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Best Jobs For People Who Love Nature

Posted on by dishanth
Best Jobs For People Who Love Nature

Being a nature lover means you’ll enjoy spending a lot of time outdoors in the very heart of nature. However, it doesn’t have to end there because you can make plenty of money from your passion. This piece highlights the best jobs for nature lovers.

Park Ranger

Park rangers are the heartbeat of most natural reserves, state parks, and national parks. They are responsible for enforcing rules protecting the natural environment and all life. Aside from environmental protection, they also educate and protect tourists. To fully prepare yourself for this role, you’ll need to attend any of the park ranger colleges in your proximity.

Environmental Engineer

There are many reasons why any nature lover would sign up to be an environmental engineer. First, this career allows you to protect the environment you love so much. You’ll be tasked with working with a team to create innovative solutions that prevent environmental hazards.

When you sign up as an environmental engineer, you may spend some time indoors in an office; however, you will also spend a great portion of your work time in the great outdoors.

Also, environmental engineers earn an impressive salary. On average, these engineers make six figures annually. Additionally, there are several job opportunities for environmental engineers in the private and public sectors.

Wildlife Biologist

The role of a wildlife biologist is one of the most exciting for people who love nature. A job as a wildlife biologist will take you closer than ever to animals. You’ll spend plenty of time studying animal behavior in the wild. However, you may choose to study them in captivity in a zoo.

Wildlife biologists are also called zoologists and are often employed by universities, conservation organizations, and government agencies. Getting a bachelor’s degree in Wildlife Conservation is recommended if you want a career as a wildlife biologist.

Sustainability Manager

Being a nature lover without a flair for sustainability is impossible. This job role sees you focus on caring for the environment and fighting deterioration. They are the progenitors of innovative waste management plans.

Unlike other job roles that take you closer to nature, you’ll spend most of your time as a sustainability manager in an office, attending calls and meetings. So, it’s essential to have strong communication and critical thinking skills to process plenty of information.

 

Frequently Asked Questions

What Are Some Ideal Job Options for Individuals Passionate About Nature?

For nature enthusiasts, careers like park ranger, environmental scientist, or wildlife biologist are excellent choices. Park rangers work directly in natural settings, managing parks, educating visitors, and conserving wildlife. Environmental scientists study the impact of human activity on the environment, while wildlife biologists focus on the behavior and conservation of animals.

How Do Careers in Ecotourism Cater to Nature Lovers?

Ecotourism offers unique opportunities for those who love nature by allowing them to combine their passion with work. Jobs in ecotourism include eco-tour guides, sustainable travel planners, or wildlife photographers. These roles involve leading nature-focused tours, promoting conservation efforts, and providing educational experiences for travelers in natural settings.

What Role Do Conservation Organizations Play in Providing Fulfilling Careers for Nature Lovers?

Conservation organizations offer diverse career paths for individuals committed to protecting the environment. Jobs such as conservation biologist, environmental educator, or sustainability coordinator are typical within these organizations. Conservation biologists work to preserve ecosystems and endangered species, while environmental educators raise awareness and promote environmental stewardship.

 

Conclusion

Contrary to popular opinion, being a nature lover doesn’t necessarily have to stop at being just a passion. You will gain more satisfaction earning from a job you also enjoy. As such, we’ve compiled a list of the best jobs for you to help the environment.

 

 

 

 

Source  Happy Eco News

Absolut Vodka in Paper Bottles

Posted on by dishanth
Absolut Vodka in Paper Bottles

Over 50 years ago, we were introduced to the concept of box wine – a wine that came in a box with a collapsible bag inside. The invention gained popularity because it was cheaper than other wines and spirits. Adding the integral tap in the bag made it easier to pour a glass of wine and store it. From an environmental standpoint, boxed wine is recyclable and easier to transport. Although glass is recyclable, it requires a lot of energy to produce and transport.

Switching to cardboard is less energy-intensive to produce and is a lot lighter in comparison to transport. Although boxed wine has been associated with being a cheaper quality wine, the quality has improved significantly over the years, with many winemakers packaging their products in boxes.

If wine can be packaged more sustainably, what about other types of alcohol? Swedish company Absolut Vodka wants to switch from glass bottles to paper bottles. As part of a pilot project, Absolut has made bottles out of 57% wood fibres certified by the Forest Stewardship Council. To prevent the liquid from leaking through, the bottles contain an integrated moisture barrier made from recycled plastic.

This pilot project is part of a collaboration with Paboco and the Pioneer Community. Paboco is a paper bottle company working towards creating the world’s first 100% bio-based and recyclable paper bottle. The paper bottle is recyclable as paper packaging and can be designed to hold many different products, from soda to sun location. The company has partnered with L’Oreal, the Coca-Cola Company, Procter & Gamble and many others to help introduce smarter and more sustainable packaging solutions into more significant markets.

