A lot of us have seen Jute sacks or burlaps used for packing of wheat, rice and other agricultural and industrial commodities. Not without reason - nearly 75% of Jute production is used this way.
India is the world's largest producer of jute, accounting for over 50% of world-wide jute production. Bangladesh accounts for another 45%+ of worldwide Jute production. In India, the industry is centered in Assam, Bihar, and West Bengal.
Jute is a 100% biodegradable and environmentally friendly material. It grows easily without much need of fertilizer or pesticides. It is in great demand due to its cheapness, softness, length, lustre and uniformity of its fiber. It has high tensile strength, low extensibility, and ensures better breathability of fabrics. Jute is also referred to as Golden Fiber for its high cash value and color.
The jute fiber comes from the stem and outer skin of the jute plant. The jute stems are bundled together and immersed in slow running water for the necessary time. After this, stripping begins. Non-fibrous matter is scraped off, and then fibers are extracted from within the jute stem.
Jute is used in the production of a lot of home decor items. About 15% gets consumed in the carpet industry, and about 10% goes into the production of padding, ropes, twine, bags and other decorative items.
At ONEarth, we think that Jute makes for an excellent alternative to plastic. We have a wide variety of handbags and home decor items in our catalog made from Jute. These are trendy, very durable and environment friendly.
Do check them out!
]]>Boosts digestion and the immune system
However, the same properties of Cork, in addition to being lightweight and a fire retardant, has led it to be used increasingly in manufacturing a whole host of things, such as yoga mats to handbags to footwear to sports equipment to flooring. Arguably, Cork is one of the most sustainable alternative raw materials available today.
Cork production is highly concentrated. About 50% of all cork production worldwide happens in Portugal, with another 30% approximately coming from Spain. An estimated 300,000-350,000+ tonnes are harvested annually.
Cork is made from the water-repellant bark of cork oak trees, which takes about 9 years to regrow after it is harvested. The cork harvesting is first started after the trees are at least 25 years old, and then is continued periodically (every 9 years, approximately) for the entire life span of the tree, which can be as much as 300 years.
Clearly, what makes cork such a sustainable raw material is that even as the bark is harvested, the tree lives on. During the course of its lifetime, a single cork tree can yield over 1.5 tonnes of Cork!
The most interesting part in this whole process is the fact that every time the bark is removed from the tree, the consumption of CO2 by the tree gets increased (multiple times the normal) to aid the regenerative process. Over its lifetime, the more the cork is harvested, the more CO2 the tree absorbs as it tries to regenerate the bark. Cork Oak forests are therefore great carbon sinks.
At ONEarth, we love the dynamism and uniqueness that Cork brings to products. Since no two processed pieces of cork are the same, all cork products look uniquely different and have an indisputably earthy and natural feel to them.
Check out our yoga mats, bricks, coasters, calendar, mouse pad and rollers. The sheer diversity of products that can be manufactured from cork leaves even us surprised.
Hope you love the products as much as we do! Do leave us a review!
]]>Needless to say, the coconut tree plays a vital role in our lives and economy.
In Sanskrit, the coconut palm is called “kalpa vriksha,” or “the tree which provides all the necessities of life.” There is good reason for that. The coconut tree - the fruit, the leaves, the bark, the wood, the roots, all of it - is utilised in a number of ways such as eating, cooking, personal care, gardening, cultivation, construction and more. It is a true zero waste plant.
The coconut fruit:
The inner part of the fruit has the coconut water and the white flesh, which is widely consumed across the country, and makes for a refreshing summer drink. The flesh also yields coconut oil, used for cooking. The husk and shells can be used for fuel and are a source of charcoal, which, being a good adsorbent, is considered extremely effective for the removal of impurities.
Last but not the least, the husk of the coconut yields the fibrous coir - a durable, sterile, fungus resistant material used in making products with plenty of exposure to water and/or used outdoors, such as doormats, plant basket liners, brushes, ropes, rugs and upholstery stuffing. Additionally, coir is added to soil to improve water retention, becoming an important ingredient in gardening or cultivation.
If all is well, where lies the problem?
