Recycled Wallpaper

Wallpaper for commercial applications must be a hardy, sturdy product to withstand daily wear and tear. LSI Wallcovering is making wallcovering waves with the market's first ever recycled vinyl wallcovering for commercial applications, which is also stylish enough for high-end applications. The manufacturer launched its recycling program Second Look last year and will premier the fruits of this endeavor in three new collections—Versa, Cirqa, and Plexus—this Spring at contract furnishings tradeshow NeoCon World’s Trade Fair. Composed of 20 percent recycled content and a minimum of 10 percent post-consumer content, Second Look meets the U.S. Green Building Council’s criteria for LEED certification. A low VOC, Type II, 20-ounce wallcovering, it uses water-based inks, can be installed with water-based adhesives, and is also available with Permavent, a hi-tech feature that allows walls to breathe. Have vinyl wallcovering from a recent renovation job? LSI accepts used vinyl wallcovering from any manufacturer, which can be sent to its factory for recycling.

Japan calls for 50% reduction in emissions by 2050

Japan's prime minister, Shinzo Abe, unveiled ambitious plans the other day to cut global greenhouse gas emissions by 50% by 2050 that would include the world's biggest emitters, the US and China.

"There is only one earth, and there are no national boundaries for the air," said Mr Abe, who will put the proposals up for discussion at next month's G8 summit in Germany.

"Even the most outstanding strategy would be meaningless unless all people living on earth participate in it. If the framework required economic growth to be sacrificed, we cannot expect many countries to participate.

We must create a new framework which moves beyond the Kyoto protocol, in which the entire world will participate in emissions reduction."

The 1997 protocol commits industrialised nations to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 5% from 1990 levels between 2008 and 2012. The US withdrew from the agreement, however, and has said it will continue to oppose any proposals that it believes will harm its economy.

Discussion on a post-Kyoto agreement is expected to dominate talks at the G8 meeting, with countries divided on whether they should be bound by mandatory numerical targets, an approach favoured by the EU.

Japan, which will host next year's summit, is concerned that an insistence on numerical targets will discourage the US from signing up any agreement, particularly if other big emitters, such as India and China, continue to be exempted.

Today officials in Tokyo were quick to stress that Mr Abe's "Cool Earth 50" proposals were part of a non-binding "vision" for dealing with climate change.

"When we talk about 2050 ... we do not have sufficient scientific knowledge to be concrete and precise in identifying a goal," Koji Tsuruoka, the director general of global issues at the foreign ministry, told reporters.

"It is going to be a vision that could be shared as a target that could be accepted ... by all the countries of the world."

Earlier this week the Japanese foreign minister, Taro Aso, said that persuading China, India and developing economies to do more to cut emissions was more important than establishing targets.

"I think opinion is divided on whether it is easier to participate by setting a numerical target or whether it is easier without it," he said. "We need to make sure that major emitter nations will take part."

The British foreign minister, Margaret Beckett, said on a visit to Tokyo this week that it was unlikely the G8 countries would agree to numerical targets in Germany and made a point of praising the US and China for recent attempts to reduce their carbon footprint.

Japan, meanwhile, appears likely to fall short of its Kyoto target of a 6% reduction. Despite improvements in energy efficiency, its greenhouse gas emissions as of March last year were 14% higher than in 1990.

Recycled Flatware Wall Clock

What was once the top of a pot and a few forks and spoons, now is a fun recycled wall clock. Find inspiration while seeing everyday objects in unusual places.Find at Mixt Goods

New Eco Friendly Fabrics

There are some new threads in town and it’s exciting to see them on catwalks and sidewalks — organic and sustainable fibers are the only way to go, whether we fashion our own clothes or buy off the rack.

#bamboo - one of the most sustainable fibers made. It can grow like wildfire, without pesticides or fertilizers. Formed from the pulp of the plant, this softy has wonderful anti-bacterial properties, wicking away sweat to keep us dry, we stay cool in summer and warm in winter. The folks at alternative consumer put together this list for us.

#hemp - one of the most durable natural fibers on the planet, and versatile. It requires no pesticides or synthetic fertilizers, is harvested and processed by hand, and produces 2-3 times more fiber per acre than cotton.