Paboco is no stranger to packaging alcohol in paper bottles. They have been successful with beer company Carlsberg with their Fibre Bottle, made out of plant-based PEF polymer lining. The material is compatible with plastic recycling systems and can degrade in nature. The PEF, which is made out of natural raw materials, protects the taste and fizziness of the beer, and the outer shell helps to keep the beer colder for longer compared to cans or glass bottles.

Absolut Vodka has been testing these paper bottles for over a decade, and they are finally launching 500-millilitre paper bottles in select Tesco stores in Manchester, in the UK. The city of Manchester was chosen as a testing site because it had the recycling infrastructure to handle the bottles. Absolut also found that Manchester had higher household recycling rates than any other region in the UK.

Much like how wine boxes are lighter and less energy-intensive to transport, Absolut will calculate the carbon footprint of the paper bottles, which will be significantly lighter than their traditional glass bottles. The company is also collecting feedback from consumers, retailers and distributors and will use their findings to make necessary adjustments. They will also be working on developing ways to make the bottles from more than 57% paper and achieve a 100% paper bottle target.

While glass is a better option and can be used infinitely, compared to plastic bottles, it is pretty costly to recycle. Glass can only be recycled in furnaces that use high energy to reach high heat, increasing pollution. The switch to paper bottles could have a significant impact on the emission that comes from the food and drink industry. While Absolut Vodka is only one of many alcohol companies, it could be the inspiration needed to make the switch. We might see our liquor stores go from clanky, heavy glass bottles to lightweight paper ones in the near future.

 

 

 

 

Source  Happy Eco News

Sustainable Mushroom Coffins – Human Compost

Posted on by dishanth
Sustainable Mushroom Coffins – Human Compost

Sustainable Mushroom Coffins

Mushroom coffins are made from mycelium, the vegetative part of fungi. The mycelium is grown around a mold of the desired shape and then dried, forming a sturdy, biodegradable material that can be used as an alternative to traditional coffins. These coffins are available in various shapes and sizes and can even be customized to suit individual preferences.

The coffin is designed to decompose quickly and enrich the soil. When buried, the mycelium in the coffin will break down organic matter, including human remains, into nutrients and minerals that nourish plants. It can also improve soil quality by breaking down toxic chemicals and pollutants in the soil, making it healthier for future growth.

 

Benefits Compared to Traditional Coffins

Reduced Carbon Emissions: Traditional coffins made of wood and metal are known to produce large amounts of carbon emissions during production and transportation. On the other hand, sustainable mushroom coffins are made of natural materials and require less energy to manufacture, resulting in lower carbon emissions.

Cost-effectiveness: Sustainable mushroom coffins are also more cost-effective than traditional coffins. While traditional coffins can be expensive due to the use of expensive materials and the cost of labour, mushroom coffins are much cheaper to produce, making them more affordable for families looking for sustainable alternatives.

Sustainable Use of Natural Resources: Sustainable mushroom coffins are also better for the environment because they utilize renewable natural resources and do not require harmful chemicals or pesticides to grow. Additionally, they help reduce the waste generated from traditional burial practices.

 

Composting Human Remains

Human compost is converting human remains, such as bones and tissue, into nutrient-rich soil using the same principles of composting used to fertilize gardens. It involves placing the body in a container filled with organic material like wood chips, straw, or sawdust. Oxygen and moisture encourage decomposition, resulting in nutrient-rich soil that nourishes plants.

Human compost is a more sustainable option than traditional burial and cremation practices. Traditional burial practices involve embalming fluids containing harmful chemicals that can seep into the soil and water supply. Conversely, cremation requires large amounts of energy to burn the body, which contributes to carbon emissions.

Human compost produces significantly less carbon emissions than traditional burial and cremation practices. Unlike cremation, human composting does not require high levels of energy use. Instead, the decomposition process occurs naturally, requiring only minimal energy input.

Human compost produces nutrient-rich soil that can be used to grow plants, trees, and other vegetation. This helps to replenish the soil and promote healthy plant growth.

The use of compost from human remains also helps prevent soil erosion. This is because compost has properties that help to retain moisture and reduce runoff, which can help prevent soil erosion.

If you are interested in using sustainable death practices like sustainable mushroom coffins and human compost, it is important to research and find a provider that offers these options in your jurisdiction. Discussing these options with your loved ones is also important so that your wishes can be honoured when the time comes.

While death is a reality for all of us, we can still make choices that positively impact the environment even after we are gone. By choosing sustainable death practices, we can make a more meaningful contribution to the planet, leaving behind a legacy of environmental consciousness and stewardship.

