Coir products as a growing medium

If you want to grow without using soil, you now have the opportunity of using coir as a growing medium to do so. There are many soilless substrates that you can choose from and some of the more popular varieties are perlite, peat moss and clay pebbles. However, over the past few years coir has gained vast popularity over all the other options.

Coconut coir is lightweight and is made of fibres found between the shell and the outer surface of a ripe coconut. The biggest advantage of using coconut coir is that it is 100% natural, and therefore, renewable as well as biodegradable. It is an excellent choice for environmental sustainability. Coconut coir can be bought in brick or block format that automatically expands when water is added.

Horticultural products from CoirGreen™

Coir fibre and the extracts of it have high air porosity and water retention which makes it ideal for use in the horticultural and agricultural industries.

In addition to this, natural coir has the capability of maintaining excellent air porosity even when it is saturated. It allows water to drain through it easily and prevents water logging. However, it also retains 78% of water approximately, which is the fundamental requirement for healthy plant growth.

CoirGreen offers a range of horticultural products that can help you grow without negatively impacting your environment.

CoirGreen™ coco peat is a natural and fully renewable product that is made out of coconut husks. When you grow using coco peat, you will need to water your plants less frequently which is ideal for tropical climates. Fine roots will develop within a relatively short period of time and they will receive better aeration that results in healthier vegetation. In addition, coco peat:

·        Is a practical alternative to peat moss

·        Is a multi-purpose growing medium

·        Has high air porosity

·        Retains and drains the right amount of water

·        Enhances the root growth of plants

·        Is a product with high longevity that allows for a lifespan of several years without decomposition altering its consistency

CoirGreen™  coir disks can be used in many large scale nurseries and greenhouses, and allow for effective weed control. It is renewable and 100% biodegradable. Notably, coir disks:

·        Protect soil from draining its natural fertility

·        Have no impact upon the natural environmental cycle

·        Retain the right amount of water

·        Are easy to maintain and use

·        Have good aeration capacity

CoirGreen™ coir pots are made of natural coco fibre and rubber, and are ideal for use in horticultural farms, greenhouses, flower gardens and nurseries. They are elegant and 100% biodegradable. When used for commercial horticulture they will allow growers to plant the pots directly into the ground, thereby surpassing the usual “transplant shock” phase that can become problematic. It also allows for aerial root pruning which means that the roots of the plants will penetrate the walls of the pots and come into contact with air. At this stage the roots stop growing and give way to root buds that then develop into secondary roots all throughout the pot.  Further, coir pots:

·        Add texture to soil when they decompose

·        Are a great source of carbon when added to a compost heap

·        Have better water absorption capacity

·        Help Increase microbial activity

·        Moderate moisture

·        Are sustainable

·        Have high tensile strength

CoirGreen™ growbags also known as coco slabs, these are available in various sizes and compositions based upon your requirement. Growbags that come with coco peat and husk chips are 100% natural and does not contain any substance that can negatively impact the environment. It is non-toxic, easy to use, store and maintain. They come with high water retention capacity and air porosity which enhances plant growth. They are ideal for growing vegetables and ornamental plants.

CoirGreen™ coco chips/husk chips  are produced by cutting the husk around the coconut and are used without separating them into fibre or peat. They offer growers with a variety of benefits that include:

·        Longevity with no degradation (5+ years)

·        Clean, consistent and zero wastage

·        Excellent drainage

·        High cation exchange capacity

·        Reduced fertilizer application by 30%

·        No stress on the plant after repotting

·        Neutral pH

CoirGreen™ nursery bags are made entirely of coco peat, which is a natural and renewable product. The plants grown in these will require less frequent watering due to the high-water retention capacity of the bags. Other benefits include;

·        Easy handling and planting

·        Multi-purpose growing media

·        High aeration or air porosity

·        Absorbs water in the adequate amount only

·        Providing a perfect medium for a strong and robust root system

·        Cocopeat can be treated

CoirGreen™ commits to more sustainable practices in 2019

From extreme weather conditions to worsening pollution, 2018 saw thousands of lives and livelihoods affected in the midst of serious environmental threats.

