Are you advocating to lower fossil fuels? How about that bouquet?

In this series of articles, I am not really weighing in on arguments about fossil fuels and peak oil.  My lifestyle in a remote Alaska cabin says enough about how my husband and I have decided to live. 

I do want to encourage those who advocate against fossil fuel use and investment, those who are, by definition, telling other people what to do, to EXAMINE THEIR OWN CHOICES and ACTIONS FIRST.  The easiest way to crater an advocacy group is to document a lack of integrity.  Hypocrisy is another word for that. I hear a lot of “talk the talk.” I see less of “walk the walk.”

So… let’s consider those lovely bouquets on the tables at an anti fossil fuel fund raising gala, or the flowers on the chancel of a social justice oriented church or non-profit or outside an office or home advocating for divestment from fossil fuel companies.

Fresh, local flowers

If you or others you know are concerned about carbon footprints and social justice, the international floral industry warrants your consideration.  Did you know that 80% of all flowers sold in the US are imported, primarily from South American industrial flower farms?  For decades, these farms have been the subject of exposes about toxic chemicals and pesticides that poison the land and the workers, as well as onerous labor practices.

The world’s biggest producers of familiar flowers are:

Roses:  Ecuador

Tulips and Peonies:  The Netherlands

Carnations:  Colombia

Orchids:  Thailand

Internationally, the top producers of cut flowers in the world are the Netherlands (52%), Colombia (15%) and Ecuador (9%) as of 2023. Kenya and Ethiopia are #4 and #5.  The USA is not even in the top ten.

In addition to the chemicals and labor issues, we can quantify the carbon footprint of transporting those lovely flowers to the church chancel, wedding, funeral, or dining room table.  According to the International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT), in the three weeks preceding Valentine’s Day in 2018, 30 freight planes carried loads ENTIRELY comprised of flowers into the US EVERY SINGLE DAY.  The environmental impact of delivering those 15,000 tons of flowers was 360,000 metric tons of CO2 and 115 million liters of airplane fuel.   

If this information prompts you to reconsider your purchases of bouquets, what might you do instead?

·         Buy in-season flowers and plants that are grown locally.

·         Grow your own flowers and plants.

Home harvested flowers and honey

·         Enliven your church, home, synagogue, community center, and office with long lasting, living plants.

·         Decorate with other natural products, such as shells, leaves, rocks, pine cones, or branches.  A church in Alaska decorates its chancel with a lovely structure of birch trunks, rather like a huppah. 

·         Engage friends, family, and members of the congregation to create art works depicting plants and other aspects of nature, such needlepointed images, or framed, pressed flowers. 

·         The cleverest art installation I saw was at a Houston, TX synagogue.  Arrayed along a long table was a beautiful display of 20 bouquets that I thought were made of glass.  In actuality, the synagogue’s resident artist taught adults and children to cut up used plastic soda and other bottles of various colors to create individual works of art that look stunning en masse!

·      Botanical gardens offer great ideas and classes, such as creating cement leaf prints as stepping stones and birdbaths.

·      Feature a wall of nature photographs, taken by church members, or a rotating power point display.

Before people tell others what to do, I encourage any of us with opinions to research our own lifestyle choices first.  Asking simple questions, like “where does this bouquet come from” is eye opening. 

Do you want to diminish your personal fossil fuel usage?  If you do, grow a plant.  Don’t buy a bouquet from the supermarket.  Don’t buy them for your next climate change gala. 

May the answers arm us to make intentional choices that synchronize with our values.

For more information, see these and many other articles:  

·       Floristry and Floriculture Industry Statistics & Trends (2023)

By Petal Republic Team,               

·    https://www.solidaritycollective.org/post/the-true-cost-of-flowers-labor-practices (2020),

·    https://www.solidaritycollective.org/post/the-true-cost-of-flowers-labor-practices (2019)

Are You Advocating against Fossil Fuels? What is the Elephant in the Room? The Room Itself.

 

When conscientious people gather to discuss carbon foot print topics and advocate to reduce fossil fuel usage, the elephant in the room may be… the room itself.  Look around.  What is the room made of?

Although the carbon footprint of operational aspects of buildings, like lighting, heating, cooling, and cooking have been widely discussed, has your group discussed the structural elements themselves? 

