Category: Environment

The Problem With Plastic

The problem is that when plastic is not disposed of properly, or disposed of at all, it will ensure harmful environmental consequences. A plastic bag can take anywhere from 100 to 500 years to disintegrate! Plastic is a huge environmental threat, killing animals and clogging up rivers worldwide. The average usage time of a plastic bag is around 25 minutes, which is funny because they can be used for multiple things (i.e. picking up your dog’s waste, trash bags.) When a plastic bag is not disposed of it can harm the life of animals and of the entire ecosystem, making them a serious environmental threat. There are ways to use plastic bags without harming nature in the process.

First of all, a plastic bag does NOT have to be recycled, and in fact, it is preferred in some places to not be thrown in the recycling bin because they screw up the machinery that produces recycled goods. If you are going to use a plastic bag at least have the decency to throw it away in the trash can if you are not going to reuse it! The worst thing that you can do with a plastic bag is to throw it to the wind. Please try and make an effort to dispose of your trash – and I’m not just talking plastic – in proper bins, if not for the environment’s sake, then for the sake of sightliness, because there is nothing worse than going to the beach and stumbling upon the remains of picnics past.

The largest ‘landfill’ in the world is in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. There is such thing as the ‘Great Pacific Garbage Patch‘, a place with high concentrations of chemical sludge and other broken down remnants of waste. The patch is reported to be ‘twice the size of the continental United States,” and if that doesn’t gross you out then I don’t know what could. This implies that our waste production is too high, and if that is true, what is to happen when this ‘Garbage Patch’ grows? We are already swimming in our own litter half of the time, will this make it a natural thing? Will we be forced to swim in a sea of broken down, toxic particles and various other kinds of waste?

There are efforts going on globally to reduce the incline of plastic waste, one of them being a program run by Trex, which is collecting plastic from local schools in order to create their faux wood panels, the winning school gets a handy prize. In Norfolk, Virginia Beach, and Chesapeake, among other districts, there are numerous schools competing in this competition to eliminate plastic waste. The Organic Comfort Zone is doing its part in helping the schools out by donating the plastic waste that we receive everyday to Willoughby Elementary, a local public school that is currently ranked first in this intercity contest. We are proud to be a part of instilling the benefits of ‘Green’ living into the minds of the youngsters of our nation.

The Trex Plastic Film Recycling Program is helping students throughout Virginia learn of the harm that litter can bring and also of what they might be able to do about it all, which is, to begin with, throwing it away properly! People can get involved by donating to local stores, such as a grocery store, that takes in plastic bags specifically and can send them to places where they can be recycled. If you do not have the time for that, or can not find anywhere around you that is affiliated with recycling, than the easiest step you can take is to throw them out! Another alternative to plastic bags is tote shopping bags that can be reused over and over again, paper bags are not ideal, seeing that they kill trees and are more expensive.

Not only schools, but associations all over the country are giving way to a plastic bag disposal. Wisconsin’s Department of Natural Resources had partnered with multiple other business’ to form the Wrap Recycling Action Project, or W.R.A.P., which aims to increase the recycling of plastic film in “nearly every business and household.” Much of these bags with the Resin Identification code of #2 and #4 can be disposed of in retail store bins.

The best motto is Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, because it truly is the best thing that you can do with everything that you find in your possession. You can reduce the use of plastic film by stuffing more things into one bag, because the capacity of the bag is usually more than one might expect. Or, instead of doubling your bags for one liter of soda, ask the cashier to only use one bag. Reuse your bags for as long as you can and then when everything is said and done, find a place to recycle them, or throw them away. Save yourself, save some money, save the planet, and enjoy every day as it comes. Enjoy the world without the clutter of plastic bags and filthy waste lying about and do your part in protecting the environment that you live in so that the grass can grow greener everyday and everywhere.