# ingeo - a versatile, man-made fiber rom renewable corn.

# jute - a glossy fiber from a plant. Most often used to make: sacks, rope, twine.

# lyocell - from wood-pulp, 100% biodegradable. Look for garments manufactured in US or Europe if you have Multiple Chemical Sensitivities , ref: here.

# nettle - a coarse, wild herb that’s naturally moth-repellent.

# organic cotton - uses no harmful chemicals; supports biodiversity, healthy ecosystems, improves soil quality and often uses less water than conventionally grown cotton. It has a longer growth cycle, requires more skill and costs more than conventionally-grown cotton - but it’s worth it. Organic cotton farming practices are so much healthier for farmers and the planet & organic cotton feels fantastic on our bodies!

# organic linen - extremely durable, made from the flax plant, grown without pesticides or herbicides.

# polar fleece, Polartec and POP - made from recycled soda pop bottles.

# ramie - from a plant, native to eastern Asia. 3 to 5 times stronger than cotton, it’s extremely absorbent and dries quickly, and has been cultivated for the past 6000 years, is often mistaken for linen.

# sasawashi - a blend of Japanese paper and kumazasa herb, resembles linen. Has anti allergen & anti bacterial properties.

# seacell - contains Lyocell. A cellulose- (the natural polymer that makes up the living cells of all vegetation) and seaweed-based fiber, with anti bacterial properties.

# silk - look for cruelty-free silk which allows wild and semi-wild wilkworms to emerge from their cocoons before the silk is harvested, rather than killing them.

# soy - from the residue of soybeans from tofu manufacturing, soy proteins are woven into a light, cashmere-like material that drapes softly over your body and has a bit of stretch.

# Tencel - a brand name for a type of Lyocell, extracted from sustainably harvested wood pulp; lightweight and wrinkle-resistant. Look for garments made in US and Europe if you have Multiple Chemical Sensitivities

eco friendly reminders: DWH —

Donate your pre-loved threads, Wash in eco-friendly cleansers and Hang-dry as you hang with your friends or plants.

Ecofriendly Skateboarding

This week TreeHuggerTV teams up with with Comet Skateboards and learns how a sustainable skateboard company is bringing kids from different hoods together for one unified purpose. Comet uses sustainably harvested bamboo and non-toxic resins to make its hip pin-striped topped skateboards and their manufacturing plant uses a 10KW solar panel array to fuel the process. Comet is also a place based company and is dedicated to making a positive impact on its community as well as the environment. In addition to raising funds for a sustainably designed skate park in downtown Oakland CA, Comet has collaborated with local skaters to put on Hood Games. Hood Games 4 brought together a truly remarkable gathering of the skateboarders, parents, and friends for a full day of music, art, and of course – ecofriendly skateboarding!

Fashioning An Ethical Fashion Industry

We found the following information on treehugger.com. London is such an ethical fashion centre now, with every main street store trying to be more organic and ecologically pure than the next. As evidenced by this week's series of programmes on "Is Green the New Black?", the ethical fashion industry is making great strides in developing public awareness of fashion that is responsibly made. A number of organisations have sprung up to provide support and networking opportunities for producers. Others want to put pressure on businesses to provide good working conditions. The Ethical Fashion Forum gives training and information to businesses and individuals interested in the social and environmental aspects of the fashion business. Labour Behind the Label is a campaign fighting for better working conditions for garment workers and encouraging consumers to ask for clothes which are responsibly made. One of its aims is to encourage retailers to guarantee that all clothes sold in their shops are produced under fair conditions, including the right to a living wage, the right to organise, and safe and healthy working conditions.
Fashioning an Ethical Industry is an educational project aimed at fashion college students and tutors. Its admirable goal is to equip students to play an active role in raising standards in the companies they will be working for. They hope to make the teaching of social responsibility issues a key part of all fashion-related education courses. Their very accessible and interesting website provides a global overview of the garment industry, raises awareness of current practices and and explains all the hot issues. The fact is that consumers have power: the more that we demand that the clothes we buy are made under decent conditions the more likely it is that retailers will respond. The more people ask questions the more retailers will feel that they need to pay attention to the issues. For example: refuse to buy Uzbekistan cotton, pick your cotton carefully.