How sustainable are eco-friendly materials actually?

When the damage plastic pollution is doing to our planet cannot be ignored, many people who have an impact on society (a.k.a. influencers) have done research and made their audiences aware that we need to do something about it. The society also researched and learned, and today a considerable environmental awareness has been formed. Even if we cannot assume that everyone knows everything, at least now everyone knows that plastic is not good for the ecological balance at all, and that plastic bags and other disposable plastic items harm the environment. We replace these harmful disposable items with other materials that we believe are harmless. So, how environmentally friendly are these materials really? Let's take a look.

Metal

Metals such as iron, copper, silver, gold and aluminum are used in the production of tools and equipment that we encounter every day in our daily life. When zero waste stream first became popular, items made of stainless steel to replace disposables were in vogue. I'm sure you've come across many zero-waste items like stainless steel thermoses, coffee pots, straws, serving bowls and more. The belief that it is more sustainable than plastic is still widespread, but in fact, it is not as innocent as it seems.

First of all, metal is a natural resource and is mined from mineral deposits that have formed over millions of years. This puts metals in a class of “non-renewable” raw materials, just like oil. Our planet cannot produce new metals and minerals at the rate we consume. It is inevitable that these resources will run out after a while.

Another problem is the mining work carried out to obtain metal. In order to reach the underground mineral resources, all plant and animal life in a very large area must be cleaned, the soil must be drilled with large machines, brought to gold, and after the mine is found, it must be extracted and purified. Trees that are cut down and animals whose habitats are destroyed are already a major environmental problem on their own. When we add the toxic gases, dust and noise released during the excavations to this, we see that it affects not only the mining area but also the living areas around it, causing air and noise pollution. There is more; In some cases, chemicals used for the purification of metals (eg, cyanide), heavy metals and rusted metals released during excavation works may cause irreversible ecosystem changes in the region by mixing with the soil and underground drinking water.

Pine

Glass tools, which we see as easy to recycle and reuse, and relatively safe because they do not emit harmful chemicals on the soil or in the sea, are ultimately products, and as in the production of every product, energy is consumed and waste is produced in the production of glass. A special type of sand called “silica sand” is used in the production of glass. This sand is a natural resource and nature cannot reproduce it as quickly as we get it.

Silica sand is not the only resource consumed by the glass production line; Glass production is a process that requires a large amount of energy. In order for the sand and chemical mixture to melt and form a homogeneous whole, the furnaces should be heated up to 1550ᵒC. Considering that fossil fuels such as coal are used in these furnaces and the amount of fuel required to reach 1550ᵒC, we can easily say that the carbon footprint of glass is not small at all.

It takes 1 million years for glass to decompose in nature. So glass is not a biodegradable or compostable material. All manufactured glassware should be recycled and, if possible, not produced. Fortunately, glass is a highly recyclable material. Glass does not lose quality during recycling, so it can be repeatedly melted and reused in production. Recycling glass does not require the consumption of natural resources and consumes much less energy than producing glass from sand. Because we already have a vitrified material and all we have to do is melt them and fuse them together. Because astronomical temperatures of 1550ᵒC are not needed for this, it consumes less fossil fuels and therefore the carbon footprint of recycled glass is much lower compared to producing glass from scratch.

Paper

As we all know, the raw material of paper is wood. Trees are also natural resources, a vital natural resource. The destruction of forests causes air pollution, an increase in the greenhouse effect, and therefore climate change, as the number of trees that can absorb carbon dioxide in the atmosphere decreases and less oxygen is produced. Considering that 24 trees are used to produce one ton of A4 paper, this is a problem that cannot be underestimated. According to Union of Concerned Scientists data, wood products (including paper) are responsible for 10% of forestland loss in the world.

Tree felling isn't the only cause of paper sustainability concerns. The destruction caused by other materials mixed into the pulp is another matter. Some paper products, such as magazines, cardboard packaging, and cardboard cups, have plastic added to the pulp and/or their surface covered with a thin plastic film. Papers produced for other purposes are also treated with different colorants, bleaches and chemicals in accordance with their purpose. The production wastes generated as a result of these processes are toxic and contaminate drinking water supplies if not properly stored and disposed of, which they usually do not.

Paper recycling is possible. One ton of recycled paper saves 17 trees, 26,500 liters of water and 1700 liters of fossil fuel needed to produce the energy used, compared to a ton of paper made from scratch. Paper recycling is therefore very important and necessary. However, chemically treated paper mixed with plastic cannot be recycled. These toxic dyed and plastic papers, which are directly thrown into landfills and left to rot, also pollute the air by releasing methane gas under the influence of sunlight and heat.

Cotton

Cotton is the most cultivated plant species in the world among the plants that are not consumed as food. Cotton, which is widely used in medicine, cosmetics and textile industries, is herbal, vegan, compostable and seems very environmentally friendly because it does not directly harm the soil or water. However, it does not count as such.

The biggest and most important problem with cotton is that the plant needs a lot of water. It takes 2700 liters of water to grow the cotton required to produce a cotton T-shirt. The water consumed by cotton cultivation threatens the occupancy rate of dams, the continuity of natural lakes and underground water resources. Water consumption is the biggest problem, but not the only one. As in general herbal products, chemical pollution occurs in cotton due to uncontrolled use of pesticides. Thus, it not only consumes water resources, but also pollutes the remaining fresh water with these chemicals. Some of these pesticides evaporate into the air. These toxic gases are the main reason why those who live near cotton fields and those who work in cotton fields often suffer from respiratory ailments.

Bamboo

Bamboo, which has become popular with the ecological life movement, is frequently encountered in the production of items that will replace disposable plastic utensils. It's not just the goods; It is possible to see bamboo in packaging, fabrics, furniture making, food consumption and even home construction. The raw material with the lowest carbon footprint and the least negative impact on the environment is bamboo. One of the reasons is that bamboo does not need fertile land to grow. Bamboo can be grown in rough, stony areas that would not normally be used for cultivation. In this way, it is not necessary to clear forests or occupy fertile agricultural lands to create a bamboo field. Another reason is that it grows very fast. For a tree to reach a height suitable for timber production, it must be at least 30 years old. Bamboo becomes suitable for production in 3 years. Thanks to this feature, it reduces the need for trees and prevents forest destruction.

Of course, I didn't tell you all this to get you down and discouraged from forming environmentally friendly habits. Even if they are not as environmentally friendly as it is thought, all of the ones I have mentioned are still more ecological materials than plastic and petroleum derivatives. If we are going to try to do our best for our planet, we must do so in the light of accurate information so that we can minimize our negative impact from consumption. The way to do this is to reduce consumption as much as possible and to use what is produced for as long as possible.

Doing what we can do with our own means at home, choosing recyclable packaging when we can't, benefiting from the sharing economy and the second-hand market, avoiding unnecessary consumption, and separating wastes according to their types and throwing them into recycling bins are measures that we can all easily take. The existence of our species depends on the balance of the ecosystem. Our planet feeds us, protects us, gives us the water and oxygen we need to live. We can go to some trouble for him too, can't we?