Tackling greenhouse gas emissions – an urgent issue of our time

December 2014 began with world leaders and environmental experts from over 190 countries gathering in Lima, Peru, deliberating on measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, thereby addressing one of the most urgent needs of our time, climate change. 

A landmark event, the 20^th session of the Conference of Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCC) called on countries present at the occasion to set up national commitments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The Conference also set the foundation for a new climate action agreement which will be finalized in 2015 in Paris. The new climate action agreement will come into operation in 2020 setting limits to reduce overall global emissions that will keep the earth’s temperatures within a safe range. In addition, the Lima conference also highlighted the need to address deforestation to combat climate change, with countries pledging to plant 20 million hectares of trees.

The earth’s rising temperatures, most often brought about by the release of greenhouse gasses resulting from various activities such as deforestation and the burning of fossil fuels, continue to pose a threat to people’s daily lives. It also hinders development and harms the environment around us. Not only that, climate change also poses a challenge to the future generations to survive on this planet.

We at CoirGreen are committed to protecting the environment not just for the current generation but also for the future of this world. With that at the heart of everything we do, the products we supply are natural, environmentally-friendly and 100% biodegradable. While ensuring high quality of the products, we spend a lot of time making sure our products or actions have minimum harm on the environment. We also promote sustainable lifestyles and practices.

At CoirGreen, we truly believe that protecting the environment is indeed an urgent need of our time, and we need to act now.

The Golden Fibre - CoirGreen™ Jute Products

Of the many products in the  CoirGreen™ portfolio, Jute Geotextiles and Hessian Cloths have a golden touch. Known as the golden fibre, jute is a long, soft, shiny vegetable fiber that can be spun into coarse, strong threads. It is considered as the second most important vegetable fiber after cotton. The fibres are used to make cloths, curtains, carpets, rugs and a variety of other textiles.

Jute fibre is 100% biodegradable and environmentally friendly. A hectare of jute plants consumes about 15 tonnes of carbon dioxide and releases 11 tonnes of oxygen. Furthermore, cultivating jute in crop rotations enriches the fertility of the soil.

CoirGreen™ Jute Geotextiles are specially manufactured for the reinforcement and protection of riverbanks and embankments. They can also be used for vegetable consolidation, agro-mulching, land reclamation and for the construction of road pavements. Geotextiles made from jute are biodegradable, flexible, absorb moisture and drain well.

There are a number of advantages of using CoirGreen™ Jute Geotextiles,

●       CoirGreen™ Jute Geotextiles are less expensive than other varieties of geotextiles

●       They are eco-friendly and mixes well with the soil, causing no adverse impact on the environment.

●       CoirGreen™ Jute Geotextiles are easy to install and does not require skilled labour

●       They also have a greater moisture retaining capacity

Jute geotextiles are the most acclaimed natural fabrics that provide biotechnical solutions to exposed soil. They help in the quick growth of vegetation by coalescing the soil, increasing its permeability and by retaining the appropriate humidity.

CoirGreen™ also produces Jute Hessian cloths.  Hessian cloths are used extensively for various purposes, ranging from commodities packaging to home décor. Bags made from hessian cloths are used for the packing of tea, coffee, potatoes, rice etc.

CoirGreen™ Hessian cloths are ideal to make sacks for industrial purposes. The cloth’s breathability makes it suitable for carrying foodstuff as it is less prone to condensation than other material. This, in turn, reduces spoilage of the contents. Hessian cloths are also renowned for their durability. In fact, due to its durability, certain camouflage suits used in the military are made from hessian cloth.

CoirGreen™ manufactures all types of standard and non-standard Hessian cloths. These are made according to the specification of customers. 

For more details on our environmentally friendly jute products please visit  http://www.coirgreen.com or simply email us at info(AT)coirgreen.com

CoirGreen™ Coco Peat as a viable alternative to Peat Moss

For decades gardeners have recognized the benefits of adding peat moss to potting soil. Peat moss lightens the soil, allows air to enter and generally improves soil structure. However, these benefits come at a price.

