CustomEarthPromos - Eco Blog US

"We don't have enough resources to keep feeding this monster."Traid CEO Maria Chenoweth These are the words of warning about the new clothing industry from the CEO of Traid, Maria Chenoweth. Traid is a UK charity that is working to stop clothing from being thrown away.Stop throwing away so many plastic bags by replacing them with reusable ones. Chenoweth says the average lifetime for a garment in Britain is only 2.2 years; analytics company McKinsey & Company's State of Fashion report has found that more than half of "fast-fashion" items are thrown away in less than a year. This trend is made worse by what a member of British parliament describes as the "the Instagram look and chuck mentality." One estimate of just how much clothing ends up in landfills in the UK is 11 million items a week. This equates to 300,000 tons a year! The statistics in South Africa are hard to track, but the move towards disposable fashion is just as clear. This is not helped by the rise of brands such as H&M.A recent survey by Gumtree SA, a South African classifieds, shows that 65 percent of those who responded own at least 10 items they have never used! On several levels, excessive fashion consumption is environmentally damaging. It is also, according the many experts, unsustainable. Stephanie Campbell, of UK campaign Love Your Clothes believes, "...the single most important action we can all do is to prolong the life cycle, which starts by never putting clothes in the bin."Stephanie Campbell of Love Your Clothes (A bin is British slang for trash can.) Increasing awareness of this issue has led to a growing eco-movement in favor of second hand clothing.Purchase your next lanyard with second-hand clothing in mind by purchasing one made from recycled water bottles. "...from reselling, recycling, gifting, swapping, and reusing, the second-hand industry is becoming one of the largest growing consumer segments."Fashion Blogger Charlotte Yau Online trading sites, such as South Africa's Gumtree, are booming when it comes to this category. Globally, there are new specialty websites for pre-owned designer clothing. These include HEWI, which stands for Hardly Ever Worn It. Even department stores and top fashion designers are buying in. Selfridges, the famous UK chain, had a second-hand pop up store last year. Designer Stella McCartney, daughter of Linda and Sir Paul McCartney, launched a campaign she called "The Future of Fashion is Circular". The goal is to urge consumers to purchase items that retain value, and then resell it, extending its lifespan and avoiding landfills and incinerators.Avoid landfills and incinerators by purchasing your promotional items from Custom Earth Promos. Estelle Nagel of Gumtree SA says the market for second-hand clothing in South Africa is significant. More than 20,000 second-hand clothing items have been listed, and there is a definite shift in attitude. "The status issue was big for so many ...

Kevin Roche was a prize winning architect who was still working well into his 90s; and according to Interiors Editor and Features Writer at the Irish Examiner, Eve Kelliher, he was creating eco-friendly buildings before they were the norm. Although the Irish-American reached the peak of his profession, he avoided the label "starchitect" and was regarded as a puzzling mystery.Our reusable bags are no mystery. The materials and design processes are quite clear and quite Earth friendly. Born in Dublin, Ireland, and raised in Mitchelstown, in County Cork, Roche passed away on March 1, 2019, in his Connecticut home. He was 96. His lifetime's body of work includes the Ford Foundation, headquartered in New York City, and the Oakland Museum of California. Despite this impressive portfolio, which also includes 40 years of designing new galleries for The Met in New York, the Pritzker Prize winner had no intention of retiring. His architectural philosophy focused on creating a "community for modern society." He has been credited with creating green buildings long before it was at the forefront of the public's minds.Be at the forefront of the public's minds by ditching single-use plastic. Let Custom Earth Promos help you do so. The road to fame began in Ireland. Roche graduated from University College Dublin in 1945. He then spent two years working for fellow architect Michael Scott, where he contributed to the design of Busaras. (Busaras is the central bus station in Dublin for intercity and regional bus services operated by Bus Éireann. It is also a stop on Luas, their railway system.) After more than 60 years in the United States, his only Irish project, the Convention Center Dublin, opened in 2010. Tonight, Irish television channel RTÉ One will be screening Kevin Roche: The Quiet Architect. It was made in association with the Irish Film Board and the Ford Foundation. It is about how Roche's father, Eamon Roche, turned his back on politics after imprisonment in the Irish Civil War (Jun 28, 1922 – May 24, 1923) and became a prominent local businessman. One of Kevin Roche's first project was designing a pig farm for his father.Don't be a pig when it comes to making trash. A reusable water bottle can help. After his short time working for Michael Scott in Dublin, and fellow architect Maxwell Fry in London, Roche came to the states. He completed postgraduate studies under German-American architect Mies Van der Rohe at the prestigious Illinois Institute of Technology. Mies Van der Rohe is considered one of the pioneers of modernist architecture. Roche has won countless awards for the designs of over 300 major buildings around the world! Among them is the Pritzker Prize, which he won in 1982. This is the highest honor given to living architects. He has also won the Gold Medal Award from the American Institute of Architects, the Gold Medal Award for Architecture from the American Academy of Arts and Letters, and the Grand Gold Medal ...