In the US, the massive wildfires in California were among the deadliest the country had seen, while also leaving many families displaced. At the same time, the wildfires accelerated climate change, releasing tons of carbon dioxide into the air. In India, Delhi reported its worse levels of pollution, prompting fears of a public health crisis. Authorities have declared the condition as ‘severe to emergency’ pointing towards the urgency of the situation. In Brazil, while deforestation in Cerrado savannah fell to a record low this year, compared with the previous year, the same could not be said of the Amazon rainforest. Concerns over deforestation in Brazil continue to grow with President-elect Jair Bolsonaro threatening to pull out of the Paris climate agreement and end fines for environmental violations. In addition, the continuous loss of ice sheets in Antarctica, raising global sea levels, particularly threatening low-lying cities. 

Amidst all this, however, governments, communities, and individuals around the world are making positive strides towards addressing environmental challenges. Better and cheaper technologies, and more ambitious policies are helping to combat some of these serious climate and energy threats, while efforts by corporates, academics, activist groups, and local communities are making a difference.

As 2019 approaches, protecting the environment and promoting sustainable practices will no doubt remain urgent priorities at various national, regional, and global settings. Combating air pollution, reducing waste, conservation of land and water, and promoting more concerted efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions are significant.

At CoirGreen, we remain committed towards protecting the environment and promoting sustainable practices. We manufacture and supply a range of environmentally-friendly products to address soil erosion and promote vegetation. Made of natural coir fibre, all these products are 100% bio-degradable. In continuing our work, we believe that more collaborative approaches between corporates, as well as researchers, activities, and local communities, can help change the narrative of climate change. Stepping into 2019, we have exciting new projects planned, where we will work closely with our partners on delivering environmentally-friendly solutions. 

Visit https://coirgreen.com for further details

CoirGreen™; an ethical company

At a time of rapid expansion and growth globally, it is of critical importance that businesses set the precedent for the industrial world by being ethical in their practices. As we have grown in technology, we have impacted nature adversely, leading to global issues such as climate change.

What is an ethical company?

In a broad sense, a completely ethical company will be one that does not cause any damage or harm to the environment and society. It also means that the organisation will not exploit its workforce through the payment of less than adequate wages or using child labour. They will not produce products that are dangerous or harmful in any way. An ethical company is driven not merely by profit gain in their businesses, but also remains committed to doing good to both society and the environment.  

How are we an ethical company?

CoirGreen™ manufactures and supplies a wide range of completely environmentally friendly products that are made out of coir fibre. These products can be used to help the environment such as through soil erosion control, horticulture and agriculture as well. All the products that are manufactured are 100% eco-friendly and biodegradable. They are manufactured adhering to the highest industry standards. The products are manufactured in Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.

Our priorities include ethical business values, cost effectiveness, efficiency and timely delivery. Adopting honest and fair practices in our work with our customers, CoirGreen™ has built solid and loyal partnerships with our stakeholders over the years. We value our employees and our customers, assessing their needs and priorities. Giving back is important to our work.  Among out  corporate social responsibility initiatives are helping under-privileged children, promoting sustainable measures and contributing towards protecting the environment and empowering cottage industries. 

Erosion control products made using coir as raw material

Erosion is a very common issue today with soil and rocks being worn off the surface of the earth. The process happens when natural elements like water, wind or ice, move rocks and soils/sediments from one location to another. In fact, erosion is a natural process that has been accelerated through harmful human activity, such as deforestation.

According to the United Nations Environment Programme, the need for methods to reduce or prevent erosion has seen a dramatic increase over the past two and a half decades as a result of unsustainable methods implemented in land use. Therefore, urgent and timely measures are necessary to ensure the prevention of soil and land erosion.

How can you control erosion and what can be used for it?

The control of erosion means that you place a barrier like rock or coir or vegetation, which will absorb the energy that can otherwise directly impact the soil and cause erosion.

What products can you use?

There are a whole range of products that can be used in the process of erosion control and some of them include;

·        Geotextiles (coir netting): These are used globally for bioengineering and slope stabilization processes. They hold the soil together, thereby reducing erosion. The life span of geotextiles is between 3-5 years. It has a multitude of uses including rural road and stream bank stabilisation slope stabilisation, UV protection for under earth crops, filtration, containment and more.

·        Coirlogs: These are made of cylindrical netting packed with coir fiber. There is coir netting or matting in each log that comes packed with coconut fiber. The diameter will change according to the need and will usually be found in 20, 30, 40 or 50cm diameters with a height of up to 2 -4 meters. Coirlogs are ideal for landscaping, stream bank stabilisation, shoreline protection and wildlife habitats among others.

