EcoPulse

I have decided to start an ongoing report of greenwashing items that I find when I go shopping. I thought that I might refresh myself with acceptable logos (Canada and the US) as well as go over the 7 Sins of Greenwashing (don’t worry, the card is ALWAYS in my wallet).

First off, GreenLiving has written a great article titled “Understanding Eco-Logos“. Here’s what they’re saying in a nutshell.

This logo will apply to veggies, fruits, meat, dairy and grains. It is a government of Canada creation.

The following must be met in order to have the logo displayed on the products: 95% or more of the product must be organic, must be grown naturally with natural fertilizers, no GMOs, and no synthetic pesticides, ionizing radiation, sewage sludge, synthetic growth hormones, etc. are to be used.

*NOTE: All products that come into Canada will have to adhear to Canada’s rules. Even if they have their own organic logo.

United States Department of Agriculture - Organic logo applies to farming, agriculture and food that contains 70-100% organic materials (70-94% has to state “Made with organic ingredients” and 95-99% can use the word “organic” and 100% can state “100% organic”). This certification is handled by the state, non-profit and private agencies and then it is approved by the USDA.

As they are amending the standards and requirements, I haven’t found any specific info other than “producers with annual sales not exceeding $5000 US are exempted and do not require certification, however, they must still follow National Organic Program standards, including keeping records and submitting to a production audit if requested, and cannot use the term “certified organic”. Hmm, that doesn’t really help when trying to figure out if my food is covered with “organic pesticides”…

The Forest Stewardship Council is an international organization. It applies to wood and paper products and some printing companies.

The FSC’s Forest Management Standards ensure that the products come from a responsibly managed forest and complies with their Chain of Custody Standards which ensures that all processes in between the harvesting state to the consumer’s hands has met the Forest Management Standards as well. There are 10 principles and criteria (read them here).

EcoLogo was originally started by the Canadian government but is now managed by TerraChoice. This applies to almost any product - from food to renovation materials.

There are too many standards to list due to the companies huge repertoire of products. Each type of product has to meet a separate set of requirements and the entire process is evaluated - from it’s raw state to it’s disposal. All in all, EcoLogo products have a lower impact on the environment.

TransFair Canada’s logo is probably one of the most common. Found on food, drinks, clothing, personal care items and gifts.

TransFair’s main focus is on social justice issues. Fair wages for products. They do have environmental requirements but improving work environments, wages and local infrastructure are their core concerns.

carbon dioxide

CO2 - a naturally occurring chemical compound (gas) of oxygen and carbon. Carbon dioxide is used by plants for photosynthesis and is produced by respiration (plants, all animals, fungi, micro organisms).

Only a handful of geologists have ever had the chance to visit this natural wonder, and it seems likely that few ever will; not only are the conditions inside the cave quite inhospitable, soon it will be filled with water.

To read on, click here.

The world’s oceans, which normally gobble up carbon dioxide, are getting stuffed to the gills, according to the most thorough study to date of human-made carbon in the seas.

Read the rest of the article here.

A report released on December 14 at the Coppenhagen Climate Change Conference outlines 10 species that are now suffering from global warming. The species include koalas, clown fish, and sea turtles.

As of Monday, the draft negotiations would allow Earth’s carbon dioxide levels to rise to 650 parts per million by 2100, which in turn would warm the Earth by up to 5.4 degrees Fahrenheit (3 degrees Celsius) by the same year, scientists estimate.

Continue reading here.

New species, solar cells, protected corals…read the rest here.

Ice melting, species disappearing, loss of ground water - the list goes on. Read it here.

Researchers catch an underwater volcanic eruption on film. Approximately 4000 feet down, the video was captured using a remote operating vehicle.

A very interesting video with some interesting info on uncontacted and isolated tribes.

Hey guys! Just letting you all know that this coming Tuesday, December 8th will be our next meeting! We will be making our Christmas crafts and hopefully having a snack of cookies!
Please let me know if you plan on attending, at bridget@ecopulse.org