A poorly defined region between Central American countries Guatemala and Belize is proving to be fertile ground for eco-trafficking to further their criminal activities. This lawless land underscores how a lack of government control in such areas helps facilitate these crimes.Facilitate positive eco-activities with Custom Earth Promos. The business of trafficking prized natural resources such as rosewood and scarlet macaws is thriving in the Maya Biosphere Reserve. This reserve stretches across northern Guatemala and central Belize's Chiquibul National Park. According to the Spanish language version of eco-publication Mongabay, citizens in this insecure and sparsely patrolled border region lack practical economic opportunities. This leads them to turn to illegal activities and crime to boost their income. These criminal networks are operating on both sides of the border and usually have Asian financiers. They employ local farmers to smuggle plants and animals through the region in one of two ways: Guatemala's northwest border with Mexico or its northeast border with Belize. This is where smugglers look for gaps in security. From here, contraband is moved using more powerful people and corrupt government officials through strategic ports in both countries before reaching it's final destination, also according to Mongabay. The main area being affected is known as the "adjacency zone," a one kilometer (almost one mile) stretch of land on either side of the border. A long running dispute between the two countries, going all the way back to the eighteenth century, has made it difficult for authorities to get involved. This is due to uncertainty regarding jurisdiction. The uncertainty has led to the "unchecked extraction of natural resources." While items such as rosewood are often destined for places like Hong Kong, in southeast Asia, the birds often end up in the hands of wealthy Mexicans and Guatemalans. Authorities uncovered two parrots in the home of former Guatemalan Vice President Roxana Baldetti. They were likely obtained through corrupt officials in the countries National Council for Protected Areas (Consejo Nacional de Áreas Protegidas – CONAP). Unfortunately, the bird's starting point was untraceable, as transaction was never documented, according to Aura Marina López Cifuentes of the environmental crimes division in Guatemala's Attorney General's office.Get your hands on our reusable bags, and know exactly what they are made out of. Drug trafficking groups have also taken advantage of the Maya Biosphere and the poorly secured border area, operating from Guatemala's northernmost Petén department. These groups are known for burning large swathes of protected forest to create landing strips in order to move drug shipments coming from South America. More than 8,000 hectares (almost 31 square miles) of protected tropical forest were destroyed over the span of just a few months back in 2016!The next time you get thirsty, ...