Peat bogs are areas of great natural beauty, containing  plants and wildlife, some of which are unique to these environments. They are home to thousands of insects including butterflies, dragonflies and spiders. Nearly a thousand different flowering plants grow in these, including carnivorous plants such as the Great Sundew as well as mosses, fungi and lichens. Nevertheless, this environment is slowly being destroyed to satisfy the greed of man.

Wetland ecologists say that peat moss is being harvested at unsustainable rates. Over 10 million cubic yards of peat moss are harvested each year from bogs in Canada, plus another million or so from bogs in the northern United States. Peat moss comes from slow growing rotting plants and it typically takes 1000 years for a bog to add one yard to its depth. Destroying peat bogs contributes to global warming as well. Peat bogs cover just 3% of the world’s surface but they store twice as much carbon as all the world’s forests combined. Some ecologists say that “Destroying peat bogs is even more disastrous than destroying the Amazonian rainforest!”

The environmental costs of harvesting peat moss is huge. Fuel is needed to dig drainage ditches, harrow the peat, vacuum and then bale it. This adds up to a lot of greenhouse gasses in order to create an organic soil improver. Even the peat industry, while stating that peatlands can be managed at sustainable levels, acknowledge that alternatives to peat moss must be developed in order to meet environmental concerns of consumers.

CoirGreen™ coco peat is a viable alternative to peat moss. Unlike peat moss, coir is a waste product of the coconut harvest and is always available. In the past coir was left to accumulate in large piles. Nevertheless it did not take long for horticulturists to recognize the benefits of coir.

Apart from being an environmentally friendly product, CoirGreen™ coco peat has been proven to hold moisture well, wet more easily than peat, drain well, decompose more slowly and withstand compression better. Plus coir dust does not have the small sticks and possible seeds that peat has.

Peat Moss is an acidic substance which makes it difficult for plants to grow. CoirGreen™ coco peat, on the other hand, has a neutral pH level which facilitates healthy plant growth. The acidic nature of peat moss makes it possible for fungi and other plant-based diseases to take root  However, coconut coir is free of bacteria, plant disease, fungi, weeds, and pathogens and thus provides the same benefits of peat moss without damaging the environment.

The advantages of using CoirGreen™ Coco Peat can be summarized as below

●       100% natural, organic and biodegradable

●       An eco-friendly renewable resource

●       A perfect multi purpose growing medium

●       Has high aeration (air porosity)

●       Absorbs water easily but not too much

●       Ensures a strong and healthy root system

●       A very stable product that can be used for many years without decomposition affecting its physical make-up

For more details on our natural, environmentally friendly coir products, their usages and how CoirGreen™ work, please visit – http://www.coirgreen.com or simply email us at info(AT)coirgreen.com

CoirGreen joins millions across the world to mark Earth Day 2014

On March 29 this year, CoirGreen™ joined millions across the globe to mark EarthHour2014, encouraging our staff to turn off lights for one hour from 8.30 pm to 9.30 pm.

Organized by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), Earth Hour invites individuals, communities and businesses from across the world to turn off any lights that are not essential for one hour on the last Saturday of March every year. Having grown into a large-scale movement since its inception in 2007, Earth Hour strives to remind people of their commitment towards the protection of the planet, while raising awareness about climate change.

With environmental protection at the heart of what we do, CoirGreen™ is committed to providing sustainable and environment-friendly solutions for the erosion control, horticultural and agricultural sectors. We spend an enormous amount of energy to ensure that all our activities are carried out with minimal impact on the environment. All our products are 100% natural and biodegradable and manufactured according to the highest industry standards.

CoirGreen™ ‘s ultimate goal is to be an ambassador for the environment not merely by providing environmentally-friendly products, but also by promoting sustainable lifestyles and practices. With this mind, we at CoirGreen™ will be marking World Environment Day in June 5, 2014, and we invite all our customers and readers to be a part of this event. Stay tuned for more details.

More details on CoirGreen™ visit www.coirgreen.com.

