tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3080294648730300241.post1552601599686692456..comments2020-07-16T03:54:13.465-05:00Comments on Pollinators On The Brain: When is a Sustainable Textile Not a Sustainable Textile?Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05590834468436576998noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3080294648730300241.post-45972340758703703512011-12-23T10:55:56.648-06:002011-12-23T10:55:56.648-06:00@kanishka - Thanks for the comment and those sugge...@kanishka - Thanks for the comment and those suggestions! I'll have to check those out. Good to have some additional resources in this discussion. The more people can buy real sustainable clothing and stop buying from companies who green-wash, the better.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05590834468436576998noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3080294648730300241.post-67998390717338672722011-12-23T10:24:58.641-06:002011-12-23T10:24:58.641-06:00i have been thinking exactly this for a while now....i have been thinking exactly this for a while now. is is frustrating with how little sustainable clothing companies sell hemp, especially with how highly regarded it is in this aspect. i scour the web when i can to find small hemp producers, who make their clothing in countries with good labor laws, that are hopefully closer to new england. there are a few in eugene, oregon. i have had amazing experience with circle creations so far. i have a great hoodie from trust hemp cooperation. there is earth creations, though they don't make men's clothing much. some of efforts industries products fit this criteria, but you have to look for the made in canada label. i have been a little hesitant to buy from hempest, as they produce or use vendors that produce >90% in china. <br /><br />sorry if this discussion is more about an attitude to fibers than specific vendors, but i thought i would add a little info if people were interestedkanishkanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3080294648730300241.post-36713698094441494542010-11-27T18:02:12.962-06:002010-11-27T18:02:12.962-06:00Fiji water really comes from Fiji? I guess it'...Fiji water really comes from Fiji? I guess it's so ridiculous that I just assumed it was a marketing ploy, not really bottled and shipped that far!Kelly Cookhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07859487060142048869noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3080294648730300241.post-37923000746237268012010-11-27T10:47:55.691-06:002010-11-27T10:47:55.691-06:00Kelly, as the sustainable products industry stands...Kelly, as the sustainable products industry stands now, we do have to rely on other regions. However, as you pointed out in your original comment, it is more desirable to grow locally. I think the key to that is for folks in each region to rely on crops that are well-suited to that region.<br /><br />For instance, a family on the north German coast who wants to produce fiber on their land should probably consider hemp, flax or sheep wool, rather than sisal, yak hair, or Manila hemp. If that same family desired a degree of self-sufficiency for grain, they would probably be better served by wheat, barley or rye, rather than corn, millet or rice.<br /><br />I'm not sure where you live, but I think the primary example of ridiculous globalism is Fiji water. If I want water, I turn on the tap. If I want "pure" water, I run it through a water filter. I don't get American billionaires to set up a bottling plant on South Pacific islands, pump out water from that aquifer, bottle it, and ship it almost halfway around the world to me.Davidnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3080294648730300241.post-18860189165151098762010-11-26T23:12:15.516-06:002010-11-26T23:12:15.516-06:00Didn't see this before my last reply. I agree...Didn't see this before my last reply. I agree with that much more! Yes, we should focus on what's best for our region. However, in the culture we live, we also must rely on what those in other regions can raise/grow. It "should" be a symbiotic relationship, working hand in hand.Kelly Cookhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07859487060142048869noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3080294648730300241.post-29245515831208271752010-11-26T23:09:37.130-06:002010-11-26T23:09:37.130-06:00Well, it is just an illustration that always comes...Well, it is just an illustration that always comes to mind because about 10 years ago there was in fact an fight in San Antonio over the construction of a PGA golf course (not 6 though... that was hyperbole) because of the increased pumping it would entail. <br /><br />There are a lot of heavy users that are a problem. Large organic cotton farms (which are definitely monocrops, you're right) are just one of the problems. And it's one we could easily choose not to support. Not buying bottled water is another good way to protect scarce water resources, at least in this state. Avoiding farmed catfish is another. And not playing golf in San Antonio :-)Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05590834468436576998noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3080294648730300241.post-20582616333784397072010-11-26T23:02:53.313-06:002010-11-26T23:02:53.313-06:00Annie-thanks for that example. From that though, ...Annie-thanks for that example. From that though, it sounds like golf courses are the bigger problem, not farming. Oh, and monocropping. Hmmm.Kelly Cookhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07859487060142048869noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3080294648730300241.post-30080678108389169492010-11-26T22:58:53.224-06:002010-11-26T22:58:53.224-06:00Something I don't think I made clear in my res...Something I don't think I made clear in my response is that the idea of sustainability is extremely contextual. A crop that uses tons of water is not going to be sustainable in a dry area but a low water crop would be. Another example: grazing is not sustainable in the rain forest because that is not an ecosystem that can support grazers. In fact grazing is <i>incredibly</i> destructive in the rain forest. But in dry, rocky, grasslands grazers are a natural part of the ecosystem. Not only can grasslands support it but those ecosystems are made healthier by the presence of grazers. But, in grassland ecosystems large scale vegetable farming often degrades the land because it's not suited to row crops. It's all about what is appropriate to the local ecosystem.