The one use of coconut shells and husks that is not so appealing, and certainly harmful, yet incredibly prevalent in South India, is that they are burnt for smoke to repel mosquitoes. In fact, a majority of the shells and husks are disposed off this way. This is a huge problem not merely from the perspective of breathing, but also because methane and CO2 are released in huge amounts. These are both greenhouse gases, with methane being over 80 times more harmful than CO2 in the short run.
At ONEarth, this is the problem we have tried to solve. We use waste coconut shells and coir to make a number of useful daily life products such as Bowls, Brushes, Money Bank, Planter and Earrings.
So far, we have successfully diverted 50,000+ kgs of waste coconut shells from burning!
Head on to our store, and try one of our lovely coconut based products today!
]]>“32 per cent of all plastic products created on Earth end up in the world’s waterways and oceans. What’s more, the amount of plastic trash on Earth is increasing at an alarming rate. Based on future projections, it is estimated that there will be more pieces of plastic in the world’s ocean than there are fish by 2050”
We are surrounded with plastic made products. Because of its durability, flexibility and versatility, plastics have been the main source of material for manufacturing many essential goods. However, the toxicity of plastic is a problem for both the environment and people.
A study published in the issue of ‘Science Advances’ estimated that the production of the total amount of plastic in the world is approx 8,300 million metric tons. Out of this, only 9% is recycled or reused. 91% is dumped, which ultimately ends up choking landfills and oceans!
Effect of plastic on Human health:
Effect of plastic on environment:
Benefits of Bamboo:
Bamboo is one of the most popular plastic alternatives we have today. And there are many reasons why the eco-conscious consumer chooses the world’s fastest growing grass over other materials:
Bamboo-made products at ONEarth store:
Climate action starts with a shift in the choice of sustainable living. With our organic, biodegradable, bamboo-sourced products, we provide simple solutions to the single-use plastic waste crisis.
Safe disposal of bamboo products:
Create a positive switch with ONEarth today!
However, this cannot be an excuse for us to not do what we can to live sustainably. It is the need of the hour. Here are 5 things you can do without burning a hole in your wallet:
To support a sustainable lifestyle, ONEarth curates eco-consciously made homeware, accessories, personal care products, gifts and kitchenware. Our products with their plastic free packaging support a ‘waste to wealth’ lifestyle and contribute to an ecofriendly way of living.
]]>The word 'yoga' comes from the Sanskrit word 'union’. It means the union between the spirit, body and mind. Apart from the implementation of yoga across various ailment-cures and physical fitness, it draws back to the traditional theory of connection with nature.
The techniques of yoga - including body practices, working with the breath, and discovering the natural east of the mind, reorients practitioners to the very deep continuity of life. The Sustainable Development Goals are underpinned by a strong moral agenda that appeals to the human yearning for harmony with fellow human beings and with the natural world of which we are part. The theory and practice of yoga, therefore, seems like a natural fit with this moral agenda.
The novel variations of yoga practice have opened a holistic fitness goal and have found an overseas baffle in the medical benefits. Thus, this art of practice has opened the gates of the presence of mind and essence of connectivity with nature.
Naturally, anyone who does yoga wants to do something good for the body and mind and also wants to live very consciously. This brings down to the attention of using sustainable yoga essentials for a sustainable habit.
Millions of people around the world have rolled out their yoga mats to achieve a sustainable healthy lifestyle. Hence, in ONEarth, we aim at creating a zero-waste yogic mat, which is the most essential yoga product. Each piece is made by artisans and producers who work and are paid according to the standards of fair trade. People and nature are the focus of the brand.
(Check it out: Eco-friendly Cork Yoga Mat)
This mat is made from a thin layer of natural cork on top of a natural rubber backing, both are biodegradable and renewable materials. Cork is made from the bark of cork oak trees. When managed sustainably (every eight to nine years), the harvesting won’t harm the oak trees, and they can live up to more than 200 years. A cork oak tree stripped of its bark can absorb more carbon dioxide in the regeneration process, so it helps combat climate change.
Cork is naturally antimicrobial, antibacterial, and antifungal, which means it requires minimal maintenance and won’t give off a bad smell. And thus from being lightweight, flexible foldability and providing the right amount of bounce, the cork based yoga mat fits perfectly for the yoga adventure.
At ONEarth, our commitment is to provide sustainable healthy living accessible to all, with our zero-waste, eco-friendly products curated by artisans.