Tags garbage patch, plastic, pollution, recycle, reduce, reuse, toxic

Eco-Tips Environment Green Living Healthy Lifestyles Miscellaneous Renewable Energy

Feed People, Not Landfills

Post author By Eric Hahn
Post date February 13, 2014
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An estimated 50 million Americans do not have access to enough food. If 50 million Americans alone do not have access to enough food, imagine how large the number of people around the world who do not have access to enough food is. That would be nearly one billion people! That means that one in every six people is not getting enough food to eat. However, landfills receive plenty of nutritious and delicious foods, and some foods that are not so nutritious or delicious. With all of this food going to landfills, it makes you wonder why it is so hard to feed everybody in the world.

Not only is the lack of food causing a social epidemic worldwide, but it is also an environmental hazard. When food is sent to landfills it releases a gas called methane, which has 21 times the potential to speed up global warming than Carbon Dioxide. This gas is produced when the food rots and is not disposed of properly. It is almost funny to think about how easy it could be to simply use the food as compost and help feed the soil nutrients as opposed to wasting it and producing harmful toxins.

Compost is organic matter that has been recycled in order to be used as a soil amendment. It is easy to make and it is free. It can be made from fruit and vegetable scraps (e.g. apple cores, orange peels, banana peels, etc.) and from a variety of other materials such as egg shells, coffee grounds, tea leaves, and newspaper. Remember that this will be good for your home garden or backyard, including the stimulation of flower growth and other earthly buds.

When you waste food you waste the time and effort that was needed to grow the product. This is a waste of not only food, but your money and the money of the people that produced it. Not only is it a waste of food and money, but it is also a waste of the animal or plant that died in order for you to eat it! When you look at all of the bad aspects of food waste, it makes you wonder why anyone would do it in the first place. Worldwide, about 1/3 of food produced is put to waste, which is over 1.3 billion tons.

Many programs all over the world are committed to feeding the hungry, including the Egyptian, Bulgarian, and Argentinian food banks. Places and people all over the world are beginning to realize what a hazard food waste can be. Joining organizations such as a local food bank can help save people worldwide, and not just people, but it can also help save the environment in the process. Schools also have information needed in order to donate food, if you have a student attending school, or are one yourself, most likely you will hear of a food drive. Don’t miss your chance to donate and get educated on the matter.

Tags compost, food waste, hungry, pollution, waste, world hunger

Eco-Tips Environment Green Living Healthy Lifestyles

Natural Wonders of the U.S.

Post author By Eric Hahn
Post date February 10, 2014
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Since the environment is such a beautiful and delicate thing, we might want to take better care of it than we do now. Many of us do not realize it because we spend so much time in our homes, in our hometowns, and our worlds begin to shrink, they become where we live. Many of us don’t understand that what we do in our homes has an effect on the entire world around us until we actually see it. If we saw the things that make this world beautiful more often, perhaps we would take the time out of our day to realize that the small things can make a big difference in some of nature’s most fascinating places.

I’ve compiled a list of what I think are some of our country’s most intriguing landscapes, ranging from valleys to mountain peaks, these places are sure to excite:

1. Surrounded by valleys of dazzling flowers that cover the entire spectrum of the rainbow. Outlined by purple and red and orange skies as the sun rises and falls, clouds protecting it from the harsh world around it, Mount Rainier is considered one of the most dangerous, yet most beautiful volcanoes in the U.S. The state park is a popular tourist attraction in the state of Washington, where people come for a variety of activities such as hiking, camping, and mountain climbing.

2. Utah’s Island in the Sky is a wonder no matter where you are standing. From above you can see the valleys and rivers below as if they are in the palm of your hand, in your control, as if you rule the world from the sky. Or, from down below, where the rivers are running and the waterfalls are wondrous. Hikers and climbers visit from all locations to get a peek of the wonder that is the Island in the Sky.