Miss Eco International Philippines 2018-2019 representative Maureen Montagne is planning to finish the pageant season with a bang. She plans to win Miss Eco International 2019 at the Almasa Capital Theater in Cairo, Egypt. If she is successful, the Philippines will become the first country to achieve a back-to-back victory in the five-year history of the pageant. Currently, the reigning Miss Eco International 2018, Cynthia Thomalla, is already in Egypt and ready to participate. Last year, she became the Philippines' first ever winner. Maureen Montagne is a pageant veteran. While she has competed in numerous contests, this will be her first time competing internationally. With her beauty, body, and charm, there is doubt that she could be a front-runner, despite the pressures of a back-to-back victory. But it'll take more than good looks to win this competition. Montagne is blessed with genes that make her an excellent contestant, but it's her desire to clean up the country and promote environmental awareness that make her more than just a pretty face.Promote environmental awareness within your business or organization by choosing Custom Earth Promos. "This year I have been focusing on cleaning up the Philippines, specifically our water sources. I'm proud of our efforts with rebuilding Boracay, and I have been involved with the Manila Bay Project, and have been working on other local projects as well."Miss Eco International 2018-2019 Representative Maureen Montagne Clean up your water sources by littering less. Choose reusable bags and reusable water bottles instead of single use plastic.She admits that the mental challenge of being the last of her Miss World Philippines sisters to compete was difficult. Constantly reminding herself of the reason she wants to win pushes her to keep doing her best. "I have been focusing on preparing my mind, body, and soul for this pageant. I think it's important to be ready for long competitions, so I have been practicing my Q&A with friends and researching Egypt so I can really embrace the culture. For my fitness, I have been doing my normal workout routines that consist of light cardio and yoga. I've also been asking my sister queens for advice, which has helped a lot!"Miss Eco International 2018-2019 Representative Maureen Montagne Miss World Philippines National Director, Arnold Vegafria, is very positive about another victory. He also knows that it takes more than a beautiful face. "We all know how much pressure she faces in trying to surpass the achievements of her predecessor, Cynthia Thomalla. But we must also remember that this isn't only about glitz and glam. Just as crucial is the candidates environmental advocacies, and I believe that Maureen has come prepared to win the battle."Miss World Philippines National Director Arnold Vegafria. Montagne's MWP sisters were all present to wish her good luck at the press conference. It is the first time all four queens have been ...

Region 8 Environmental Conservation Officers (ECOs) recently conducted a unique detail in Livingston County, New York. This was done in an effort to both protect an endangered owl species and assist local landowners concerned with traffic and public safety. For years, Livingston County has been the winter feeding grounds for short-eared owls. They return from breeding in Canada to spend their winters in New York. The specific location was not identified, although the owls prefer large grassland fields. Listed as an endangered species in the state of New York, the owls are easily photographed. They fly low to the ground when hunting rodents. This information comes from the state Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) in its weekly news release about eco actions.Make sure you are making proper eco actions by purchasing your promotional materials from Custom Earth Promos. As word began to spread across social media, people began to show up in increasing numbers. According to DEC, they were parking on the side of the road and setting up tripods. This year, ECOs also received a complains that someone had launched a drone in an attempt to get video footage of the owls. DEC said that the increased traffic has caused headaches for the local residents. In response, ECOs have spent time in the area speaking with numerous bird enthusiasts over the past few weeks. These enthusiasts are receiving lessons on the laws protecting threatened and endangered species. ECOs have also attempted to mediate the parking, traffic, and trespassing issues. DEC hopes that through this outreach, the owls will remain undisturbed and continue to spend their winters in the area.Do rain, sleet, and snow have you discouraged? Take a recycled umbrella with you the next time you go bird watching. Posts to the American Birding Association's website that compile bird observation reports have noted the appearance of short-eared owls on the local Nations Road and problems with people "parking badly, trespassing, and behaving like bird paparazzi." Posts reminded birders that Nations Road is two lanes. It has residential traffic and must remain passable. They also noted that weekends have been the worst. One Saturday last month saw 16 cars along the road alone! Purposely disturbing, flushing, or chasing a threatened or endangered species is considered harassment and is illegal, according to DEC officials. Unlike most owl species, short-eared owls roost on the ground in tall grasses. They are most often observed in the late afternoon, or at dawn and dusk, foraging for mice and voles. The owls are easily disturbed, which can cause them to expend unnecessary energy flying or abandon their roost site. DEC offers guidelines for bird and wildlife watching: Avoid flushing or otherwise purposely disturbing wildlife when watching or photographing them.Never purposely chase wildlife.Keep a respectful distance from nests and young, especially in hot, cold, or ...