According to the UN’s environmental website (UNEP.org) and the BBC.com, the global construction industry accounts for a whopping 37% of greenhouse gases, 33% of global waste products, and 20% of plastics.  Statistical sources vary by air pollutant, but in some of them, construction overshadows the deleterious impacts of the transportation industry.

One construction material people might not consider as a pollutant is concrete, which contributes 8% of global emissions  including 2.2 billion tonnes of CO2 (in 2016), 7.8% of nitrogen oxide emissions, 4.8% of sulfur oxide emissions, 5.2% of particulate matter emissions smaller than 10

A variety of plastics are incorporated in almost all aspects of building construction because they are versatile, lightweight, cheaper to transport and require less energy to produce than many alternatives.  Some plastic materials are strong enough for load bearing walls. PVC (the #1 plastic in construction) replaces metal in pipes and fittings and wood in flooring and doors. Polycarbonate replaces glass.  Polypropylene resists heat and shattering, so it is widely used in electrical cables and insulation.  Acrylic and polyurethane contribute to paints and varnish, and the latter to foam insulation.   Market analysts predict a doubling of global plastics production by 2050.  (3.rics.org)

Unfortunately, we all know that plastics have several long term disadvantages.  Some take 1000 years to degrade, and others break up into microplastics much faster, ending up in the oceans, fish, soil, and even rain.  The inhalation and ingestion of many plastics are associated with toxic outcomes and diseases.  Almost anyone recognizes the folly of lingering in a closed room with new paint or new nylon carpet, or inhaling fibers from insulation.    

What about recycling plastic construction materials?  Many clever installations showcase the potential, including bridges, bus shelters, windows, decks and docks.  However, the toxic aspects of plastic do not magically disappear when recycled. 

Few people concerned about fossil fuels and pollution will abandon their current structures for buildings made of straw bales or mud.  Few want to live like my husband and I do – off-grid in a simple log cabin heated by firewood we gather.  I understand that. 

But for people who wave placards at state buildings and colleges to divest from oil and gas companies and reduce reliance on fossil fuels, a first step is to itemize their own, personal dependence on these materials.  Apply a modicum of self-reflection and personal action so that their advocacy is not hypocritical.  How dependent are they on products made from petroleum?  What alternatives are they willing to buy or make instead?  What is the cost differential?   What are they willing to do without?  Air conditioning?  Heating?  Nylon rugs?

A current hot topic may be gas stoves, but the house or building that surrounds that stove, flanked by a cement sidewalk, is a much bigger culprit.

Learning Projects for Families, Communities, Congregations, and Schools

·          Take a written inventory of construction plastic in your home or group meeting room.  Look under the sink at pipes, check the ceiling tiles, flooring, counters, sheetrock, insulation, windows and trim, doors, banisters, counters, cabinetry, shelving, light switches, gutters, decks. 

·         Research and record the costs/benefits/deficits of construction alternatives.  Examples:  contrast the merits of PVC vs metal plumbing pipes and gutters or wood vs plastic doors, flooring, trim.  What alternatives exist for plastic in wiring?  What is the R factor of insulation made from non-plastic materials?

·         Develop a pie chart of the percentages of various plastics in construction

·         Develop a pie chart of biggest polluting industries (for differing greenhouse gases), including utilities, transportation, construction, and packaging.

·         Research the many clever uses of recycled, repurposed and upcycled construction materials.  (For example, DIY websites list 1000 reuses of wooden pallets, from fences to wine racks, and reuses of plastic bottles as windows.)   

·         Engage a local plastics recycler or construction contractor as a guest speaker to answer questions about the production, use, and disposal of construction materials in your town.

·         Utility companies in many locations offer a free energy assessment to senior citizens and other residents.  Publicize this to your community. 

·         Invite an architect or contractor knowledgeable about LEED certification to answer questions about the carbon footprint of various construction techniques.

·         Research innovative or ancient construction techniques without plastic, concrete, and metal, including straw bale, adobe, and log buildings. 

·          If your home, office, or church is considering renovation, ask for carbon footprint/trash information before you compare bids.