(Check it out: Eco-friendly Cork Yoga Mat with Natural Rubber)
]]>Turning waste into wealth is one of the most important rectification measures in this age. When it was the end of the ice age it was more about adjusting with the rapidly changing temperatures which as a consequence saw an entire species of wildlife perish. At a diabolical level it is justified because for life to perpetuate energy has to change medium. And for homosapiens to have taken genesis, the ice-age life had to perish.
But this doesn’t mean that we speed up the process.
Therefore, find what you can recycle; find what you can use to give back to the earth; if you’re a company, focus on sustainable packaging, transport etc. It all begins with basic human behavioural change. If you don’t know where to begin - get rid of plastic.
Here’s a help-list curated by us for you of the top 10 ecofriendly products that you could get your hands on to curb plastic pollution:
Pretty good to place to start your sustainable, #noplastic journey - eh?
If you wish to talk to us about your sustainability journey and/or get involved with us, drop us a “Hey!” on WhatsApp or write to us @ hello@myonearth.com and we’ll get back to you!
An #ecowarrior always an ecowarrior.
]]>Billions of dollars are being allocated for battling environment degradation. Countries are working towards cutting down their carbon emissions and investing into renewable energy sources. Coal is finally being recognized as dark. The concept of electric vehicles is no longer just drawings and equations on a white paper. Greta Thunberg is as popular as Beyonce, perhaps even more. Even the Delhi Police knows her name.
The threat of climate change is not new. Yet, the conversation around it has assumed a degree of urgency over the past few years. Masses have begun to get involved. Environmentalists have become more vocal. An organization called ‘Extinction Rebellion’ now advocates civil disobedience to get political leaders across the globe to cut through the politics and focus on climate issues. If all this has taken you by surprise, you are not alone. At some point over the past few years, something shifted. Something made people care.
What was it? Was it the wildfires in Australia and California? The hurricanes in Asia and South-Eastern United States? The permanently colored air in Beijing and Shanghai and New Delhi? The hottest summers ever around the world?
Or was it Covid, that finally made us realize that we weren’t invincible after all; that nature, and our planet, still had the upper hand? That we took much more than we gave back, oblivious to the damage we were causing to the environment?
Whatever be the case, Nature had had enough and it hit back. And now we’re listening.
Closer home, the youth are asking the right questions - how do we reduce our waste in day to day living? How do we recycle more, converting waste to wealth? Do we have alternatives to single-use plastic?
And as an answer to these questions, a host of businesses have come up offering their services both in the B2B and B2C segments.
Here at MyOnearth, we are using Bamboo, Coir, Cork and Coconut Shells to create a variety of home and personal care products that will provide you with eco-friendly alternatives to single-use plastic products. Our vision is to be able to service all your sustainable lifestyle needs at one place.
Climate change is a problem of such magnitude that it requires large scale global cooperation to keep in check. No single country, let alone company, can by itself bring about meaningful change. We must all do our bit. The good news is, people are now aware, and moving in the right direction.
If you haven’t done so yet, take your first steps today. There will never be a better time.
]]>There have been numerous explanations for sustainable living, with the ‘doughnut economics’ explanation being the most eye-catching due to its targeted explanation of the phenomenon. Given by the renowned economist Kate Raworth, doughnut economics in the most basic terms is a calibrated approach towards efficient resource allocation - in the sense that in order to maintain balance in the economy the available resources should be distributed in such a manner that there is neither overuse nor shortage of them.
Another way of looking at this is by looking at the 3 pillars of sustainability: Socio-economic system, social-environmental, and environmental economy. All the three exist in harmony with each other to maintain the balance in the ecosystems.
Some of the ways to live a sustainable life are:
Keeping this in consideration, MyONEarth has focused upon recycling waste products such as the coconut shells. More often than not, these go into waste landfills or are discarded in forest grounds. This leads to clogging of the soil thereby depriving the plants and trees the nutrients they need. Among the many benefits of the shell, one of them is lifestyle. Our coconut shell candles, cutlery sets and bowls are some of the finished products.
Join us in promoting a healthier way of life, the one that is more sustainable and ecofriendly. You can also get involved by writing to us at hello@myonearth.com or subscribing to our newsletter.]]>