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From the coconut tree to your garden: The coir manufacturing process

Coir, extracted from the husk of the coconut, is the fibrous material found between the internal coconut shell and the outer layer. The extracting and processing of coir is performed in accordance with a series of activities, resulting in coir that is used for the manufacturing of various environmentally friendly products; these are then used to help prevent soil erosion  and in many horticultural procedures. The complete process that CoirGreen™ follows in creating coir is entirely environmentally friendly and has no negative impact on nature.

Fully mature green coconuts are either plucked from the tree after twelve months or picked once ripened and fallen from the tree to extract coir while unripe coconuts are spread on the ground to be dried.
There are two types of coir:

• Brown fibre
• White fibre

 Brown fibre, which CoirGreen™ mainly uses, is obtained from mature coconuts that are ready to be processed into copra and desiccated coconuts. The outer fibrous layer of the coconut is manually separated from the hard shell using a steel-tipped spike or a machine.

 Converting the fibre into coir


The extracted husks are then placed along river-banks, concrete tanks or suspended by nets and soaked in a slow-moving body of water so that the fibres swell and soften. Earlier, this action was carried out for 6 to 10 months; however, recently introduced mechanical techniques allow this process to be completed within 7 to 10 days. 

The fibre pulp is then beaten with wooden mallets in order to separate the coir fibres from the pith and outer skin of the coconut. Traditionally, this process was carried out manually, but in recent years, motorized machines are used to increase efficiency. The resultant fibres are washed and subsequently spread loose on the ground to dry.

Next, the fibres are combined with mechanical or manual carding tools and then spun to form fine yarn, which is later twisted to make long and strong coir strings. Finally, these coir strings are wound into bundles. This is carried out using hand spinning tools or automated spinning machines.
 Fibres that will not be immediately processed are collected and tied into loose bundles for storage and shipment.

Environmentally friendly coir making process

 CoirGreen™ ‘s ultimate goal is to be an ambassador for the environment by promoting the use of environmentally sustainable products. We spend an enormous amount of energy in making sure that our coir products do not harm the environment in anyway.

In the manufacturing of coir products, we make certain that all activities are carried out with minimal impact towards the environment. Such measures ensure that CoirGreen™ is conscious about its products and operations and reaffirm that the environment is indeed the lifeblood of the company. CoirGreen™ - Environmentally Friendly!

Visit us on www.coirgreen.com or follow us on facebook www.facebook.com/CoirGreen

CoirGreen™ : Helping you think and act green

Many of us depend heavily on the environment to make a living. Yet, knowingly or unknowingly to us, our actions can have negative impact on the environment, such as leading to soil erosion and loss of vegetation. Therefore, it is vital that we take all necessary steps to protect and preserve the environment, while continuing our work.

Natural, bio-degradable and sustainable, products made of natural coir-fibre help you do just that!

Why coir?

A natural fibre extracted from the husk of a coconut, the uses of coir are varied. There are two main types of coir: The more commonly used is brown fibre, which is extracted from mature coconuts. Brown fibre is used to manufacture products such as coir brushes, coir doormats, coir logs, coir pallets and coir rugs. White fibre is obtained from immature green coconuts, and when spun into yarn is used to make products such as coir rope, coir geotextiles, erosion control blankets. Given its resistance to salt water, white fibre is also used to manufacture fishing nets.

Coir products offers a range of environmental benefits. A renewable resource with a low decomposition rate and having high strength compared to other natural fibers, it is also widely used to address the challenges of erosion and promote sustainable vegetation. A range of value-added products have been manufactured using natural coir fibre for the erosion control, horticultural and agricultural sectors. Environmentally-friendly and sustainable, products made of natural coir fibre are durable, absorbs water, retains moisture and provides good soil support. They are also 100% biodegradable, having high strength retention and a low rate of degradation.

Why CoirGreen™?

