|
Beth
Aldrich, FHI founder, healthy lifestyle-green living
expert.
|
With
less than a month remaining in summer, I personally
am trying to squeeze every last bit of sunshine, beach
and family time into each day.
While
creating this month's newsletter, I was soberly reminded
just how fragile our life (and planet) really is. My
mother had a medical emergency last night, which shook
me to the core of what I have grown to expect will always
be in my life. Right now, she is stable--and hearing
her voice over the phone this morning really made my
day. I humbly dedicate this newsletter to her and the
firecracker spirit that she passed on to me. She doesn't
take no for an answer, and neither do I (Or should you,
especially when it comes to the health of your family
and planet).
This
month on FHI Online, we are featuring, Fall
Picks for the Green Fashionista
by
contributing writer, Leah Jayasanker, where you'll see,
from the catwalk to the sidewalk, fhi is on target with
what's en vogue for upcoming trends. Plus, all of these
featured products fall into the eco-friendly category.
Read
More...
 I
was frustrated by what I read in Jennifer Grayson's
Huffington Post article, Is
Your A-S Worth One Million Trees a Year, article.
Being
a green mom I know that, trees help stop global warming
by removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and that
by using recycled paper products we all do our small
part to save the existing (mature) trees we do have,
period.
Grayson
reports that,
"Greenpeace's
five-year-long battle against tissue-product mogul Kimberly-Clark
(K-C) came to a victorious end last week, with the Kleenex/Scott/Cottonelle
manufacturer agreeing to source 40 percent of its North
American tissue fiber from recycled or Forest Stewardship
Council (FSC)-certified pulp by 2011.
My
question, as an ordinary mom--who happens to love trees,
is, why is Greenpeace settling for just 40%? I'm not
sure why they wouldn't expect 100%? Why not support
what Marcal
Small Steps brand of recycled home paper products
is doing--using only 100% recycled paper for their products?
I see the Kimberly-Clark move as more of a marketing
ploy or greenwashing, rather than an actual "act
of green-ness".
The
facts are just staggering; and when you really start
to take a long, hard look at it, it's unavoidable, is
your Bum worth 1 million trees? Or, can you tough it
up and save some trees...and do your small part to preserve
what's left and protect our planet? It kind of makes
you think what brands are YOU supporting?
It's
truly up to you, because women are the primary household
spenders in this country, we do have the power!
-
The US has one of the lowest recycled paper rates
in the world, 77% Netherlands, 67% Germany, 52% Japan
45% USA.
- 1/2
the world's forests have already been clear cut or
burned.
- We
cut down 83 million acres of trees every year (the
size of New York State) to make paper products.
- When
paper product manufacturers use the term, "virgin
fiber" it literally means, trees.
- It
takes decades for newly planted trees to recover the
amount of carbon released from old growth trees that
have been cut down.
- Each
American consumes 700 pounds of paper products each
year. That is seven times more paper than the worldwide
average of 100 pounds per person.
- About
40 millions tons of paper that could be recycled are
thrown away each year in the U.S.
|