 

 

 

 

Source   Happy Eco News

Superglue can be turned into a recyclable, cheap, oil-free plastic alternative

Posted on by dishanth
Superglue can be turned into a recyclable, cheap, oil-free plastic alternative

Our team used superglue as a starting material to develop a low-cost, recyclable and easily produced transparent plastic called polyethyl cyanoacrylate that has properties similar to those of plastics used for single-use products like cutlery, cups and packaging. Unlike most traditional plastics, this new plastic can be easily converted back to its starting materials, even when combined with unwashed municipal plastic waste.

To make a plastic from superglue, we first had to address the very issue that makes superglue so “super” – it sticks to just about everything. When superglue is used to stick something together, it is actually reacting with moisture in the air or on the surface of whatever is being glued together. This reaction forms molecular chains of repeating superglue units called polymers. The polymers made when gluing something together are short and don’t bind to each other well, which makes the glue brittle and easy to break.

While short polymers are good for glue, long polymers have more binding locations and result in stronger materials. Our team realized that if we could create longer versions of the same type of polymers made from superglue, we might be able to produce a strong plastic.

The way we make these plastics is relatively simple when compared with how other types of plastics are made – we simply mixed acetone and a little bit of an eco-friendly catalyst into store-bought superglue. Once this mixture dries, it produces a solid, glassy plastic made up of long polymer chains.

In our lab, we can easily produce up to 10 pounds of this material in a matter of days and turn it into usable products. By pouring the mixture into molds before it dries, we can make plastic objects in many shapes, like bowls and cutlery. We also discovered that heating up the plastic after it dries not only allowed us to shape the material into other products, but also strengthened the plastic.

Why it matters

When manufacturers need to produce a stiff plastic object – like cutlery, disposable razors, CD cases or plastic models – they often turn to polystyrene. Polystyrene is one of the most widely produced and least recycled types of plastic.

Because our superglue plastic has properties similar to polystyrene – it is light, durable, cheap and easy to mass-produce – it could replace polystyrene in many products. But there are two distinct benefits of our superglue-based material: It isn’t made from oil and is easy to recycle.

When our material is heated to 410 degrees Fahrenheit (210 C), the long molecule chains made of repeating superglue units break apart into their small, individual superglue molecules. At this point, the superglue molecules turn into a vapor that is easy to separate out from a mixed waste stream of other plastics, paper, food residue, aluminum and other refuse commonly found in recycling waste streams. Once you collect the superglue vapor, you can cool it and turn it right back into our new plastic with over 90% efficiency.

What’s next?

Since superglue is inexpensive and already produced on an industrial scale, we imagine our method of creating superglue plastics should be easy to scale up. Finally, the machinery used to make superglue could also be used to recycle the superglue plastics and could be simply adapted into existing industrial processes.

Finding a replacement for polystyrene is a big step toward sustainable plastics, but polystyrene is only one of thousands of plastics used today. Our team is now designing superglue-based plastics with properties that resemble other kinds of commodity plastics, while still being easy to produce and recycle.

 

 

 

 

Source World Economic Forum

Packaging Solutions You Can Eat

Posted on by dishanth
Packaging Solutions You Can Eat

Tomorrow Machine has designed GoneShells, a biodegradable juice bottle made from potato starch.

Most of the packaging we use today is single-use, meaning it’s meant to serve one purpose and then discarded after. On top of that, a lot of the packaging cannot be recycled due to the assortment of materials used to make them. Globally, we produce about 400 million tons of plastic waste yearly and the plastic containers we throw away take up to 450 years to degrade. A Swedish product design studio specializing in package, product and food concepts may have a sustainable solution to our wasteful plastic consumption.

The designers have created GoneShells, a biodegradable juice bottle. The bottle is made from a potato-starch material and coated in a bio-based water-resistant barrier on both the inside and outside to preserve the liquid it contains. The packaging can be home-composted, eaten or dissolved in water. The bottle is designed to be peeled into a spiral formation, similar to peeling an orange. Doing so breaks the barrier and immediately begins the material’s decomposition process. As long as the decomposition process isn’t activated, the packaging works similarly to a traditional plastic bottle.

The product was designed to tackle landfill waste and address the lack of recycling and industrial compositing facilities in some parts of the world. The designers also wanted to create packaging that would last the same amount of time as the contents inside. The designers are also using existing equipment designed to process fossil fuel-based thermoplastics. These methods and inexpensive raw materials will help bring GoneShells to markets. The only other thing the designers are working on to make this packaging 100% sustainable is the foiling letters that appear on the bottles. They are working on a printing solution that will follow the bottle concept.