CoirGreen™ supplies a host of environmentally-friendly products made out of natural coir fiber for the erosion control, horticultural and agricultural sectors, helping you and your organization think and act green, while you go about your work. With preserving the environment at the heart of what we do, we are also committed in facilitating the efforts of others to do so. An industry leader, all CoirGreen™ products are cost-effective and are manufactured according to the highest industry standards, with our Q&A Department monitoring the entire process from the selection of raw material to the finished products. At CoirGreen™, products can also be customized to meet the needs and requirements of our partners.

For the horticulture industry….

We, at CoirGreen™, bring to you a range of products that are widely used in the horticultural sector, including Coco Peat, Husk Chips, Grow Bags, Coir Disks and Coir Pots. All these products are 100% natural, organic and bio-degradable. They absorb water better and ensure a strong and healthy root system.
Environmentally sustainable, these coir products are renewable and can be re-used for several crop cycles, depending on your needs and preferences. Environmentally sustainable, coir products does not alter the physical make-up of the environment. After use, coir can be added into the ground as a soil conditioner, having no adverse impact on the environment we live in.

For erosion control…

CoirGreen™ provides a variety of solutions and techniques to address the challenges of soil erosion, landslides, and water erosion. CoirGreen’s natural coir products, such as Geotextiles or Coir Netting, Coir Blankets or Erosion Control Blankets, Coir Logs and Coir Pallets, can help stabilize sediments in the bank.
Resistant to rod, mold and moisture, provides adequate strength and durability to protect slopes from erosion while allowing vegetation to flourish. Hazardous chemicals or synthetic materials are not used within the matrix, and over time, coir completely disintegrates, leaving only humus, which enriches the soil!
For more details on our natural, environmentally friendly coir products, their usages and how CoirGreen™ work, please visit - http://www.coirgreen.com or simply email us on info@coirgreen.com

CoirGreen™ Growbags combine the benefits of coir and growbags

The global gardening culture is changing. In the days gone by, people had to till the soil, get dirty and possibly sweat after a gardening workout. However, now,  gardening has become easier and we have a variety of tools that do the work for us. One such tool is the CoirGreen™ Growbag, a 100% biodegradable product.

A combination of the benefits of coir and grow bags

Combining the benefits of both growbags and coir, CoirGreen™ Growbags provide more growing space and planting options. They are also easy to use and are less messy. They provide high yield from a small space and thus are ideal for patio gardening; the bags are also extremely versatile.

Coir has become popular as a potting medium in greenhouse and nursery production. Qualities of coir that make it a good growing medium include high water holding capacity, excellent drainage capacity, physical resilience, and the fact that it is a renewable resource.

It has also been demonstrated that coir can suppress certain soil borne plant pathogens. Combining the disease suppressive properties of coir with other management strategies such as fungicide application in an integrated pest management program may result in more effective and less costly management of soil borne diseases in greenhouse and nursery production.

Benefits of CoirGreen™ grow bags

• High quality consistent product.
 • Stability of structure during culture.
• Steers your crops for maximum yield and fruit quality.
• Equally good for vegetables, flowers and fruits.
• Minimizes the risk of disease with stronger plants.
• Purpose made slabs with pre cut plants/ drain holes reduces labor costs in installation.
• Ideal air water ratio.
• Optimizes the use of water and fertilizer.
• Faster and dense root establishment due to porous structure.
• Fully organic environmentally friendly substrate with no disposal problems.
• User friendly product.
• Convenient and cost effective transportation and storage of compressed slabs.

The CoirGreen™ Growbag can be used to grow tomatoes, paprika, cucumber, aubergine, gerberas, roses, ornamental plants and other vegetables and fruits.