 

Advocates for reducing dependence on fossil fuels may be noble or foolish, but those who focus only on the transportation industry and drive an electric car are naïve about their own complicity.

 

The buildings that shelter us from nature are also damaging it.  You may not move into a straw hut, but you will know a lot more about the shelter you occupy and how much you rely on the materials you may be advocating against.   Sometimes, truth is hard.

 

 

Resources:   https://www.nature.com/articles/s41558-020-0733-0

UNEP.org

https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-46455844

(3.rics.org)

 

 

UUMFE: Plastic furniture and decor

 

·         Earthday.org has a personal use plastic calculator per year.  It focuses on container products like water bottles and plastic bags.   

·         Take an inventory of plastic furnishings and decor in a meeting room or a room in your home.  Consider paint (acrylic or oil based), plastic chairs and tables, melanine shelves and cabinets, “glass-like” light fixtures, carpeting, flooring, trim, window coverings like blinds or fabrics, TVs and screens, computers and screens, white boards and markers.  Clocks, laminated posters.    

·         Now go on line to calculate the cost of non - plastic alternatives to some of them.  Examples:

o    Cost of a chalk board and chalk vs a white board and markers

o    Cost (and longevity) of a sisal or other rung vs. the nylon carpet

o   Cost of a wooden table and wooden chairs compared the same number of plastic tables and plastic chairs

o   What are alternatives to current ceiling and wall surfaces?

o   How much would fans reduce A/C and heat expenditures?

o   How much would doors and dividers cut down A/C and heat expenditures?

What are You Wearing while You Advocate to Lower Fossil Fuel Usage?

 Note:  In this series of articles about those who advocate to lower fossil fuel usage, I do not tell people what to do.  Rather, my concern is what I perceive as hypocrisy among those who ARE telling other people to make drastic changes in their lives without examining their own dependence on the materials they rally against.  In that spirit, I offer the following research, here on the clothing industry.  In two other articles, on the floral and construction industries.  I hope you will find them interesting.

Many people who advocate for cutting back on fossil fuels focus on the transportation  and power industries.

Let’s talk about fossil fuels closer to home:  what you wearing today?  The large fashion industry is heavily dependent on petroleum products and we are, too.

Are you wearing sneakers?  How about a nylon raincoat, acrylic sweater and knit cap? Are your jeans and T shirts made with polyester threads, lycra for stretch, plastic buttons and zippers?  Does your underwear have an elastic waistband, your bra elastic straps and plastic hooks?

Are you wearing such items while waving a placard in front of a legislature or company advocating to go to Net Zero or Lower Carbon Footprint or Divest from Oil and Gas Companies?  

The quickest way to skewer an advocacy group is to point out hypocrisy (or naivete).  

One way to puncture hypocrisy and naivete is research.  

MARKET:  Worldwide, 80 billion pieces of clothing are made every year, a 400% increase from only twenty years ago.  This requires 342 million gallons of petroleum to transform plastic pellets into the plastic fibers for clothing. Moreover, these plastic fibers account for 73% of the microfiber pollution in Arctic waters. 

Plastic use in clothing is INCREASING for many reasons.

 (1) It is cheaper than natural fibers and offers some advantages, like stretch and color.

 (2) Fashion depends on trends to encourage us to discard the old and buy something new.  With “fast fashion” the quality is poorer and items do not last as long.

 (3) Acreage previously allocated to cotton and flax (linen) has been ripped up to grow food.  I witnessed this transition in the 1990’s, when I was a global Acrylonitrile Market Analyst.  China tore up its cotton fields for food production and bought vast quantities of acrylics for clothing instead.

PACKAGING:  A related aspect of the fashion industry is packaging and display.  Did you know that 128 BILLION plastic hangers are made and disposed of each year?  Plastic packaging is estimated to account for 26% of total plastic produced, and 76% of that is thrown away after a single use. 

LABOR:  Labor conditions vary from country to country and company to company, but the skills, age, and wages are low.  Globally, it is estimated that 75 million people are employed in the textile industry, many of them children, at low wages, long hours and uncomfortable or dangerous conditions, such exposure to 8,000 synthetic chemicals.  Plastic clothing is highly flammable and the fumes are toxic.

