At Planet Earth we want our customers to understand how the products that they are purchasing are helping to sustain our fragile ecosystem. All of the products in our line have a variety of eco-responsible features. Here’s a description of just what are products are made of and exactly how they will help to secure a Greener Tomorrow!
Green Definitions
Bamboo - Bamboo is 100% naturally grown and sustainable. It is also naturally antibacterial and bamboo fiber is 100% biodegradable. As the fastest growing plant in the world, bamboo grows to its maximum height in about 3 months and reaches maturity in 3-4 years. Bamboo is known to improve soil quality in degraded and eroded areas of land.
Biodegradable - The ability to break down, safely and relatively quickly, by biological means into the raw materials of nature and disappear back into the environment.
BioGreen - At Planet Earth Promotions, we want to be environmentally sensitive as we can. To that end we try and choose products that are earth friendly. Plastic is generally not as environmentally friendly as we would like but we have partnered with our suppliers who are using BioGreen. BioGreen Plastic is completely biodegradable, organic, non-starch based and nondestructive to the environment. When blended with most types of plastics, it creates an accelerated biodegradable cycle which occurs in a common anaerobic, landfill environment.
Some of the ecological advantages: a) it extends the projected life of landfills by reducing volume. b) the use of postindustrial recycled material in production reduces fossil fuel consumption, and c) it accelerates methane production, making landfills a major new source for low cost, renewable energy reducing our nation's dependence on foreign oil.
Products made with BioGreen Plastic do not begin biodegrading until they are placed into an active microbial environment such as landfills or compost piles. The bio-active compounds are activated In the presence of naturally occurring organisms found in both aerobic and anaerobic environments. The process takes from approximately 1-5 years.
It is also non-toxic and actually helps the environment. This additive creates an accelerated biodegradable cycle which occurs in the common anaerobic environment you find in landfills or compost facilities. The final product left behind with BioGreen is Humus and Methane (Bio-Mass and Bio-gas). The humus can be used as new soil to grow plants in and the methane may be harvested into fuel.
BioGreen is the most eco-friendly plastic products you can buy.
Compostable - A product made of materials that will break down over time in a landfill.
Corn Plastic - Derived from corn & 100% biodegradable.
Cotton-Organic - Organic cotton is grown without the use of synthetic fertilizers, growth regulators, chemical pesticides, irrigation or genetic engineering.
Cyclepet - Recycled PET (Polyethylene terephthalate) into fabric prevents it from ending up in the landfills.
Jute - Jute fibers are composed primarily of the plant materials cellulose (major component of plant fiber) and lignin (major components wood fiber). The fiber comes from the same plant family as hemp, linen, flax and ramie. Jute is a type of plant fiber used to make common items such as rope, twine, chair coverings, curtains, sacks, Hessian cloth, carpets, and even the backing used on linoleum. This is accomplished by spinning the fiber into a coarse thread. Despite the fact that jute tends to be rough in texture, fine threads of it are sometimes used to create imitation silk. In addition, jute is increasingly being looked at as an alternative source for making paper, rather than cutting down trees for pulp. The thread created from jute is quite strong. It also has exceptional insulating properties, low thermal conductivity, and antistatic characteristics.
Organic - Products created through a system of farming that maintains and replenishes soil fertility without the use of toxic and persistent pesticides and fertilizers.
Organic Leather - Made from skins that are tanned using only vegetable extracts and chemicals approved by TUV. Non-allergenic and all possible by-products are also re-used.
Polypropylene & Non-Woven Polypropylene - Made up from carbon and hydrogen, and manufactured without any dangerous emissions. Can be recycled, incinerated, or land filled without any harm to the environment. When burnt, polypropylene will only give off water vapor and carbon dioxide, which is converted by photosynthesis. Sometimes this is known as "pp”.
Post-consumer material/waste - Term used to describe material that is being reused / recycled after it has been in the consumer's hand (i.e. soda bottles, yogurt containers).
Post-Industrial material - Term used to described scrap or excess material that a manufacturer reuses or recycles throughout the manufacturing process.
Recyclable - Materials that can be reuses; includes glass, paper, aluminum, asphalt, iron, textiles, plastics and biodegradable waste.
Recycled Cardboard - The material is made from cardboard that has been discarded or once used by a consumer.
Recycled Content - The amount of pre- and post-consumer recovered material introduced in a material production process, usually expressed as a percentage.
SAFEPlastic – SAFEPlastic is considered environmentally safe because it is completely biodegradable when introduced into landfills or smaller composting environments. There are no toxic effects to the environment if discarded, and SAFEPlastic can even be recycled.
Soy/Soya Wax Candle – A soy (soya) bean wax candle does not emit dirty soot, and because it burns cooler, a soy bean wax candle last approximately 33% longer than your standard candle. In addition, non-chlorine bleached cotton wicks also burn cleaner, cooler and longer.
What is the FSC - The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) promotes responsible management of the world's forests. This is accomplished through development of voluntary, internationally recognized forest management standards. FSC is the most widely recognized global certification program. The FSC certification program supports biodiversity, protection and conservation of forests, ensures long term timber products have positive environmental attributes, verified by a global certification system.
Number 1 Plastics - PET or PETE (polyethylene terephthalate) found in: Soft drink, water and beer bottles; mouthwash bottles; peanut butter containers; salad dressing and vegetable oil containers; ovenable food trays and also recycled into many of Planet Earth Promotions items.
Number 2 Plastics - HDPE (high density polyethylene) found in: Milk jugs, juice bottles; bleach, detergent and household cleaner bottles; shampoo bottles; some trash and shopping bags; motor oil bottles; butter and yogurt tubs; cereal box liners. Recycled into: Laundry detergent bottles, oil bottles, recycling containers, floor tile, drainage pipe, lumber, benches, doghouses, picnic tables, fencing and our recycled pens and biodegradable writing instruments.