The GOGREEN Blog

Bamboo Clothing is Really Not that Green

Michelle — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 20:06:12 +0000

There is a bit of controversy in regards to how “green” bamboo clothing really is and I’ve decided to research that fact further to see how accurate our previous article, Bamboo Clothing – Our Green Fashion Future, is when it comes to being “green”.

After some further reading, I’ve found several articles that do share the fact that toxic chemicals are used in creating bamboo fabrics. A site that I trust and admire, TreeHugger.com, shared an article, Is Bamboo Truly Green, that seems to support the toxic chemical fact as well. The article actually quotes from another website, Lotus Organics. Here’s their quote:

The growing of bamboo is environmentally friendly but the manufacturing of bamboo into fabric raises environmental and health concerns because of the strong chemical solvents used to cook the bamboo plant into a viscose solution that is then reconstructed into cellulose fiber for weaving into yarn for fabric.

Another article worth checking out is from the Organic Clothing blog that exposes the “green myths” associated with bamboo clothing.

In addition to the toxic chemicals used to create the fabric, there’s also the pollution created from that process. Mo, who has “most of what he owns tied up in Bamboosa” was concerned about the accuracy of our previous article in regards to contaminants in the waterways. The sattlerclothing.com site posted an article claiming these facts. Here’s a sample:

For now, many experts suggest that very, very little bamboo clothing would qualify as sustainable or organic clothes due to the dominant manufacturing process of hydrolysis alkalization and multi-phase bleaching that use caustic soda and bleach. These chemicals are known to create a myriad of health problems and neural disorders and if the manufacturing facility lacks adequate pollution control systems – a common backburner issue for developing countries – these toxic chemicals find their way into the environment through smokestacks or waterways.

In addition, Mother Nature Network (www.mnn.com), quotes what the FTC has to say on the matter which includes Bamboosa making false claims:

The complaints also allege that these four companies make a number of other “green” claims about their clothing and textile products, none of which are true or substantiated. All four companies claim their products retain the bamboo plant’s antimicrobial properties. The settling companies — Jonäno, Mad Mod, and Pure Bamboo — also claim that their products are made using environmentally friendly manufacturing processes, and both Pure Bamboo and Bamboosa make unqualified claims that their products are biodegradable, and that they will completely break down and return to the elements found in nature in a reasonably short period of time after customary disposal. Rayon products are not biodegradable because they will not break down in a reasonably short time after customary disposal. Most clothing and textiles are disposed of either by recycling or sending to a landfill. Neither method results in quick biodegradation.

Read the rest of MNN’s article here: Are Bamboo Textiles Really Not Green?

And one more article that I found very informative as well on this topic comes from www.think2100.com.

These are just some of the articles I came across that pretty much confirms the fact that bamboo clothing has some catching up to do when it comes to being a “truly green” item. Yes, bamboo itself is green but when it comes to producing bamboo clothing, there are areas that can use some improvement.

Bamboo Clothing – Our Green Fashion Future

Michelle — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 17:07:27 +0000

Bamboo clothing? You might imagine spear-like skirts and tops that no one would dare wear unless it’s a costume party but when referring to bamboo clothing, it’s concerning the bamboo pulp content in the cloth.

The Green in Green Fashion

Green fashion is fast producing a statement, thanks to imperiled surroundings. But as green as green is, there is a bad reaction to bamboo clothing. True, the bamboo plant is not hard to grow. It is a natural pesticide and does not need a lot of water. It can replicate fast and grow as much as several feet. The description sounds great, but wait until you understand what goes into processing the bamboo pulp to make bamboo fabric.

In truth bamboo is really a cheap and safer alternative to expensive textiles and chemically treated fabrics. But the processing can send shivers down your spine if you understand what goes on when treating bamboo pulp to make bamboo fabric. Manufacturing price is also high and as a consequence, those passed off as bamboo fabric really feel like rayon when you touch it. Rayon isn’t an entirely synthetic fiber; it’s derived from plant cellulose but mixed with chemical substances to soften and color it.

Clothes passed off as 100% bamboo pulp has some doubts. Bamboo fabric producers also claimed that their products are organically grown, eco-friendly, and has normal occurring antibacterial properties, has UV ray protection and is biodegradable. The bamboo is indeed organically grown and eco-friendly and is also biodegradable but producers couldn’t bolster their claims about the antibacterial and UV ray safety of bamboo clothing.

