As the Economist wages the largest debate about bio-fuels in memory, another market opportunity appears to be showing itself in the bio production space as well. Bio plastics have been sprouting up in various applications, but a recent study puts the total market of green packaging at $43.9Billion by 2013. The highest growth gains in this market will be in bio plastics for reasons of price stability and increased capacity the report said. Bio plastics will, it is reported, preform at an annual growth rate of thirteen percent. This spells big news for an industry which currently holds only about .1% percent market share.

Part of the reason for this growth will be due to policy changes which restrict the use of some of the most environmentally damaging materials, but the largest effect seems to be coming from packaging producers themselves. Corporate social responsibility leader Coca Cola has developed a new bottle which is composed of around thirty percent bio plastics with the intended goal of developing a one hundred percent renewable option in the future. Likewise, Wal-Mart has begun sourcing toys and children’s goods made from bio plastics.

The draw is that decomposition coupled with less petroleum based material seems to be better environmentally, but some counter this analysis. According to the Guardian Newspaper, foods producers in the UK such as Innocent Drinks have chosen to stop using bio plastics due to lack of recycling options for the products at present. Likewise there have been claims that bio plastics can be environmentally damaging on par with their petroleum based counterparts. Recent innovations have made it so less energy is needed to create bio plastics and thus it seems the growth of the sector makes environmental sense. Followers of Bill McDonough’s cradle to cradle concept often tout the re-usability and closed-loop life cycle of these products, while others derided their historically slow decomposition rates.  Some applications in the burgeoning bio plastics space are:

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Now in its 33rd year, the Union Street Festival is one of San Francisco’s biggest and best free annual events. This June the event will feature speakers, authors, organic cooks, gardening demos and more. 

“This year the east entrance of the Festival, (beginning at Gough) will again feature arts and crafts created with recycled and sustainable materials and eco-friendly exhibits. Additionally, the Festival showcases 150 arts & crafts booths, 25 gourmet food booths, two stages of live entertainment and bistro style cafes.”

Keep reading for event details:

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Green pet care products are healthier choices for your family because they’ll likely be less toxic for your home, your pet and the environment.   While buying organic food and treats is easy, it can be challenging to source other eco-friendly pet care products.

Recently, I’ve discovered Marmalade pet care, a pet product design firm that emphasizes renewable/recyclable materiality.   The firm addresses ‘good design’ practices with “domestic sourcing; sustainable materials; efficient production and eventual recyclability of the product.”

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• 100% organic cotton

• Ecospun® Felt made from post-consumer recycled plastic bottles

• Bamboo fiber pillow inserts and batting

• PLA-fiber pillow inserts made from corn

My daughter likes Tiny Decor’s felt buckets. These soft felt buckets are great for storage. My daughter keeps her Only Hearts Club dolls in her felt bucket, which may not be the most eco-friendly doll, but at least they minimize the plastic and look like girls instead Playboy models. Each bucket is made from:

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Bamboo can be used in wall, roof, and floor trusses, or as individual studs.  The poles generally range in size from 2 ¾” to 3 ¼” in diameter and 10 to 14 feet long, so they will easily fit into standard western construction.  According to the ICC report, they can be used in Type V non-fire-resistance rated residential and commercial construction.  In commercial construction use is limited to one story and a maximum floor area of 2000 square feet.

Bamboo makes an excellent substitute for traditional wood framing because of its rapid growth cycle.  The largest species, timber bamboo, grows to a whopping 120 feet with a 13 inch diameter in just three years.  The stalks can be cut, then left to grow again without replanting.  Growing bamboo is good for the soil as well, as it deposits minerals into the ground, and serves to prevent erosion.

The down side of this new product is the cost of transportation.  Currently the only bamboo certified for structural use comes from Vietnam and must be treated with borate.  Bamboo can be grown in almost any climate, so costs could be reduced as more is grown in the U.S.  Locally grown bamboo would also help sales of other bamboo products such as wood flooring and veneer.

To see a building in Mexico City build from structural bamboo, visit http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nomadic_Museum.

More on bamboo products: www.bambooliving.com

More information on structural bamboo: http://www.toolbase.org/Construction-Methods/Wood-Framing/structural-bamboo

To see the ICC Evaluation Service report, visit http://www.icc-es.org/

A chic tote that is durable, replaces disposable bags, looks good, and lasts. The carry-all fold-up totes are under thirteen dollars and come in a variety of designs. For the price and look of this line I’d say these make a great gift for creative kids with art supplies, Moms with babies, beach combers, farmers market and flea market fanatics and anyone who loves bright colors. The large capacity bag nicely folds into its own interior pocket. It easily goes from beach to town, for anything like picnics, shopping, laundry, or as a colorful accessory to that hot summer sun dress.

More about Reusable Shopping Bags:

• Life Goggles: Envirosax
• Nordstrom Bags Go Green
• Daily Tip: Just Say “No” to the Plastic Bag
• More Cities and Stores Banning Plastic Bags

Image courtesy of Tokyo Bay Inc.