3. What would a National Park post be without the Grand Canyon on it. A favorite for honeymooners, this canyon is one of our nation’s most prized Natural Parks. The magnificence of this canyon is brought on by its overwhelming size, at a mile deep, 18 miles wide, and nearly 277 miles long, its massiveness alone is breathtaking. Not to mention the colors of the rocks when the sun is hitting them just right, and the hiking potential, this canyon is not for the faint of heart.

4. The John Hopkins glacier greets the rush of the ocean in Glacier Bay is a glacier that can get up to four thousand feet thick and 20 miles wide in places. Imagine it melting, that would be four thousand feet and 20 miles worth of extra water that could help in drowning our nation. The sea was once described as a five mile indent in a glacier, but has now receded up to 60 miles to form what is now known as glacier bay.

5. Bordering between Canada and the United States is the lush, wild, and memorizing Niagara Falls. Formed at the end of the last ice age, Niagara falls looms at about 167 feet, with more than 4 million cubic feet of water dropping every second. This wonder is also a favorite for honeymooners and travelers. Truly, it is one of the most jaw-dropping places on the continent of North America and I’m sure many would hate to see it defiled. The sad part is that many, however, wouldn’t even care.

So there you have it, a list of some of the most beautiful and interesting places in the U.S. alone – imagine the rest of the world – and then try to imagine a world without these wonders. Like Glacier Bay, much of our natural landforms are being destroyed and/or altered by pollution worldwide, and we have the chance to stop it, so long as we learn the facts and do what we can to stop the pollution that consumes our planet.

Tags Environment, landscape, national parks, natural, organic, world

Eco-Tips Environment Green Living Miscellaneous

Global Warning

I can’t say that I don’t appreciate it – because I do – but the snow that has hit us in Norfolk, Virginia this year has been insane compared to years past. Typically, a winter in Norfolk calls for maybe one to three inches of snow during the long, cold months, but in January of 2014 we got a whopping ten inches! While I’ve enjoyed taking the past week off of school because of it, I also can’t ignore the fact that this is in part due to global climate change. To make matters even more shocking, the temperature can range from seventy degrees (as it was Monday) to thirty degrees (as it was Monday night!) The drastic change in temperature can not be considered a good thing, and many fingers point to pollution as the biggest contributor to this phenomenon.

Our town of Ocean View was hit with a massive snowstorm (remember, this is massive in terms of people used to getting an inch of snow a year) on Tuesday afternoon, leaving ten inches of snow in its midst. Because of this, three days of school were canceled and half of the city of Norfolk had to be shut down. So far this year, this freezing temperature has been caused by what is known as the polar vortex. This vortex is a jet stream of the cold arctic air that has been shifted from the northern hemisphere and projected southward, which is why most of the U.S. has been experiencing odd climate changes, and perhaps the second coldest winter on record.

Not only is climate change making the warmer states cold but it is also heating some of the cooler regions up! Temperatures are expected to raise by 3.8 degrees Fahrenheit by 2050 if greenhouse gases are not slowed down. Glaciers are being melted and snowy alps are becoming less and less snowy. Scientists and others experts measure and predict the sea level to rise by one inch every decade; however, at the rate that we are going now, that prediction will probably soon change to a higher number, considering the rate of global warming. A study found that with every degree in Fahrenheit that rises, sea level is expected to rise 4.2 feet. Cities will soon be underwater because of this, cities such as Miami, New York, New Orleans, Boston, Virginia Beach! Half, if not all, of the East Coast is predicted to become part of the Atlantic Ocean by the end of the century if we do not start looking at the facts. Not to mention the population increase in some of the other states across out nation, and across the world, if these cities do go under and its citizens are forced to move. Not only does this effect the United States, but also cities such as ShangHai, Hong Kong, Tokyo and London could cease to exist in eighty years time. Miami, being the most vulnerable of all cities, not only in the U.S., but worldwide, is destined to become a 21st century Atlantis within the next one hundred years.

