G
reen conscience
Your monthly GREEN newsletter from
NCT Forestry Co-operative Limited
FORESTRY
myth-buster
January 2013
The forestry industry has challenged myths by sharing facts.
MYTH
Timber plantations are exotic species that use up scarce water resources and harm the
biodiversity of the land they occupy.
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FACTS
It must be noted that timber plantations are a monoculture agricultural crop, similar to
maize, cotton and wheat with one significant difference: plantations require neither
irrigation nor regular fertilising.
Timber is planted in high rainfall areas - Mpumalanga, KZN and some ares of the
Eastern Cape and not in water scarce areas.
The total annual water requirement/usage for timber plantations was calculated to be
428 million m³ per year, approximately 3% of the total annual water usage in South
Africa. By comparison, water used for irrigating crops amounts to 7,9 billion m³ or
62% of the total annual requirement.
The industry has also voluntarily reduced its plantation area by 80 000 ha in riverine
and other ecologically sensitive areas.
Of the 1,6 million ha of FSC-certified land that the industry owns, only one million
hectares are planted to trees. The majority of the other 600 000 ha are grasslands.
These have been assessed by South African National Biodiversity Institute to be the
best conserved grasslands in the country. It is therefore important when referring to
impacts of monocultures on biodiversity, that they are considered at landscape level
and not at stand level.
Source: TAPPSA Journal
GREEN New Year ’s
resolutions
Avoid waste - reduce , reuse , recycle
Reduce the amount of waste you produce, buy products in returnable
and recyclable containers and recycle as much as possible.
Give up plastic bags
The best choice is reusable shopping bags made of cotton, nylon or
durable, mesh-like plastic.
….. and plastic bottles
It takes 26 bottles of water to produce the plastic container for a one-liter
bottle of water, and doing so, pollutes 25 litres of groundwater.
Wash in cold water
Only 10% of the energy used by a typical washing machine powers the
motor; 90% of the energy is used to heat the water, and most clothes
will come clean in cold water. Wash on a full load.
Use bio-degradable products
Choose detergents are plant-based, concentrated and biodegradable.
Some of the safest, most effective household cleaners can be found in
the kitchen-- vinegar, baking soda, citrus oils and parsley.
Avoid tumble drying
The second biggest household energy user, after the refrigerator, is the
clothes dryer. Hanging clothing outside in the sun and air to dry is the
most energy-efficient method.
lower fridge temperature
The refrigerator accounts for 10%-15% of the average home energy bill
each month. Set the refrigerator thermostat to maintain a temperature
between 0-9 degrees (C). This temperature will protect your food from
spoiling while saving electricity.
Avoid dry cleaning
Traces of the chemicals used remain on clothes after dry cleaning and
will evaporate into the air in your car or home. Air clothing outside before hanging it in your closet. Rather choose fabrics that don’t require
dry cleaning.
www.dailygreen.com
NCT’s Green Team
Craig Norris (Chairman) * Lauren Bomford * Bruce Goatley * Ramesh Iyer * Jason Naidoo * Colin Summersgill
Anita Nicholson * Cliff Walton
HOT WATER
DON’Ts
Households and businesses use the hot water tap for a variety of reasons including washing hands, dishes and filling pots and kettles.
However, consumers make the mistake of using the hot water tap for
cooking. Before dealing with the issue at hand, it is important to first
address the most efficient use of the geyser.
Only use the hot water tap when you need it unless you have a controller installed.
The element in the geyser is designed to switch on when there is a
3°C drop in water temperature which will consume a large amount of
electricity.
Based on this, filling the kettle or cooking pot with water from a hot
water tap would get the water to boil faster, but the quality of water from
the geyser is questionable.
Based on research, most geysers have a build up of residue, potential bacteria and other impurities which becomes a breeding ground for
bacteria when temperatures are lower than 55°C. It is therefore not
advisable to use hot water from the geyser for cooking and drinking.
In summary, avoid using hot water from the hot water tap for cooking;
use the hot water tap for washing dishes or filling a bucket for cleaning;
and only use the hot water tap when you need hot water – remember
each time you turn it on, it activates the geyser and reheats it.
Source: Property24.com
Chemical ban on jeans
Iconic US jeans maker, Levi Strauss, has committed
to eliminating all hazardous chemicals from its supply
chain and all production procedures by 2020.
This is a victory for the local residents of the production plants directly affected by this pollution and also for
the countries where this label is found.
The giant manufacturer said 15 of its biggest suppliers, most of them in China and Mexico, would make a
public disclosure by June 2013 of hazardous chemicals
used, followed by another 25 suppliers by the end of
the year.
Last year, environmental group, Greenpeace said two
Mexican factories that supply clothing for fashion brands
including Levi Strauss, were dumping toxic chemicals.
The company confirmed at the time that it worked with
both factories but said it had developed a Restricted
Substance List to ban chemicals that could harm consumers, workers or the environment.
Greenpeace launched its Detox campaign in 2011 to
put pressure on big clothing brands to stop using textiles
treated with chemicals that can be dangerous to health.
It urges other brands to follow Levi Strauss’ example.
Source: News24.com
GreeN
cleaning
Products used to keep your house sparkling are often unsafe and bad for the environment.
Most products on the market feature paragraphlong ingredient lists including artificial colours and
fragrances and harsh cleaning agents such as
bleach, ammonia and acids.
Synthetic cleaners are shown to contribute to indoor air pollution by giving off fumes that can irritate
eyes, skin and lungs.
Some of the safest, most effective household
cleaners are everyday ingredients and can be found
in your kitchen--such as vinegar, baking soda, citrus
oils, even parsley can be as effective as bleach and
ammonia but without the toxic fumes.
Go to www.dailygreen.com - green homes - green
cleaning for natural cleaning solutions.