Thursday 14 June 2007

ECO -LABELS


If you are anything like me you probably find all of the information labels on products a bit daunting and hard to understand. Take for instance plastic products. There are dozens of different quality grades and finding out if it can be recycled can be a bit of a grey area. Electrical goods are getting better at displaying the amount of energy that they consume and thankfully most decent wooden products on the market have labels to let you know that they are from sustainable sources.


The introduction of the European Eco-label, hopes to make choosing green products a bit easier. The label is administered by the European Eco-labeling Board (EUEB) and receives the support of the European Commission, all Member States of the European Union and the European Economic Area (EEA). The Eco-labeling Board that has initiated the scheme includes representatives from industry, environment protection groups and consumer organisations


The intention of the flower design is to give consumers a guide to easily identify greener products and services. It is a voluntary scheme designed to encourage businesses to market products and services that are kinder to the environment The European Eco-label is part of a broader strategy aimed at promoting sustainable consumption and production. All products bearing the "Flower" have been checked by independent bodies to comply with strict ecological and performance criteria.


TOURISM
The EU Eco-label scheme is open to any product or service, except food, drink, pharmaceuticals and medical devices. There are currently twenty-three product categories, which can receive this award, ranging from home appliances, cleaning materials, and mattresses to office supplies, gardening, Do It Yourself products and more interestingly tourist accommodation services. B+B’s, hotels and self-catering accommodation can be assessed for how they operate. If they are seen to be recycling and reducing waste etc they will be awarded the flower too.


Consumers are beginning to recognise that they can make a positive difference and actively help to protect the environment by buying products that inflict less damage upon it. The EU Eco-label scheme is seen as a simple way of helping you to make informed choices about the products that you buy. The Flower logo is recognised all over Europe and covers a wide range of product groups making it easier to distinguish products that appear to be less harmful to the environment.


REDUCED IMPACT
While no human activity is completely “environmentally friendly”, there are always opportunities to reduce the impact that certain products have upon the environment. The EU Eco-label scheme has therefore drawn up a set of environmental and performance criteria for judging products. Only if products meet all the criteria can they be awarded the EU Eco-label. These environmental criteria will take into account all aspects of a product's life, from its production and use to its eventual disposal (cradle-to-grave approach). I still feel as though we have to be careful when buying products with this label though. Detergents and chemicals can be bought with this flower sign. The EU Eco-label is awarded to products that only need to be guaranteed to be at least as efficient as conventional products. The products could still contain chemicals that would be damaging to the environment. Most cleaning products however seem to be surpassing conventional products by cleaning at lower temperatures and using ingredients that will cause limited harm to aquatic life, soil and the air etc but it is by no means an indication that the products are totally eco-friendly. It looks good, but is the initiative enough? Maybe not, but it is definitely a step in the right direction.


Environmental.


ANTS IN THE GARDEN


I tune in to Highland radio every other Thursday to listen to Gareth Austin from the Lifestyle Garden Centre in Newtowncunningham give advice on gardening issues. Gareth has a very easy manner and I am always amazed at the amount of horticultural knowledge he manages to store in his head. Usually if I am asked a question I have to get on the interweb and spend an hour finding a solution. The internet is a great source of information for us gardeners but it can be a bit of a problem as I have recently found out. I joined a couple of forum pages (the BBC and the Irish Gardeners site) and my family are forgetting I live in the house. I have been weaning myself off them this week as they are far too time consuming. I do like answering questions though, even if I have to constantly refer to the oracles. If you have any please send them in to me (I can pass them on to Gareth to answer then take the credit!)

One question I could answer this week was about ants.

Ian
I have ants in the garden, are they a problem? N.K. by e-mail.

Reply.
Ants turn over more soil than earthworms so to have some in the garden is beneficial. They also clear up debris and dispose of some pests. But they also farm aphids by putting them on suitable plants and milking them for honeydew. Ants also keep other predators away. They can also nest in the roots of plants, in pots and under lawns, loosening the soil and creating their own drainage tunnels to take rainwater away rapidly from the nest, so the plants die of drought. They also bite or sting if disturbed - do not poke a stick in the nest then watch them climb it, they'll be climbing your legs at the same time - to attack. If you've got any problems with ants, then mix a small bottle of clove oil with a large watering can of water and soak the nests. Don't make it stronger or it will burn the plants. At that strength, any slight yellowing of grass will soon vanish - so will the ants!


Horticultural.

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