Tomorrow Machine is also known for its This Too Shall Pass line, where the packaging is made with the same short life span as the food they contain. Their olive oil packaging is made out of caramelized sugar coated with wax. To use the contents inside, you crack it open like an egg. Once it is open, the wax no longer protects, and sugar and the package will melt when it comes in contact with water. Their smoothie packaging is made of agar-agar seaweed gel, and water is designed for drinks with a short life and needs refrigeration. It can be opened like a juice box by picking the top. Like the GoneShells, their packaging for Basmati Rice is wrapped in beeswax and can be opened by peeling the packaging.

Tomorrow Machine has a very innovative way to reduce single-use waste. By introducing GoneShells to markets worldwide, we can reduce the raw materials used to produce plastic and drastically minimize the waste that ends up in the landfill every year.

 

 

 

 

Source Happy Eco News

 

The world’s first biodegradable sneakers are here

Posted on by dishanth
The world’s first biodegradable sneakers are here

Blueview sneakers are the first biodegradable sneakers in the world. These sneakers are made entirely out of plant-based materials, which means we can make anything sustainable if we’re bold enough.

According to Inhabitat, these sneakers will completely break down when they’re exposed to air. Scientists worked for over six years to come up with a formula that uses plants to create a knitted upper material that can work on shoes.

 

 

The majority of shoes are made of petroleum-based plastics that don’t degrade even after hundreds of years. But, every single part of Blueview sneakers is completely compostable.

Most importantly, the sneakers provide comfortable wear thanks to the soft and flexible knitted uppers. The insole is contoured to soften the steps, which all results in a comfortable fit.

The sneaker design is simple and elegant. These sneakers can be worn everywhere, from a restaurant to a sailboat. Plus, 5% is donated to support ocean conservation efforts for every pair bought.

 

 

Source Green citizen

23 Green Business Ideas for Eco-Minded Entrepreneurs

Posted on by dishanth
23 Green Business Ideas for Eco-Minded Entrepreneurs

Today, consumers are just as interested in corporate social responsibility (CSR) as they are in a company’s products and services. This is especially good news for eco-minded entrepreneurs.

We’ve outlined 23 eco-friendly business ideas for making money and saving the planet at the same time, that can set you apart form larger companies practicing greenwashing tactics.

 

What is a green industry business?

A green industry business is one that uses sustainable materials to make its products. Green industry businesses aim to use as little water, energy and raw materials as possible while cutting carbon emissions, or it finds ways to utilize these materials in renewable and eco-friendly ways. This business approach minimizes the company’s strain on natural resources and contributions to climate change. In some cases, if waste is generated, it is reused as energy or raw material.

 

What is a green business model?

With a traditional business model, a company outlines raw material budgets, design processes, and service delivery or product distribution methods. A green business model, while ensuring ample revenue, prioritizes minimizing the company’s environmental impact instead of maximizing its profit. It may involve the restricted use of fossil fuels while emphasizing power supplied by solar panels and other approaches to drastically reduce energy consumption.

 

How do I start a green business?

As consumers have come to care about CSR, a greater number of green businesses have emerged, but the problems that climate change poses require many solutions. Thus, to start a green business, first identify an eco-friendly service that nobody in your market currently offers. Then think of similarly eco-minded people you know whom you could ask to join your team. Read our guide on how to start a business.

As you launch your green business, change your lifestyle to reflect the values and services of your business.

 

What companies are eco-friendly?

Eco-friendly companies may include outdoor apparel brands, businesses that make reusable plastic bottles, eco-friendly cleaning companies, businesses that install solar panels, a local recycling business, and many other potential ventures. If you’re looking to start your own eco-friendly, green industry business, consider any of the 23 ideas below.

1. Ink refill business

Starting an ink-refill business can not only be a highly profitable decision, it can be an environmentally conscious one, too. You might question whether refilling ink cartridges truly helps the environment considering the amount of paper that is wasted each year. However, by reusing old ink cartridges, there is less nonbiodegradable waste accumulating in landfills. Paper is still necessary in the business world, but empty ink containers are not.

2. Environmental publications

If you love to write, start your own environmentally minded publication. Your actions can make a big difference in the world. By debunking popular myths and sharing the truth about the world we live in, you can help consumers rethink how their actions affect the planet.

3. Green finance

Green finance focuses on supporting local, community-level projects with an emphasis on sustainable, ecologically friendly agriculture. Green finance is also typically concerned with providing educational opportunities, funding for artistic endeavors and projects that support local ecology.

Green finance is preoccupied with social profitability. While monetary profit remains important, the goal of green finance is to support beneficial projects that provide value to the local community and ecology.

4. Eco-friendly retail

Consumer rewards programs are popular among retailers, and e-commerce site EcoPlum is no exception. With every purchase, customers earn EcoChipz, which are redeemable for either rewards or a donation to various environmental causes. Each product sold also carries a third-party green certification or an equivalent eco-label.