Should you investigate the factories producing bamboo fabrics, you end up aghast at the waste products’ effect on nearby drinking water sources. The bamboo leaves and shoots are soaked in strong chemicals, for example caustic lye and other bleaching agents, and washed off to the water sources. These chemical substances can trigger severe health difficulties and as proof, the waterways near the factories have tested positive for toxins. Lastly, too much potable drinking water is used to clean the bamboo

This brouhaha over bamboo clothing might have its pros, as well. Producers of bamboo clothing will be encouraged to discover safer ways to procedure the bamboo, processes that won’t impact negatively with the drinking water and other environmental concerns. If this is so, individuals can look forward to bamboo and its future in green style.

What Now?

In case you are a fan of bamboo clothing because of its realistic silky feel and its ability not to retain odors, the “bamboo scare” could be a downer. Also, if you have been using bamboo clothing for your baby, keep in mind the chemicals used to procedure the bamboo. Your baby is better off with organic fabrics and so are you. Until the processing is made safer for workers, end-users, and also the environment, it will be a lengthy wait for bamboo to take towards the eco-friendly style – 100% safe bamboo materials. But technology will find a way; if man landed on the moon, man can also solve this issue.

All Those Nice Bamboo Fabrics Aren’t Really Green After All (simplycooking.wordpress.com)
Bamboo Fabric: Not As Eco-Friendly as Once Thought (shoppingblog.com)
Bamboo textiles no more ‘natural’ than rayon (cbc.ca)

Technorati Tags: bamboo clothes, bamboo clothing, Bamboo textiles, eco clothing, eco fashion, Green Fashion

Renewable Energy News, Headlines and Latest Stories on Yahoo! News

Michelle — Sun, 28 Feb 2010 09:45:06 +0000

Renewable Energy News, Headlines and Latest Stories on Yahoo! News

An effective résumé is clear, concise and relevant to the job you want.

Sort By:Engineers tired of being outshined by scientists

Einstein, Newton, Hawking the heroes of science trip out of memory effortlessly.

Renewable-energy curriculum allows students to build alternatives

A teacher at Raymond S. Kellis High School in Glendale is integrating alternative-energy projects to help his students prepare for an emerging renewable-energy industry.

Bloom debut light on details

SAN JOSE, Calif. – A richly funded clean-energy startup is keeping critical parts of its business plan secret as it launches its first product amid fanfare.

Electricity deregulation opinions all over the grid

Depending on who you are, deregulation of the Texas electric industry has been a boon or a burden.

Santa Cruz company trains workers to scale wind turbines

In the past few years as the interest in wind energy has increased and wind farms have popped up around the country, the demand for skilled turbine technicians has soared.

We Can’t Wish Away Climate Change

The truth about the climate crisis — inconvenient as ever — must still be faced.

Latest fuel cells in Bloom

A secretive Silicon Valley startup working on a new way to produce cleaner energy is taking the wraps off its product: a huge box of fuel cells that it hopes will allow homes and businesses to generate their own electricity.

Activists question coal’s place in Obama’s policy

WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama, a longtime believer in “clean coal,” is launching an ambitious and expensive plan to help the energy industry lock climate-changing gases from coal-fired power plants deep underground.

Tribes reject wind farm offer

A million-dollar offer by Cape Wind Associates LLC to each of the Indian tribes fighting the proposed Nantucket Sound wind farm has been declined.

Japan sets emissions cutbacks

TOKYO – The Japanese government will set a midterm target of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 25 percent from 1990 levels by 2020 if all major emitters agree with a fair, effective framework, according to the outline of a bill in the legislature to tackle global warming.

Small business profile: Asheville’s Green Brothers installs solar hot water tubes

Who: Accem Scott opened Green Brothers last year as the first minority-owned solar energy business in Asheville.

A bright idea comes from the sun

WESTFIELD – Nicole M. Beliveau, Brigid C. Swords and Sierra B. Swords spent more time constructing their model solar panel than on the research for their science project touting the use of solar energy.

His name is Ferid Brkic. You can call him Fred, like everyone else.But his Pequea Township company, SA-FE, is unlike anyone else’s.For starters, Brkic is a native of Germany. He brings meticulous Old World craftsmanship to the business of making and selling energy-efficient aluminum frame window…

AgriCenter is already paying off

Officials representing the Northeast Alabama AgriCenter said Friday construction of the facility has already resulted in more than $1 million in local economic stimulation.