·        Coir Pallets: These are also known as coir pillows and are a suitable substitute to hard revetments. They make for the best way to introduce marginal habitats to artificially lined rivers, canals and lakes. They provide stream and river bank protection, storm water channel protection, guarding against wind erosion, and are great for mulching, antiweed and vegetative water channels.

Why use coir products?

Coir products are completely sustainable and biodegradable. After the life span of each of the products above are through, they naturally disintegrate into a humus that will enrich the soil instead of harming it. The coir is made from coconut fibre, the extraction of which does not harm the tree at all. The high fiber content in coir makes it ideal as a medium to absorb water and they can also be vegetated allowing for established vegetation. They are also cost effective and come in a variety of sizes and shapes that you can fit into your landscaping budget easily. 

Visit https://coirgreen.com for further details. 

World Population Day

Climate change is seriously threatening not just humans but also the existence of every species, the earth’s biodiversity and well-being. Climate change is the result of many activities and practices but most of them has one common factor involved, which is exponential growth of population.

Population growth

In 2018, the world population stands at 7.6 billion. This is significant given that just over two centuries ago, in 1800, there were just 1 billion people on this planet. With the rate of population growth at1.1%, it is predicted that the global population will reach 8.6 billion by 2030.

What follows?

Rapid population growth leads to the depletion of natural resources. The earth cannot produce infinite resources for everyone, every day. Population growth is putting pressure on resources such as water, food, energy, and biodiversity, thus seriously impacting not just the current well-being of the planet and the people, but also that of the future generations.

Threat to the soil

As stated by Factbook, about 70% of the earth’s surface is covered by water, with the remaining land mass of about 30% accommodating the 7.6 billion people.. However, this remaining land also consists of areas such as forests, deserts, and volcanoes,  leaving the inhabitants even a lesser amount of usable land. With the rapidly growing population and limited resources, people are being forced to make the choices which destroy the environment.

Climate change and soil

As the European Environmental Agency highlights, the impact of climate change on soil is important, yet often neglected. Changes in temperatures and rainfall can negatively impact the soil’s moister and organic matter. While the negative impacts of climate change on soil vary from region to region, it particularly threatens the world’s most vulnerable nations. Yet, sustainable use of soil, and the restoration of soil ecosystems can help mitigate the negative impacts of climate change. Healthy soil can help store carbon and decrease the emissions of the harmful greenhouse gases into the earth’s atmosphere.

Soil erosion control and horticultural products

At CoirGreen, we manufacture and supply a range of products to help meet soil erosion and horticultural needs. 100% natural and biodegradable, our products are environmentally-friendly. We take extra care in ensuring that our products meet the highest industry standards and customer satisfaction, as we work towards our vision of promote sustainable practices. We are committed to helping our clients keep their soil healthy, avoiding soil erosion and improving vegetation.

Coir geotextiles stabilised slope monitoring

Coir Products are a natural and biodegradable solution that are extensively employed to combat a variety of environmental challenges.  Coir geo-textiles offer a number of benefits over synthetic geo-textiles. In addition to being 100% bio-degradable and environmentally friendly, they::

• Adding  organic material to soil
• Promotes vegetative growth
• Tough, durable, versatile and resilient
•  High tear-strength resistance
• Easy to install / maintain / patch-up.
• Follows the contour of the soil surface.
• Have hygroscopic properties

An array of academic studies have shown the practical benefits of coir geotextiles when employed for civil engineering programs and slope stabilization programs. These products are able to provide a natural support system until vegetation is able to take root.

Customers for coir netting such as civil engineers, environmental engineers and contractors will find these studies on coir geotextiles in slope stabilisation interesting:

Field instrumentation and monitoring of soil erosion in coir geotextile stabilised slopes—A case study

that there is a substantial improvement in the parameters like organic carbon, soil water content, soil moisture retention and vegetative growth. It maybe concluded that this technology can be applied for the eco-restoration of the stretches of degraded wastelands in terms of land, water and bio biomass management.

Other studies have arrived at similar conclusions:

Coir geotextile for slope stabilization and cultivation – A case study in a highland region of Kerala, South India

The test proved successful in preventing erosion while at the same time facilitating crop yield. Soil moisture retention and productivity prove to be higher on the treated slope.