Today is Fat Tuesday, which marks the beginning of the Easter season. Complete with its wild parties, outrageous parade floats, and boisterous band processions, Fat Tuesday is the biggest marks the biggest day of the Mardi Gras festivities for both locals and tourists alike in the city of New Orleans, Louisiana. Unfortunately, it also creates lasting environmental problems for the city. In 2017, according to Reuters, 93,000 pounds (46 tons) of Mardi Gras beads were pulled from storm drains! This number doesn't include any beads that went straight to landfills. This also doesn't include any other part of the state—that's just New Orleans! While these beads may signify celebration, they also pose an unnecessary threat to the environment.Lower the threat you post to the environment with Custom Earth Promos. Fortunately, someone wants to change this: Baton Rouge-based Plant Cell Biologist and Louisiana State University Professor Naohiro Kato. He has developed a process that turns microscopic algae into the beads, which will biodegrade into soil after one or two years.Write down all of your thoughts on biodegradable seed paper. "I have family and friends who live in New Orleans and have been seeking to make the Mardi Gras celebration environmentally friendly. When I was invited to their Mardi Gras parade party, I met with a bunch of people who were concerned about the negative impact of Mardi Gras beads on the environment."Baton Rouge Plant Cell Biologist and Louisiana State Professor Naohiro Kato Kato made this discovery by chance. "My student was supposed to come into the lab three nights in a row to move our test tube samples of algae from the centrifuge to the freezer, but one night he forgot."Baton Rouge Plant Cell Biologist and Louisiana State Professor Naohiro Kato When Kato examined the centrifuge, he found a mass of algae accumulating oils. This is one of the key ingredients in bioplastic productions. After growing and harvesting the microalgae, a chemical is added to "stick tighter oils and other materials within the algae cells." They are then heated, molded, and dried before distribution can happen. Unfortunately, the 2019 celebration will not see these beads. It will take time for commercial producers to have the means of production. Kato also admits that production cost is still high, which is a challenge. His plan to offset costs, however, is to produce the algae for nutraceutical companies for profit and use the leftovers for cost-effective eco-friendly beads. But how do you turn Mardi Gras into Mardi Green this year? One suggestion, given by Kato, is to recycle your beads. Nonprofit ArcGNO has recycling bins around New Orleans where you can dump your used beads when you become tired of wearing them. This, in turn, helps create jobs in the community for individuals with Autism or Down syndrome.Does this year's parade forecast for rain? Grab an umbrella made out of recycled materials. Kato also ...

A sprawling and hyperambitious initiative, the Green New Deal aims to stem both global warming and economic inequity. Championed by Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, to date, the serious proposals for reversing climate change have been both market-based and incremental. This includes credits and offsets for carbon emissions, capturing and storing atmospheric CO2, biofuel production, and building handfuls of "next gen" nuclear plants. The ten key points of the deal are: According to the CalAlumni Association from UC Berkeley in Berkeley, California, here are some points raised by naysayers: Ambitious Demands Without Plans for How to Achieve Them In an opinion piece posted in the conservative website The Bulwark, Steven Hayward, a senior resident scholar at the Institute of Governmental Studies and a senior fellow at the Bipartisan Policy Center at UC Berkeley, lambasted the Green New Deal for both “its economic…and environmental illiteracy.” Climate change orthodoxy says we need to do exactly what the Green New Deal proposes—the virtual elimination of all fossil fuels on a very short timeline. And if you take this scenario seriously, it would mean elimination of fossil fuels is necessary for the entire world—not just the United States. Never mind that the Green New Deal proposes no specific and measurable technologies. The point is that none of the previous climate policy initiatives, whether the Kyoto Protocol of 1998, the Paris Climate Accord of 2015, or President Obama's Clean Power Plan came anywhere close to this emission reduction target....There's also the economic fact that if the United States were to eliminate its reliance on fossil fuels, this would drive the price of oil down, allowing developing countries to use more in their drive to modernize."Senior Resident Scholar at the Institute of Governmental Studies and Senior Fellow at the Bipartisan Policy Center at UC Berkeley Steven Hayward Similarly, the Berkeley Haas School of Business acting associate dean for academic affairs and business administration professor Catherine Wolfram says that the deal is by far the most aggressive climate change response ever proposed. It is, however, short on details. This concerns her. "Calling for 100 percent renewable sources rules out all nuclear power, carbon sequestration, and biofuels. It puts tremendous emphasis on energy efficiency, but from my research, those claims are overstated."Berkeley Haas School of Business Acting Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and Business Administration Professor Catherine Wolfram Overemphasis on Wind and Solar Power Wolfram also says that the Green New Deal's focus on wind and solar power would create a critical vulnerability in the production and delivery of energy. "If the sun isn't shining or the wind isn't blowing, you're not producing energy. Storage still remains the big problem with wind and solar. We really haven't figured out a way to scale battery storage to ...

