. The less toxic pesticides and chemicals we put in and on our bodies the healthier we will be.

So it stands to reason that when searching for skin care products you want to buy those that are labeled as organic, right? When you shop for organic skin care products, you probably look at the label and see the word "organic" and think that the ingredients were organically grown without the use of chemicals and pesticides.

The truth is that the labeling can be misleading and many skin care products are anything but organic in their nature. Technicalities enable the word organic to be used on the label without the product actually made without the use of harmful chemicals. So, how do you know what is really an organic product and what isn't?

The answer is in the list of ingredients.

All products are required to have a list of ingredients but this can sometimes be confusing. Take two skin care products and look at the labels. Do you see words like "extract from" or "derived from"? If the words after that are long chemical sounding names then the chances are that the product is made from materials that are "derived from" chemicals. If the names sound like natural substances like fruits then you probably have a true organic skin care product.

Another thing to look at on the label is the order of ingredients. Each ingredient is listed by the percentage it makes up - in other words, the first ingredient is what there is most of in the product and the last is what there is least of.

Organic skin care products are made from fruits and vegetables and other natural ingredients and are some of the best things you can put on your skin. They can also deliver excellent results. Whey you buy organic skin care products you are adding to the health of your skin instead of perhaps damaging it with harsh chemicals.

So the next time you go shopping for organic skin care products, be sure to read the label before you buy. There are plenty of genuine organic products out there that will leave your skin with a healthy glow.