The Green Movement
Probably the most basic understanding of the Green Movement is the support of environmentally friendly products while opposing those that give the potential to pollute or otherwise harm the environment. However, worldwide the Green Movement has moved on to have a broad political agenda. The movement can be traced back in history to the 1970’s and further to the 1930’s, and even earlier.
Currently, the Global Green movement is characterized by several guiding principles: ecological wisdom, sustainability, participatory democracy, social justice, nonviolence, and respect for diversity.
Economically, the focus is on the health of the biosphere and the health of human kind. Green politics focus on economic policies targeted to safeguard the environment such that resources are not wasted, and nature is not polluted. Greens like to say that they are for sustainable growth defined by clean technological innovation.
Today, many are green, talking about becoming green or are actively going green in one way or another.
Cork is green and we have been green going back to day one, now nearing 40 years ago. Cork’s first products were innovative for the time, low VOC aqueous coatings for overprinting sheetfed offset inks. Later UV & EB coatings, inks, varnishes were introduced, all are low VOC, non-polluting products.
This continues with the introduction of UV curing GREEN 20™ and GREENSOFT™ 123. Clearly Cork has accepted the challenge of being innovative, green, and sustainable by seeking alternate raw materials, processes, and cost/energy saving procedures.
Sustainability
Sustainability has to do with enabling earth to continue to support human life as we have experienced it. Sustainability is applicable to almost all of life on earth. Since 1980 sustainability has been defined by proponents as: “sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs.” Another definition of sustainability is: the improvement of the quality of human life within the carrying capacity of the supporting eco-systems.
Sustainability is also seen as a political action process impacting on the environmental management of the oceans, freshwater systems, land and the atmosphere.
Management of the global atmosphere will involve an assessment of everything involving the carbon cycle, and any potential impact on climate change. Other negative influences on the atmosphere include mass introduction of pollutants such as toxic nitrogen oxides, sulphur oxides, VOC’s, particulate matter that generates photochemical acid rain, smog, and chlorofluorocarbons that degrade earths protective ozone layer.
Management of earths oceans will require controlling over-fishing, reductions in acidification due to an increase in dissolved carbon dioxide, and a general clean-up from human generated waste.
Only 2.5% of the earth’s water is freshwater, and the majority of it is tied up in the Antarctic ice sheet. Much of the earths’ population does not have access to clean, safe water. All of life on earth is dependent on the solar powered global water cycle wherein, ocean, and land water evaporates, then condenses from clouds to produce freshwater rain. Effective management of this resource is essential to mans future on earth.
Forests moderate the climate locally and affect the global supply of water. Trees lock up about 90% of the carbon that is stored in vegetation. Currently, about 20% of the total carbon emissions on earth results from deforestation.
The use of materials necessary to global population growth and affluence has increased. The idea of sustainable use has surfaced as a necessity. Waste of all kinds is receiving more attention in an effort to turn waste into a reusable resource. Dematerialization is being pursued by applying industrial ecology, eco-design and eco-labeling. Reduce, reuse and recycle are the catch words. More and more, growth that is depleting the ecosystem is being called uneconomic growth.
Carbon Footprint
A carbon footprint is described as “the total set of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions caused by an event, organization or product.” Choices that are made by government, industry, and individuals, in decisions made regarding what is used, and what is thrown away all influence the carbon footprint. It is expressed in terms of the carbon dioxide amount, or its equivalent of other GHG’s emitted. A carbon footprint can be measured by making a GHG emissions assessment. Once a carbon footprint is determined, action may be taken to make reductions using technological developments, better process and product management, changes in consumption and carbon capture. Carbon offsetting describes a means of reducing a carbon footprint by adopting lower GHG emission alternatives, such as wind/solar energy, and reforestation.
Cork’s Green Sustainable UV Coatings
Looking for Green, Sustainable UV Coatings with a Smaller Carbon Footprint? Check out Cork’s new line of recently introduced environmentally responsible UV coating products, timely for packaging.
Check out GREEN 20™ AND GREENSOFT™ 123. Unlike industry standard UV coating products, which are 100% petrochemical based, Cork’s new environmentally responsible products are comprised of over 10% renewable bio source materials!
Importantly too, you do not have to sacrifice performance to use these advanced ecofriendly UV coatings. GREEN 20™ is very low in odor and glossy. GREENSOFT™ 123 is a two part system with a recommended low 5 gpsm coat weight, which produces an extremely velvety feel. These products are competitively priced and performance is excellent.
LOOK TO CORK! To introduce you to industry leading Corkure Green UV coating products – Our business at Cork Industries is the development and formulation of aqueous, energy curing Ultraviolet (UV), and Electron Beam (EB) specialty coatings, and adhesives. Cork thrives on its ability to formulate novel, useful specialty products that offer the graphic arts industry printer/coater a competitive advantage.
Photo By © weather for openphoto.net