Besides selling sustainably sourced products, EcoPlum produces educational content, including monthly columns by industry experts, local green business listings, recycling information, eco tips, and book and video recommendations. If you’re considering opening a retail store, consider partnering with a company that has similar values as you and your customers.

5. Sustainable construction materials

You might not think of construction as sustainable, but some companies now provide recycled materials for use in projects like infrastructure repair.

Axion, for example, with its eco-friendly products, hopes to change the way companies think about rebuilding America’s infrastructure. The company’s railroad ties and pilings are made from recycled plastic from consumer and industrial uses rather than non-sustainable materials like steel and concrete. Axion is currently working with major partners like Long Island Rail Road to improve infrastructure safely and sustainably in the United States.

6. Organic catering

A great way for eco-friendly foodies to share their passion for food and the environment is to start an organic catering company. By catering local events and business luncheons with foods containing organic and locally grown ingredients, free-range meats, and vegan, gluten-free, and paleo meal options, you’ll appeal to nature lovers and health and wellness enthusiasts alike.

Be sure, though, to minimize the impact on the environment by avoiding plastic and paper goods as much as possible and composting food waste.

7. Eco-friendly beauty salon

If cosmetology is your passion, start a beauty business that’s Mother Nature-approved. Organic and vegan hair and beauty products are popping up everywhere. A way to make this trend work for you is to open an eco-friendly beauty salon. You can open a hair salon that uses all-natural shampoos and conditioners or a nail salon that uses environmentally friendly and vegan polishes and spa treatments.

8. Eco-friendly landscaping

Professional landscaping may make your lawn and garden look nice, but all of that maintenance isn’t necessarily great for the environment. With some eco-friendly advice and know-how, you can help homeowners make their yards literally and figuratively greener. SheKnows recommends synthetic turf, drought-resistant plants and strategically placed trees for a lawn that saves water, energy, and money.

9. Sustainable event planning

Whether they’re big or small, meetings and events can generate large amounts of waste and consume valuable resources. Green event planners use their expertise and event-planning skills to find eco-friendly venues, materials, and accommodations.

Sustainable event management benefits more than just the planet. There are financial advantages, plus it generates a positive image for event organizers, vendors and stakeholders while raising awareness, and inspiring change in the community.

10. Bicycle repair and refurbishing

Biking short distances instead of driving is better for the environment and your health. Like most modes of transportation, bicycles occasionally need a tune-up.

You could be the expert cyclists come to when their bikes need repairing or maintenance. If you have some extra space, you could purchase inexpensive older bikes, fix them up and sell them for a profit.

11. Handmade all-natural/organic products

Soaps, cosmetics and cleaning products are just a few of the household products that can be made using common organic materials.

Sure, anyone can find a recipe for a sugar scrub or vinegar-based cleaning solution and do it themselves, but if you package and sell them in sets, your customers conveniently have those all-natural products at their fingertips. Local markets and events are a good place to sell, or you could start an online store.

12. Eco-consulting

Are you an expert on green living? Start an eco-consulting service. Consultants evaluate homes and offices, and offer solutions to make them more environmentally friendly.

You could advise clients on switching their home appliances to more energy-efficient machines or implement a recycling program. To further boost your credibility, become a certified eco-consultant.

13. Farmers market vendor

Thanks to the organic movement, those with a green thumb have a golden opportunity to earn money by selling non-GMO, pesticide-free produce at their local farmers market.

Selling naturally grown fruits and vegetables gives you a distinct advantage over competing growers who use conventional farming methods, including pesticides. You may have to be approved and/or get certified by your local board of health first before you can begin selling.

14. Green housekeeping services

For working parents, cleaning the house can be at the bottom of the to-do list. Market yourself as the green solution to their housekeeping woes by offering services that range from light dusting to heavy-duty chores like cleaning the kitchen and bathroom, using only approved all-natural and eco-friendly cleaning products.

Charge an hourly rate or create your own service packages for a flat fee. Remember, your clients are giving you access to their homes. Build a trustworthy reputation with people you know first before advertising to strangers.

15. ‘Upcycled’ furniture

Don’t throw out your old, broken furniture. With basic templates and access to power tools, you can break down and reassemble chairs, tables and dressers into new pieces that you can paint and sell. Shelving and storage units are easy to make from wood scraps, and depending on the item, you might even be able to fully restore a unique and valuable piece of furniture.

Alternatively, you could reupholster old chairs and couches, giving them new life. Buying secondhand doesn’t just save money, it also helps the environment.

16. Green franchises

Want to run a business with a solid brand and customer base already in place? Investing in a franchise might be the answer. While franchising might call to mind fast-food joints and hotel chains, there are many eco-friendly franchise businesses.

17. Secondhand store

New things are typically expensive, and pretty soon, those costs add up. For example, a new book could cost $15 to $30, while a used book usually costs only a couple of dollars.