The Oscars were this weekend. Whether you are a film fan or not, everyone can agree that fashion is a much a focus as the awards themselves. Ten years ago, environmentalist and former actress Suzy Amis Cameron founded Red Carpet Green Dress. RCGD is an initiative that challenges designers to create sustainable red carpet designs. According to The Hollywood Reporter, at the 2019 awards on Sunday, February 24th, actresses and RCGD ambassadors Laura Harrier and Danielle Macdonald dazzled in eco-friendly gowns made by A-list designers. Danielle Macdonald, who stared in this year's winning short film Skin, as well as Netflix's original movies Dumplin' and Bird Box, wore a Christian Siriano gown. The dress was made out of cotton crepe and dyed red with vegetable dye. The sleeves were made from recycled tulle and minimal fabric waste production was used in Siriano's work. "I've had some incredible red carpet moments in my career but I'm particularly excited about this design as it has the potential to change the world. I want to show people that eco-friendly, ethical, and sustainable fashion can also be beautiful." Christian Siriano via statement for RCGD BlacKkKlansman star Laura Harrier wore a custom-made light blue gown by Louis Vuitton. This dress was made from Taroni S.p.a crepe silk. According to Red Carpet Green Dress' website, the material was certified by the Global Organic Textile Standards. Four hundred and fifty hours were spent hand-embroidering glass beads and Swarovski crystal shards and sequins onto the gown. This was done while following the STANDARD 100 by OEKO-TEX, a global testing and certification system for textiles and accessories. While it is clear that the makers of Harrier's dress went to great lengths to ensure it was made from natural fabrics, silk is a double sided coin with many people concerned about animal cruelty. Though there are some processes that do not kill silk worms, the fiber is most commonly produced by worms who are exploited and boiled alive, according to ThoughtCo. On the positive side, many see silk as a plastic-free, biodegradable fiber.Invest in plastic-free packaging with reusable bags made from bamboo, jute, cotton, and paper. As explained on Red Carpet Green Dress' website, the criteria for a designer's work to be certified as eco-conscious by the organization, it must be "made from sustainable materials, including organic, recycled, or repurposed fibers." Bonus points are added for also featuring "hand-made detailing or incorporating natural dye processing, with a dedicated focus on minimal negative impact on the environment, and environmentally and socially responsible design." Founder Suzy Amis Cameron started Red Carpet Green Dress in 2009 during the press tour for Avatar, directed by her husband James Cameron. Since its inception, RCGD has worked with designers and fashion labels including Vivienne Westwood, Armani, and Reformation; actors have included ...