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05590834468436576998noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3080294648730300241.post-1490584573917581472010-11-26T22:48:02.259-06:002010-11-26T22:48:02.259-06:00That's a good question Kelly. While there is w...That's a good question Kelly. While there <i>is</i> water in the ground it's not an infinitely renewable resource. Aquifers are fragile water sources. You can over pump an aquifer and run out of water. And while they do recharge, they don't necessarily recharge as quickly as they're drained (and some recharge very, very slowly indeed). So if we want to be able to live in arid areas long term we have to be careful how we allocate ground water resources. <br /><br />In most places the law does not prioritize water uses. Texas for example has "right of capture" water laws. What that means is that in our state who ever has the biggest well and the largest pump gets the water. So if the City of San Antonio decides to build 6 PGA golf courses and water the heck out of the grass to keep it green and this means the Edwards Aquifer drains so low that surrounding farmers' wells run dry, there is nothing they can do about that. Same is true if someone has a huge cotton farm. If they have a big enough pump and a deep enough well they can use so much water that other farms, businesses, homes, or cities in the area begin to run out. There aren't laws which distribute water rights fairly or with the environment in mind. In fact, in Texas the only thing that has had any effect on over pumping by large users (large cities, bottled water companies, catfish farms, etc.) are lawsuits based on the Endangered Species Act. There are some protected species (most famously the San Marcos salamander) that live near the mouths of springs which are drying up completely because of over pumping. (If you're interested in reading more about that you can find the whole history of Edwards Aquifer water fights here http://www.edwardsaquifer.net/rules.html)<br /><br />So that's why there is an issue with organic cotton and water. Crops that require lots of water should not be grown on a large scale in places where there isn't much water. It's not sustainable - it can't be done long term without ecological and economic damage to the area.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05590834468436576998noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3080294648730300241.post-34490117565470021842010-11-26T21:48:36.131-06:002010-11-26T21:48:36.131-06:00I came to see your post based on your comment at K...I came to see your post based on your comment at Keeper of the Home. I appreciate your explanation. Perhaps I'm not green/crunchy enough yet, but I don't see the problem with organic cotton being grown in arid climates. It will only be done if a water source is available and if it brings a livable wage to the grower, why is that bad? Or not best? If not getting adequate rainfall is a reason to to be called sustainable, then what happens to all the people living in those climates who want to grow their own food? Maybe I need to understand the terminology better.Kelly Cookhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07859487060142048869noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3080294648730300241.post-41047393620660629182010-11-26T15:54:30.482-06:002010-11-26T15:54:30.482-06:00Thanks for the feedback, Stephanie. I agree, it...Thanks for the feedback, Stephanie. I agree, it's a slow process. I too am still working to break down my cultural conditioning around consumption. <br /><br />I hope it came across in the post that I am not critical of Fashion and Earth (and other companies) because they sell the perhaps "better than conventional" organic cotton but because of the <i>way</i> they sell it. In fact, while I suggest Rawganique as a good source for sustainable fibers, I have yet to find any information on their website even mentioning the problems with organic cotton, so they too don't quite meet my standards for honesty in marketing.<br /><br />By the way, I thought today's post on wooden toys and digital audio gifts was great!Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05590834468436576998noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3080294648730300241.post-87602659211648890432010-11-26T15:17:53.178-06:002010-11-26T15:17:53.178-06:00Thanks for taking the time to share more informati...Thanks for taking the time to share more information on this topic. It's one that I have only delved into somewhat, so I appreciate your knowledge on the topic. I was unaware of some of the issues with organic cotton and bamboo products. <br /><br />I don't doubt that for many companies the focus is still on cost/sales and not as high on sustainability. I couldn't say whether that is the case with Fashion and Earth or not (but it will be interesting to see their response to your email). I think there is still a real struggle with companies wanting to move towards sustainability, but needing to recognize that the market is still highly uninformed and for the most part, not prepared to spend the higher costs and own less "stuff". That is slowly changing, but it is a process, to be sure. Even in my own life, it is taking a while to let go of the cultural ideas and expectations that still affect me and play into my decisions. :) <br /><br />I appreciate some of the other stores that you mentioned. Thanks for the sustainable textile education!Stephanie @ Keeper of the Homehttp://www.keeperofthehome.orgnoreply@blogger.com