SECOND HAND:  What happens to the clothes we donate to thrift shops?  Unfortunately, (according to Resource Recycling Systems), most donated clothing are NOT sold as clothes.  12% is “downcycled,” or turned into industrial rags, stuffing, or insulation.    Although 95% of plastic fiber clothing could be recycled, only 1% is made into apparel again.  73% of those old shirts and ties ends up in incinerators or landfills.  That does not leave a very large percentage that is actually sold and worn again, as intended.

We are reliant, from head to toe, on plastic fibers.  What personal steps can be taken by someone who is seriously concerned about the plastics, landfills, or the labor practices of the industry? 

•             Many clothes made with natural fibers may last longer than those with plastic fibers, potentially saving money in the long run but costing more up front.

•             Some brands are advertising (or virtue signalling, you choose) their use of recycled plastic in their clothing.  Many of these are in the outdoor/recreational clothing sectors.  There are even some documentaries by these companies about their efforts. 

•             Many clothes made with natural fibers may last longer than those with plastic fibers, potentially saving money in the long run but costing more up front.

•             Some brands are advertising (or virtue signalling, you choose) their use of recycled plastic in their clothing.  You can research those and decide whether you wish to purchase their clothing.

•             Assess your closets.  Segregate the clothes that you have not worn for a year.  Think about tailoring or new uses for them, such as rags for cleaning instead of buying sponges.  Beware of flimsy fabrics that will stretch or rip in a year.  Be intentional about your next purchases, note wants vs needs.  Are there certain brands, countries, or fabrics you favor?

•             Learn to sew.  This way you control the inputs and may keep the items longer.

•             Research what people did before plastics, such as applying wax to jackets to make them water proof…for a while, and wholly wool , linen, or cotton garments.  You may not want to do ANY of these things, but you will learn why sneakers are ubiquitous and raincoats are popular.  They lack easy replacements.  

•             Repurpose clothing

o             for art.  My church in Houston featured an artist’s installation of gorgeous kimonos made entirely of used men’s ties. 

             Quilting and rag rug making are essentially sewing together scraps into beautiful textiles. 

             Many quilters I know make exquisite quilts from sentimental scraps, such as childhood T shirts, screenprinted school art for bedspreads, curtains, seat covers, and tablecloths.  The most touching gift was a quilt made of a husband’s shirts, given to his widow. 

             Buttons are endlessly useful to decorate rag dolls, seasonal décor, and jewelry, such as earrings, bracelets, necklaces.  For inspiration, look at websites like Pinterest and DIY sites.

•             Repurpose for functional uses. 

o             All my holey socks and torn sheets and towels become cleaning rags for the house, shop, car, and greenhouse.  

o             Thin T shirts can be used instead of cheesecloth to filter liquids.

o             Thin strips of fabric blowing in the breeze can discourage birds and deer from tasty bushes.

o             I layer dog treats inside rags tied in one another like a rag ball.  Buddy loves this toy!

•             Repurpose for whimsical uses: 

o             I use old boots and hats as flower pots. 

o             Scarecrows are a fun use of old clothes.  Make a whole family of different sizes!

•             Share and trade:  Bring items of excellent quality that you want someone else to enjoy instead.  When we moved to Alaska, we gave away most things and invited friends to share their items with each other, too. 

•             When my sister moved from a cold climate to Phoenix, she sent me two big boxes of good quality winter clothes which I have enjoyed for over a decade now.

 

In conclusion, most of us are heavily reliant on many products derived from fossil fuels.  Our clothes are up close and personal applications that deserve our individual scrutiny.  People who intend to tell other people to reduce their use of fossil fuels should look first at themselves.  The optics aren’t great if advocates for reducing fossil fuels show up with plastic water bottles, nylon rain jackets, and plastic shoes. I'd respect such groups more if I saw more "walking the walk" than just "talking the talk"  and a bit of cost/benefit analysis would be welcome, too.

Resources:

https://www.wired.co.uk/bc/article/fashion-industry-plastic-addiction-arch-and-hook

  https://studentbriefs.law.gwu.edu/ilpb/2021/10/28/fast-fashion-getting-faster-a-look-at-the-unethical-labor-practices-sustaining-a-growing-industry/

https://www.popsci.com/environment/how-to-recycle-clothes/