Opening a secondhand store not only saves your customers money, it’s better for the environment. Instead of tossing a perfectly good item into the trash, encourage consumers to donate their used items to you so another person can get value out of that item. You can sell used clothes, coats, books, kitchen appliances and furniture.

18. Green consulting

Whether it’s cutting energy costs or reducing their carbon footprint, the pressure for businesses to adopt green practices is high, and it’s only going to grow.

Business sustainability consultant Barbara Englehart said there are numerous benefits for companies that go green, including reduced costs, risks and liabilities, and increased employee retention and productivity.

“This is all quite new in the business world, and companies need help,” Englehart told Business News Daily. “They weren’t teaching sustainability in business schools five or 10 years ago.”

19. Solar panel installation

Many green-minded homeowners have installed solar panels on their homes, and many more would like. If you know how to do this, offer this service in your area.

20. Eco-friendly cleaning

Common cleaning products contain chemicals that contribute to pollution, and harm people and pets that come in contact with them. Starting an eco-friendly cleaning business counters this problem. Your eco-friendly cleaning business can exclusively use nontoxic products or use brands that minimize their use of single-use plastics. You can further decrease your company’s environmental impact by reusing greywater whenever possible.

21. Reusable plastic bottles

Single-use plastics are indisputably a leading cause for concern among environmentalists. Offer people a way to drink water on the go without contributing to plastic pollution by launching a green industry business that designs, produces and sells reusable plastic bottles. Explore using alternative materials such as metal or glass, bottles made from recycled plastic, or renewable plastics from materials like corn starch or sawdust.

22. Environmental impact and carbon emissions lessons

Many people aren’t aware of just how much carbon emissions their daily activities produce and the impact those activities have on the environment. Offer classes to educate the public about how driving, using air conditioning in the summer, leaving lights on unnecessarily, flying and other activities contribute to carbon emissions. You can also teach people how to reduce the environmental impact of these activities.

23. Local eco-friendly recycling business

Chances are that your town’s department of public works oversees a public recycling program, but many experts say that what you put in your recycling bin doesn’t always get recycled. Some municipalities don’t accept all types of recyclable containers, while others may not thoroughly sort the collected recycling. Open an eco-friendly local recycling business to guarantee your community that their goods are recycled.

 

 

Source Business News Daily

Jaipur Designer Turns Waste Paper into 100% Biodegradable, Water-Resistant Furniture

Posted on by dishanth
Jaipur Designer Turns Waste Paper into 100% Biodegradable, Water-Resistant Furniture

Ever since the Chinse invented the process of turning wood pulp into paper sheets, the world has been in love with this versatile product. But this process is both a great boon and a bane. Yes, we get everything from package labels to money to drawing sheets from it. But lakhs of trees are cut down every year to make paper, which can be used and tossed in ten minutes. The tree takes a lifetime to grow.

Are there any solutions?

We can do our best to reduce, of course. Recycling is a half-way solution since printed paper, with its dyes, glues and inks, makes dark and rough sheets when recycled. and cost more than fresh ones. There is reuse as well. We are certainly innovative with it in India. Street vendors wrap the goods in old notebook paper, homemakers line shelves with old newspaper and practically every home has an old paper stapled together as a writing pad. But these methods are not enough.

This is where upcycling comes in, with people like Spriha Chokhani making it interesting.

Spriha, a Jaipur-based product designer and entrepreneur, is the founder of Pulp Factory, a design studio founded in 2017 that makes products using waste paper.

 

The furniture made using paper is 100% biodegradable

 

The idea of making furniture out of waste paper first came to Spriha about ten years back when she was a student at a design school. As a part of the project assigned to them, they had to either work under someone or carry out independent work.

“We were supposed to work with materials and I started noticing that a lot of people were working bamboo or cane. While this helped in developing more products, materials like papier mache were heavily ignored. Other than a few souvenirs from Bihar and Kashmir, this material was hardly ever explored. This is what got me really curious,” says the 32-year-old, speaking to The Better India.

She came up with a range of papier-mache furniture, which is 100 per cent compostable. The six different styles of furniture that they have can withstand the weight upto 80-100 kg. Moreover, these are water-resistant and made using natural materials. Today she sells the same, along with pouches, totes, and box bags made using paper textiles, under her label – Pulp Factory.

 

Spriha Chokhani, designer and founder of Pulp Factory

 

Experimenting with Materials

Brought up in Assam, Spriha moved to Bengaluru to pursue a degree in Product Design from the Srishti Institute of Art, Design, and Technology.

After deciding to use papier mache as her material of choice for her three-month-long diploma project, a long period of experimentation followed.