Why Go Green in the Kitchen? The kitchen is one of the most important rooms in any home. It's often the beating heart of a household, where people eat, socialize, relax, and congregate. With such a vital role, it should come as no surprise that your choices, knowingly or not, can have an environmental impact. More and more people are making efforts to ‘go green' at home. By this, we mean making conscious efforts to make their home more eco-friendly. There are many reasons to so; it's good for the environment, it can save you money, and it can have positive impacts on your health. From recycling to switching to energy-efficient appliances, you can make your kitchen a sustainable place by implementing a few simple changes. If you're looking to reduce your carbon footprint, you can choose more efficient ways of running your kitchen. Similarly, if you're hoping to lead a healthier lifestyle, you can opt to remove toxins from your home. Finally, if you want to reduce your bills and save money, the kitchen is a great place to start. In this article, we cover the details of all three. Ultimately, you, your family, your finances, and the environment can all benefit from going green in the kitchen. The fact you're even reading this article shows that you're willing to at least consider it, which is a great start. Stick with us as we outline how you can overhaul your kitchen to be an eco-friendly hub in your home.  5 Tips for Going Green in Your Kitchen We start by covering some of the ways you can reduce your waste, stress, and expenses in the kitchen. These five simple tips can potentially make a huge difference, either individually or collectively. Some may seem fairly intuitive, while you may not have considered others before. When going green in the kitchen, it's about making concerted efforts over time so you may want to introduce one or two of these at a time and make them part of your routine.   1. Recycle We all know the importance of recycling. It can help to reduce plastic waste, conserve natural resources, and curb pollution and landfill. Being smart about your recycling can make a significant difference towards being more eco-friendly. To maximize your efforts, you should consider setting up a ‘recycling station,' where you can easily separate glass, plastic, and paper accordingly. Check with your local council about recycling pick-ups and rules and make sure to follow them. Don't forget that you can also reuse certain items in your own kitchen. Glassware is a good example; jars can be recycled to store many different substances, food or otherwise. 2. Clean Green Many people focus their eco efforts on reducing waste and recycling, which is great for the environment. However, cleaning products are often overlooked, and they can be just as damaging to the local ecosystem and your wallet. Expensive cleaners, sprays, and creams often have many ...

The remarkable properties of a recently discovered protein could revolutionize materials in a way that is unattainable with conventional plastics, finds a review published in Frontiers of Chemistry. Where is this protein found? Squid, of all places! Originating in the ringed teeth of a squid's predatory arms, this protein can be processed into fibers with and films with applications ranging from health-monitoring "smart clothing," to self-healing recyclable fabrics that reduce microplastic pollution. Materials made from this protein are eco-friendly and biodegradable. Sustainable large-scale production can be achieved using laboratory culture methods.Get all sorts of items made sustainably from eco-friendly materials at Custom Earth Promos. "Squid proteins can be used to produce next generation materials for an array of fields including energy and biomedicine, as well as the security and defense sector. We reviewed the current knowledge on squid ring teeth-based materials, which are an excellent alternative to plastics because they are eco-friendly and environmentally sustainable." Lloyd and Dorothy Foehr Huck Endowed Chair in Biomimetic Materials and Director of Center for Research on Advanced Fiber Technologies (CRAFT) at Penn State University, Lead Author Melik Demirel As humanities eyes are opened to a post-plastic society, we are beginning to heed the warning signs of a dying planet—and nature's solutions. "Nature produces a variety of smart materials capable of environmental sensing, self-healing, and exceptional mechanical function. These materials, or biopolymers, have unique physical properties that are not readily found in synthetic polymers like plastic. Importantly, biopolymers are sustainable and can be engineered to enhance their physical properties." Lloyd and Dorothy Foehr Huck Endowed Chair in Biomimetic Materials and Director of Center for Research on Advanced Fiber Technologies (CRAFT) at Penn State University, Lead Author Melik Demirel The oceans, which have seen the worst of the plastic pollution, are, ironically, at the center of the sustainability search. A newly discovered protein from squid ring teeth (SRT), circular predatory appendages located on the suction cups used to strongly grasp prey, has gained interest due to its remarkable properties and sustainable production.Save one more fish from one more plastic bottle by taking a reusable water bottle on your next beach trip. These properties include: the elasticity, flexibility, and strength of SRT-based materials; along with their self-healing, optical, and thermal and electrical conduction properties. This can be explained by the variety of adoptable molecular arrangements. SRT proteins are composed of building blocks in a way that allows for micro-phase separation. This is similar to oil and water, but on a nano-scale. The blocks cannot separate completely, forming two layers, so molecular-level shapes are created instead. The shapes formed ...