How to use the CoirGreen™ growbag
●    Cut 3 – 5 holes per bag (depending on size of bag)
●    Insert water, gradually, until medium expands fully
●    Insert relevant seeds
●    Ensure there is an outflow of water at the bottom of the bag

Growbags Properties 

•        pH Value                            -    Between 5.4 – 6.8

•        EC Levels                          -    Below 1500

•        Air water ratio                    -    20/80% - 70/30%

•        Organic Matter                   -    95%

•        Dry matter                          -    85%

•        Cationic exchange capacity  -   (meq/1 OOg) - 60 - 130

More information on how to secure CoirGreen Growbags, please visit our website on www.coirgreen.com

CoirGreen™ Geotextiles - An Effective Soil Erosion Prevention Method

“The different coir types and their characteristics have made coir the most versatile natural fiber to combat erosion and to restore waters and wetlands. Thus, coir seems to be the miracle fiber of this century to save the earth, its waters and wetlands” – Land andWater Magazine

The use of natural fibers for erosion and sedimentation control dates back to the beginning of this century. The main problems in the early natural fiber textiles (example jute mats) were low tensile strength, high elongation and low durability. These drawbacks restricted their use to only less severe erosion problems. An alternate natural fiber that has drawn the attention of the erosion and sedimentation control industry is coir, the coconut fiber.

One of the most effective and yet natural soil erosion prevention techniques is the use of coir geotextiles (coir netting) fabrics. CoirGreen geotextiles have no synthetic material but are instead made out of organic fiber coir, which is extracted from the husk of a coconut. Coir is strong, durable, waterproof and one of the few natural fibers that is salt water resistant.

The lighter varieties of coir woven geotextiles are used for immediate soil erosion and ordinary soil conditions while the heavier coir geotextiles are used for embankments, slopes or vegetation. CoirGreen geotextiles protect the soil until the vegetation permanently covers its mesh.  It gives the plants adequate room to grow and decomposes naturally into humus which will enrich and nourish the soil. Lasting between two to five years the coir fiber, compared to other natural fibers such as jute, has several unique features. CoirGreen geotextiles have the ability to retain water three times more than its actual weight preventing the need to frequently water the plants. However, at the same time with its adequate space within the mesh it drains the excess water easily preventing water logging. With an easy installation method the CoirGreen geotextiles need no chemical treatment as it lets in the right amount of air and light for a deeper rooted plant. It can also endure animal and human movements that would generally lead to more environmental decay.

The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) states,

“Recognition of coir for sustainable vegetation and erosion control arises from the fact that it is an abundant, renewable natural resource with an extremely low decomposition rate and high strength compared to other natural fibers. Coir is woven into thick textiles which are applied like blankets on the ground in erosion prone areas. Geotextiles made from coir are durable, absorb water, resist sunlight, facilitate seed germination, and are 100% biodegradable. These blankets have high strength retention and a slow rate of degradation meaning they last for several years in field applications”.

Studies conducted have proven that coir geotextiles are effective, inexpensive and environmentally friendly. In one study conducted in 1998 on coir geo textiles, Schuerholz found out that coir retained 20% of its strength a year later  and 90% humidity whereas jute biodegraded fully after eight weeks.  In another study, conducted in Kerala, India, with a farmer community in 2005, scientists found out that coir combined with local grass  prevents soil erosion.

CoirGreen geotextiles have varying densities depending on their application, but as a whole they serve as slope stabilization agents prior to re-vegetation. CoirGreen geotextiles promote new vegetation by absorbing water and preventing topsoil from drying out. They absorb solar radiation just like natural soil, and unlike geosynthetic materials, they provide good soil support for up to three years, allowing natural vegetation to become established. The greater the geotextile density, the steeper the embankments it can be utilized on. Applications have included ski slopes and bottom reinforcing material in water courses.

 

The uses of CoirGreen geotextiles can be summarized as below,

●     Stream/River bank protection

●     Shoreline stabilization

●     Slope stabilization in railway cutting and embankments

●     Separation application in rural roads, railways, parking and storage areas  and storm shuttering

●     Reinforcement of rural unpaved roads, temporary walls providing sub base layers in road pavements

●     Filtration in road drains and land reclamation

●     Containment of soil and concrete as temporary seeding

●     Concrete column curing

●     Waste protection and forestry re-vegetation

●     Control of shallow mass waste and gully erosion

●     UV protection for underground crops

●     Rooftop landscaping

●     Protection from wind erosion and wetland environments

●     Plant and tree protective systems

More information on CoirGreen Geotextiles or other natural products, please visit www.coirgreen.com.