“Initially, when I was making the furniture, I was using strong adhesives made with chemicals. That had a negative impact on my health. I began questioning myself about what is the point of making a product if it isn’t maker-friendly. That is when I decided to look out for natural materials that ensure the wellbeing of whoever was making the furniture,” she says.

Spriha then started experimenting with materials like corn starch, potato starch and even rice. Finally, she settled on tapioca glue but realised that it would, unfortunately, leave an odd smell. By this time, she had finished her course and decided to take a break to dabble in pottery.

 

Each piece of furniture is hand-sculpted and made using natural materials

 

The thought of Pulp Factory (a name she coined in 2010 itself) never left her as she could envision the potential that the idea had. In 2012, she led Pulp Factory into its first exhibition with products made with a mixture of odour-free natural glues.

In 2014, she showcased these products at the India Design week in Delhi.

Spriha moved to Jaipur the next year to conduct research on different kinds of paper. Having done her schooling in Jaipur, the pink city was familiar to her. In 2017, Bharat Chokhani, her cousin joined her as a partner and Pulp Factory was registered.

 

Going about the Operations

“Our studio is like a one-stop destination where we extensively work with paper in different ways with a sustainable approach,” says Spriha. The operations for Pulp Factory are carried out at a small bungalow close to her residence in Jaipur. The core team consists of just five people.

 

Work in progress at her studio

 

A master weaver weaves the paper yarn into paper fabric and another team member crafts paper products like the bags. The furniture is handcrafted by Spriha and another employee, who sits on the terrace every day since it requires ample sun.

The most important raw material for this is the waste paper (mostly newspaper) pulp which is sourced from the neighbourhood kabadiwalas. Each piece of furniture is upcycled from at least five to eight kg of waste paper and takes almost 25 days to be ready.

“I think the most interesting aspect of the operations is how the furniture is made. We have ensured that the waste generated during the process is a bare minimum while also ensuring the wellbeing of the person crafting the furniture,” she says. Even for packaging, Spriha informs that they use agricultural waste to make small cushions, which are used as padding.

These sustainable values and unique products have drawn the attention of customers.

Richa Siotia, for example, first discovered Pulp Factory over three years ago at the India Design Fair. She was surprised to see that furniture made by upcycling waste paper could be so sturdy.

“Later, I decided to purchase two blue coloured stools that were made by them. The best part is they are sturdy, long-lasting and add a unique touch to the living space. I even take it out on the balcony once in a while. I have also checked out their other paper products like bags which are beautiful. I love the work they are doing and if you want to get into sustainable living, it is a good point to start from,” says the Delhi-based entrepreneur.

Another customer, Kolkata-based Neha Agarwal, first discovered the Pulp Factory while browsing through her Instagram feed last year. “When I first saw the pictures, I couldn’t even believe that furniture can be made from paper,” says the 32-year-old graphic designer.

She then began looking at all the products and settled on a bag made from paper fabric.

“I use the bag from Pulp Factory daily. It is very durable and can carry anything that I dump inside. I also love the fact that it is 100 per cent biodegradable. Even their packaging is completely sustainable and I appreciate their conscious efforts,” she says.

 

Overcoming hurdles and looking ahead

The journey towards establishing her own venture has not been easy and Spriha discusses a few challenges that she has faced in her entrepreneurial journey.

“Working as a woman can be really hard. People don’t take you seriously and one really has to hold their ground to put forth their ideas,” she explains.

 

Spriha informs that the water-resistant paper furniture is strong enough to withstand 80 to 100 kgs of weight

 

Other than that, she adds that it is often difficult to explain to people that the furniture handcrafted from papier mache actually works. But, she quickly adds that with an increase in eco-consciousness and the buzz around it on social media, explaining the concept is easier now.

Spriha has a few words of encouragement for other small business owners.

 

“I think if you are in a field like this, one needs to have an extreme amount of patience. Just believe in your idea and keep pushing it. It is an evolving process. Don’t rush things, keep evolving, and be open to learning,” she says.

 

Now, Spriha informs that they are experimenting with making newer accessories with the paper fabric. She also wants to increase the pace of production while also working closely with schools and other institutions where she hopes the sustainable furniture can be installed one day.

“I want people to understand that sustainability is not a trend or a fad but a way of living. It is a holistic way of looking at things where nothing is left behind,” she says.