The conclusions in this study, “The protective and attractive covering of a vegetated embankment using coir geotextiles”, are particularly noteworthy

Field experiments, involving a local community in Kerala, have clearly demonstrated the effectiveness of coir geotextiles to stabilize banks of hydraulic structures and particularly the steeply sloping banks of a pond. The community was very enthusiastic about the effectiveness of the coir, particularly in combination with a local grass variety. The coir with grass appeared to be the most effective to prevent erosion, to retain moisture and nutrients and to facilitate grass growth. Moreover the slope with grass was productive in providing fodder. The degradation of the natural fibres over time did not result in any loss of effectiveness. On the contrary: the fibre contributed to the natural fertility of the soil after the vegetation cover was well established and the geotextile was no longer needed for bank stability. The relative cheapness of the material and the potential for producing and laying the matting with local labour makes the use of coir geotextiles a very attractive option for sustainable development scenarios in watershed management.

Selection of netting

With the effectiveness of  coir geotextiles in slope stabilisation established, what type of coir products are best deployed for this purpose? CoirGreen has a variety of products that can meet the requirements of clients such as civil engineers, environmental engineers and contractors. These are include:

• CGgeo ™400gsm Coir geotextiles ( coir netting)
• CGgeo ™700gsm Coir geotextiles ( coir netting)
• CGgeo ™900gsm Coir geotextiles ( coir netting)

A higher density of netting results in a tighter mesh with less open area and the most appropriate type of netting is based on their application:

• Higher density netting is most suitable for slopes where there is a minimal amount of vegetation.
• Lighter density of coir netting is ideal for erosion control areas with vegetation

At CoirGreen, using the knowledge gain from a number of successful implementations, we are more than happy to help our clients select the optimum type of netting for their requirements. Contact us now to find out more!

What does 2017 hold for our environment?

The dawn of a New Year always brings with it new promises. Yet, what does 2017 hold for our environment? How would climate change impact agriculture and farming, water management, and food consumption? What are the key trends and issues that will dominate global discussions? We’ve pulled together several articles that provide some answers to these questions.

Can cooler temperatures be expected?

Looking back at 2016, this Guardian article highlights the negative impacts of the end of El Nino that resulted in droughts, high temperatures and food shortages in much of Africa, Latin America and south-east Asia. Later in the year, however, La Nina conditions were reported, and a weak La Nina can be expected in 2017. A natural cooling of Pacific Ocean waters, this can bring average rainfall and cooler temperatures across much of the globe. However, these conditions can fade away early in the New Year. Forecasters in Washington have said that while “ocean temperatures need to drop by an average of half a degree for at least six months”, it is probable that this may not happen. Farmers, especially in countries in Latin America, will be adversely impacted by these changing conditions as they compete for international markets.

More worries for farmers?

In Australia, water will be a key issue when it comes to agriculture, with discussions on water reforms entering a crucial phase. But, this is not the only concern. Rising power costs and rising temperatures are resulting in challenges for farmers. Trade and investment is high on the agenda, with 2017 being the deadline for a free-trade agreement with Indonesia, and agriculture commodities is expected to be a key point in these negotiations.

Water conservation as a key trend?

Speaking of water, Ford has predicted water conservation to be a key trend in 2017. This article captures efforts by large corporations to address challenges in climate change, health, and labour, among others. The corporations gathered agreed to “support meaningful carbon pricing, help smallholder farmers, reduce food waste by half, and set ambitious water-management goals”.

The need for more data on food consumption and inequality

In this interview, Mark Watts, the Executive Director of C40, draws attention to issues of food consumption and inequality as influencing climate politics in the coming year. Watts highlights the need to rethink urban food issues, noting that food consumption will be a critical challenge in the near future. Yet, closely linked to this is the need to tackle inequality. He highlights the need to look deeper at the linkages between inequality and climate change, for example, the need for more “analysis and data on the economic and social benefits of actions taken largely to achieve a climate outcome”.

How will political developments shape climate discussions?

This article highlights some of key political and policy developments that will shape 2017, including the changes in government in Washington, and larger discussions around Brexit. With Germany, the US, Mexico, and Canada having begun to look at a future without fossil fuels, the G7 aims to look at these transition plans. Importantly, 2017 will also see greater discussions around the Paris Agreement. Further, the new UN Secretary General taking office this year, has characterised climate action as ‘unstoppable’. It would be crucial to see how these changes will impact climate decisions at policy level, and how they will be translated at the local level.