Legislative session kicks off Tuesday

MANATEE — It may be another year of scrounging for money, but local lawmakers also hope to create jobs, jump-start alternative energy proposals, and tinker with the class-size amendment as the Florida Legislature prepares to convene Tuesday.

Startup Lets Homeowners Save On Going Solar Green power Self watering 55 gallon drum planter Recycle your batteries (and play a cool recycling game)Best Clothes Drying Rack?Alternative Energy and Self Sufficiency Seminar, March 14th, Florence SC Bloom box debut: More IPO than CO2 Washington Post Op-Ed Skews Math to Smear Green Jobs PlanetSolar: World’s Largest Solar Powered Yacht Unveiled It’s Show-Time for Bloom Energy’s Supersecret Fuel Cells

Technorati Tags: renewable alternative energy

Latest renewable alternative energy news – The future in Renewable Alternative Energy, MagEnergy – magnetism …

Michelle — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 09:57:17 +0000

If you’ve been keeping up with my blog posts lately you’ll know I’ve come to adding a few news posts from around the web on this subject. I’ve got a couple more today that are new and updated, so let me know what you think of em…

The future in Renewable Alternative Energy, MagEnergy – magnetism …

http://www.MagEnergy.us tutorial and testimony of building a magnetic free energy device that generates free electric energy for home use, to find out how this.

The Future Is Renewable, Alternative and Free Energy

The Future Is Renewable, Alternative and Free Energy – By Robert Buford – An Article from Articlebliss.

CEO – CEO/Startup/Coal to Liquids ? Think Resources, Inc. ? New …

CEO – CEO/Startup/Coal to Liquids ? Think Resources, Inc. ? New York, NY, greencat, Renewable Energy Jobs & Careers, 0, 02-12-2010 12:46 AM. French Nuclear Giant Buys Calif. Solar Startup (New York Times), paul, Alternative Energy News …

Hope you enjoy the read as much as I did and please if you have something to say, use the comments form below to let everyone know your thoughts.

Have a great day!

Technorati Tags: renewable alternative energy

Latest renewable alternative energy news – Lawmakers pass restrictions on energy tax credits

Michelle — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 04:35:48 +0000

Lawmakers pass restrictions on energy tax credits

Ted Kulongoski will limit a business tax break for alternative energy projects — but expand the break to makers of electric cars and component parts — and … Read More…

The Long Road to an Alternative-Energy Future

THE TECHNOLOGY: Wind power is one of the fastest-growing alternative energy sources in the world—a low-carbon, renewable source of electricity that can … Read More…

Affordable Solar Power Arrives in Texas

"Texas is leading the nation in alternative energy sources. Solar power is an excellent source of energy but making it affordable has been difficult until … Read More…
That’s all the news for today guys, so until next time, thanks for stopping by.

Technorati Tags: renewable alternative energy

Outrageous Gas Prices – free article courtesy of ArticleCity.com

Michelle — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 12:45:13 +0000

Outrageous Gas Prices
by: Matt Acciaioli

How many times will you drive by a gas station and NOT notice the prices? Let me guess. Ah, never. Not now anyway.

We can start to point fingers as to how we got into this situation: oil producing countries are bandits, it’s those people driving gas guzzlers, countries like China are industrializing or their consumers are gobbling up supply… ya-da-ya-da-ya-da.

The real cause of our current energy crisis of skyrocketing fuel prices – leading to our gas pains at the pump – is our failure to create alternative energy resources. Ouch. Pointing the finger at ourselves? Not going to happen…we always need a villain as the cause of our woe.

We can look to Washington and blame our various administrations. Many of us were not even born to witness the gas rationing during World War II. However many of us recall the late 70’s and early 80’s and how we were – excuse my choice of words – “over the barrel” when it came to crude oil prices. Following the lead of President Jimmy Carter, we turned our thermostats to 68?? degrees in the dead of winter in an effort to conserve energy.

These measures which attempted to rein in our dependency made for great headlines but little else.

We eventually cranked up the thermostats…once again purchased gas guzzling cars which we drove all over (consuming gazillions of galloons of crude) without any concern.

An energy conservation or energy alternative program? Please. There is plenty of cheap crude oil to last us hundreds of years.