Rapid-fire:
*An entrepreneur/designer you admire.
Ans: Wendell Castle, a leading American furniture artist

*New tech that can transform the future of small businesses
Ans: Tech developed to harness the use of bio-materials

*One value that can help small businesses thrive
Ans: A team that is open and communicates

*Your favourite book
Ans: Radical Matter: Rethinking Materials for a sustainable future by Caroline Till and Kate Franklin

*In my free time, I ____…
Ans: Daydream, listen to music and take it easy

* Before this interview, I was ____…
Ans: I was at a product shoot

* A message for your past self about small businesses
Ans: Success and failure are equally important in one’s journey

*Best advice you ever got is ____…
Ans: The higher we go up, the humbler we should become

 

 

By Angarika Gogoi

Source: The Better India

Bengaluru Startup is Making 10,000 Straws a Day, All From Fallen Coconut Leaves

Posted on by dishanth
Bengaluru Startup is Making 10,000 Straws a Day, All From Fallen Coconut Leaves

To reduce the negative impact on the environment, many businesses and individuals have switched to sustainable products. One such important switch has been using alternatives to plastic straws. Many restaurants across the country are now serving beverages with straws made from materials like paper, bamboo, wheat stubble, and metal.

Evlogia Eco Care, a Bengaluru-based startup founded in 2018, is one such organization making eco-friendly straws named ‘Kokos Leafy Straws’, made using dried coconut leaves.

“While the midrib that holds the coconut leaves are used to make brooms, the leaves are discarded as agricultural waste at the farms. The straws are made using those discarded leaves after they undergo an intense cleaning process,” says Manigandan Kumarappan, the founder of the startup.

 

How is the straw made?

The dried coconut leaves are procured from four farms located in Tamil Nadu – Palani, Dindigul, Madurai, and Ottanchathiram.

Here, women are employed in farms run by NGO-supported Self Help Groups. Each farm has a varying number of women who collect these leaves, wash them under running water, and dry them under the sun for a few days.

“The leaves are then sent across to the production unit in Bengaluru which is also the head office. Here, it undergoes a pressure-heating process which is a deep clean method. Using a machine developed in-house, the leaves are washed in 120 degrees celsius steam which helps to make them soft and roll them easily into straws.”

At the production unit, Manigandan has currently employed 15 women from the local neighborhood in Kanakapura who roll the leaves into straws.

 

Women making the straws at the Bangalore production unit.

 

“With the help of three in-house employees, we made a rolling machine which is like a sewing machine that helps to roll the leaves into straws. The device is powered manually by applying pressure from the feet. This helps to roll the leaves by maintaining the desired diameter of 3 millimeters,” he says.

Finally, using a cutting machine the straws are cut into a standard size of 8.25 inches. But, Manigandan says, if a customer places a bulk order, the size can be adjusted according to their requirement. The straw can be made in a size ranging from 4 inches to 12 inches. Based on the size the price varies from Rs.1.5 to Rs 3.

From preparing the raw material to packaging the final product, the work is entirely done by women. Manigandan claims the product can be kept in hot beverages for half an hour and cold beverages for up to 6 hours.

 

The inspiration behind the product

The founder, Manigandan has previously worked with several Multinational Companies. In 2016, he decided to leave the corporate life and become an entrepreneur. On that note, he started Tenco – a company that sells half-trimmed coconuts over e-commerce platforms.

“The product was delivered to the customer along with a plastic straw. But, some customers gave us feedback about the same and requested that we switch to a sustainable alternative. This made us think about what we could do, and soon we stumbled upon the idea of using coconut leaves which are the least used product from the tree,” says Mani adding that the leaves are sturdy, and can even pierce through tetra packs without bending.

Nakul Mysore Jayaram, the owner of World of Coffee Cafe in Chikmagalur has been using the product since September 2019. He says this straw is more versatile compared to paper straws which he used earlier to serve beverages.

“The coconut leaf straw is sturdy and does not get soggy like paper straws. Earlier customers used to complain about the paper straws and would request to replace it repeatedly or ask for a plastic one. But with the coconut leaf one we have had no complaints from the customers,” says Nakul.

 

About the startup

The company was founded in 2018 along with his wife Radha Manigandan. The duo raised seed investments supported by Hindustan Petroleum. In January 2019, the production of straws began with one employee which has now grown to 15 employees.

Earlier, the company was making 100 straws/ day, now, their capacity has increased to 10,000 in a day.

 

The founder Manigandan, co-founder Radha Manigandan, and the three engineers.

 

Manigandan says, “We had only a rolling machine to maintain the size of straws, but could not increase production capacity as the pressure-heating sterilization had to be done using a cooking grade pressure cooker. This could hold only a few leaves at a time, and the process took 50-60 minutes. Three months ago, we introduced the pressure-heating machine which was made in-house with the help of three engineers who are interns turned full-time employees. Though this machine takes the same time to sterilize the leaves, it can hold a larger capacity and help to produce 10,000 straws in one day.”

Currently, the straws are being distributed across Canada, UAE, Germany, USA, and a handful of restaurants in Bangalore. Apart from straws, the startup has also ventured into making air-tight food containers from Areca leaves.

If you wish to place an order for the straws, you can contact the startup through their website.

 

 

By 

Source: The Better India