Wrong answer.

Crude oil is not a renewable energy source. Once you use barrel, it does not spontaneously regenerate another barrel to replace itself. It is gone and can never be replaced.

This is what oil producing nations have to be concerned about…their limited fossil fuel (oil) supply. Once it is gone, it is gone. There goes their oil dependent economy. (AND with their inability to supply us with crude…our economy will slide as well.)

Put yourself in the role of supplying a product, any product, which is heavily in demand and you only have the ability to sell so much. Would you try to extract the most amount of money for it?

This is exactly what is happening to fuel prices right now. That gas pump is trying to extort an obscene amount of money from you because of limited supply of crude yet we – along with other developed and developing countries – demand more and more.

The solution.

Ready for this?

The solution is simple. Simple economics.

The plan to execute the solution is extremely complex.

First the solution: we have to cut down on crude oil demand which would then lead to an overabundance of supply. Oil tankers will continue to be loaded with crude and no place to unload as the demand for their loads has been substantially decreased.

Increased crude supply (due to no one wanting all the crude that is being produced) caused by lower demand for it equals major reductions of crude oil prices by the oil producing countries.

How does this happen?

Alternative sources of energy with a heavy concentration of renewable energy such as the sun or wind power. (I am not even going to mention a few of the other alternative energy sources such as grain or vegetable oil converted to fuel.)

We have the ability to get ourselves out of this gas pain at the gas pump.

The more we can encourage American imagination, the sooner our answer will come to relieve our gas pains. The sooner our answer will come to decrease our demand for crude. The sooner will crude supplies start to fill crude storage tanks in oil producing countries. Prices will have to radically fall to move this crude as our alternative energy technology spreads worldwide..

For more information on high gas prices, hybrid cars, alternative energy sources, visit our website: http://www.WorldEnergizing.com

About The Author

Matt Acciaioli

Technorati Tags: renewable alternative energy

The Best Performing Green Mutual Funds For 2009

Michelle — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 18:20:41 +0000

The Best Performing Green Mutual Funds For 2009

For persons who are looking to invest, Green Mutual funds are a good bet because the future is heading towards a green environment and the population on a whole is becoming more eco friendly. Green Energy is the production of alternative energy from natural resources; these are made to be environmentally safe and usually include solar energy, wind energy Ocean energy and many more. When oil prices rise, you will find that green energy takes over and your investment will have a high return, even when oil prices fall, your green mutual fund investment will still yield you long term returns. In 2009 some Green mutual funds did better than others, here are some of the breadwinners.

The New Alternative Fund was always considered a great long term investment company that has its claws in to other companies all over the world. New Alternative only makes investment in other companies that are environmentally friendly and roughly a quart of its investments are made into companies that produce some form of alternate energy. Up to November 2009, their stocks had gone up roughly 32% and their assets valued at over 260 million dollars.

Winslow Green Energy Growth Fund is mainly of the U.S and makes its investment into smaller companies; this company does not invest only into renewable energy, but it still takes an environmentally friendly approach to all its investment options. While some of the companies that they invest in do not specifically have a “go green” approach; these companies do not cause any environmentally harmful effects either and Winslow ensures that each company is investigated before investment is done. Up to November 2009, their stocks had gone up roughly 38% and their assets valued at over 223 million dollars.

The Calvert Global Alternative Energy Fund is one of the giants in the field with a large quantity of investments from around the world; this causes the company to have a higher risk factor, but the Calvert Global Alternative Energy Fund is managed by persons who takes an aggressive approach to investment, which increases the possibility of higher returns. This company has majority of its investments into renewable or alternative energy and is a strong believer in environmentally friendly companies. The Calvert Global
1000
Alternative fund is allocated in three parts, referred to A, C and I and all three went up by over 18% up to November, with section A having an asset value of over 188 million.

Green energy is a constantly growing field and more individuals and companies are looking to get involved in alternative or renewable energy, in addition to an overall environmentally friendly awareness. Therefore investing in such a prospect is always a good move; the oil resources are depleting and oil prices are generally on an upward incline, which usually leads to higher ROIs (returns on investment) in the Green energy field.

By: Kevin Winters

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

Over the last few years environmentally conscious investing has become all the rage and not just to help the planet but to get great returns. Today green mutual funds are a great way to pad your portfolio and alternative energy mutual funds contribute to saving the planet… a win for everyone.

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Technorati Tags: renewable alternative energy

Use Alternative Energy Sources for Energy Saving

Michelle — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 00:16:15 +0000

The old technologies use fossil fuels to generate energy. As the same technology was in use for several years, the fossil fuels have depleted. Coal formation requires several thousands of years and it can’t be manufactured artificially. Using non-renewable sources for energy production must be minimized and everyone should look for alternative energy sources.

The refrigerators, air conditioning systems and other electrical appliances that we normally use contribute to global warming. When the temperature of the Earth keeps on increasing at a rapid rate, it will result in disastrous climate changes and many of the islands will be drowned. By using intelligent energy saving techniques, you can not only save energy but also reduce global warming if not stop it completely. Using alterative energy saving methods, energy efficiency can be improved. This will result in direct savings in money, as less energy will be consumed.

Everyone on the planet must take the responsibility to use wind power energy, solar energy and bio energy. The sources of these types of energy are renewable and always available. As energy efficiency concerns many organizations and governments, several experts have come up with different solutions to combat energy saving issues. While there is no single solution that can help save energy, a combination of solutions must be deployed to improve energy efficiency.

It is prime time for everyone to gather together to fight for energy reduction. There have been cases where efficient energy saving mechanism has been deployed to save energy and use alternative energy to obtain clean energy. Without the need to reinvent the wheel, enterprises and individuals looking for energy saving solutions can get access to the technology to improve energy efficiency.

Using wind power energy and solar energy is encouraged in households to save on electricity bills. If more and more people show their willingness in deploying their own wind power stations at home, they can get electricity for free as wind is a renewable resource. Moreover, solar powered stoves and chargers are now widely used to conserve energy.

When everyone tries to save energy and improve energy efficiency, the need to use depleting resources will be greatly reduced. Moreover, clean energy will emit fewer toxic gases slowing down global warming and thus the future generation can live comfortably in the livable planet.

About The Author

The author recommends visiting http://www.energymap.dk for finding information on global warming, climate changes, bio energy, solar energy, wind power energy, clean energy, climate solutions, energy saving and energy reduction as well as get knowledge of energy efficient materials and equipment.

Technorati Tags: renewable alternative energy

Korean consortium invests in Ontario wind, solar energy – Yahoo! News

Michelle — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 00:15:07 +0000

Korean consortium invests in Ontario wind, solar energy – Yahoo! News

OTTAWA, Canada (AFP) –
A Samsung and Korea Electric Power-led consortium will invest 7.0 billion Canadian dollars (6.7 billion US) on wind and solar energy in central Canada, the Ontario government announced Thursday.

“This is the single-largest investment in renewable energy in provincial history,” officials said in a statement, with some 16,000 jobs expected to be created by the venture.

The South Korean consortium aims to generate 2,500 megawatts of wind and solar power by building and operating wind and solar “clusters” throughout Ontario, tripling the province's output from renewable energy sources.

These will eventually include wind turbines that will generate up to 2,000MW as well as solar power facilities that will generate up to 500MW, by 2016, producing up to four percent of Ontario's total electricity consumption, or enough power for more than 580,000 households.

The consortium will also construct production facilities in Ontario to provide key components, such as blades, wind towers, solar modules and inverters.

And under the terms of the deal it is expected to encourage component suppliers to build manufacturing facilities in the province.

Ontario, Canada's economic hub and most populous province, has pledged to shut down all of its polluting coal-fired power plants by 2014 and boost its renewable power generation.

Critics of the deal, however, say electricity ratepayers will end up subsidizing the consortium with billions of dollars in government incentives paid for green energy generation.

Technorati Tags: solar energy facts

YouTube – What Is The Advantages Of Solar Energy

Michelle — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 00:45:17 +0000

Technorati Tags: solar energy advantages

The GOGREEN Blog

Bamboo Clothing is Really Not that Green

Related Sites

Bamboo Clothing – Our Green Fashion Future

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Renewable Energy News, Headlines and Latest Stories on Yahoo! News

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Outrageous Gas Prices – free article courtesy of ArticleCity.com

The Best Performing Green Mutual Funds For 2009

Use Alternative Energy Sources for Energy Saving

Korean consortium invests in Ontario wind, solar energy – Yahoo! News

YouTube – What Is The Advantages Of Solar Energy