Yes, the winter is freezing cold at the moment, colder than a lot of previous winters, so shouldn’t that mean that this should be called ‘Global Cooling’? No, because the warming is of the ice caps. As the ice caps in both the Northern and Southern hemispheres melt down it begins to spread out toward the rest of the world, flooding entire cities and regions. Carbon Dioxide, which is emitted into the air via fossil fuels and other various pollutants, is a major cause of climate change, seeing as these gases become trapped in the atmosphere and melts the ice caps, changing the temperature everywhere and causing climates to become unnaturally unstable. Take Ocean View for instance, right now we are all driving around in about five inches of snow and slush, and on Sunday the temperature is expected to rise from the low twenties to the sixties, and in turn melt all of the snow. Who knows, perhaps we’ll be underwater by the end of the week.

Places such as the Alps have been warming at three times the global average. Island nations such as Kiribati have rendered its lands uninhabitable due to climate change. The Great Barrier reef has lost 10 percent of itself within the last twenty years due to the oceans ability to absorb much of the pollutants expelled by human interaction with the environment. Many sea creatures have been affected by this, and many of them are dying. Not only is it global warming killing the waterways, but also other forms of pollution such as plastic bags and jagged glass can seriously injure or even kill an animal not only in the ocean, but anywhere.

Take the BP oil spill, which killed much wildlife in 2010, and even took the lives of 11 people. Pollution comes in all shapes and sizes, and if we do not act upon it soon, there may not be a world left to live in by the time our grandchildren our born – if our grandchildren are born.

There are safer options out there if you are worried about energy efficiency. Solar and wind power work just as well as, if not better than, nuclear power and other means of electricity. Fossil fuels can be replaced with vegetable oils and electric vehicles. Water can even be used as a source of power. You can even make a difference in your own bedroom by converting to organic bedding products that have not been soaked in petroleum and other harmful chemicals and preservatives. We all have the opportunity to change the world one step at a time, so why not take those steps in order to better the world, and to better ourselves.

Tags climate change, eco-friendly, global warming, green living, warning

Environment Green Living Healthy Lifestyles Made in the USA Miscellaneous Natural Bedroom Natural Fibers Natural Home Organic Comfort Organic Mattress & Bedding

Sri Lanka

Known as the “Pearl of the Indian Ocean” because of it’s natural beauty, and because of it’s friendly hosts, it is also referred to as the “Nation of Smiling People.” Sri Lanka has much to offer with a diverse range of religions and languages and ethnicities. The island is also a large importer of tea, cinnamon, coconuts, and rubber. If you could take a guess as to why the Organic Comfort Zone imports its latex from Sri Lanka it is because of the Sri Lankan rubber trees. From these trees a milk sap can be extracted in order to produce what is known as natural latex rubber.

Latex mattress’ are some of the most comfortable in the world. A large sum of the best latex comes from the island of Sri Lanka. Much of the process of creating natural latex contributes greatly to the employment of many locals whose job it is to tap the latex trees for their sap. Sri Lanka has many tree farms where the rubber trees are grown, and in no way is the extraction process harmful for the tree! The production of a latex mattress is environmentally friendly in every way. Even if the day comes, many years down the line, that you must get rid of your latex mattress, there is no need to worry because the latex is biodegradable.

Also, while the latex components are produced in Sri Lanka, every one of CozyPure’s products is created with the best of care in the USA. Everything from our Matelasse Organic Cotton blankets to our La’Noodle pillows and mattress toppers are manufactured in our very own warehouse, where we work hard to assure that our customers receive the best for their buck. Our products are comfortable and affordable, they will last a long time and will not wear and tear like the cheap products purchased from a discount department store, in which products are mostly outsourced to be made for a cent an hour.

Among other aspects of Sri Lanka, it is also one of the most beautiful islands in Asia, with an abundance of wildlife and wildflowers. Its natives are friendly and inclined toward sports and adventures including rafting and surfing. A beautiful thing about Sri Lanka is that, being a small country with a wide variety of religions, it has managed to remain peaceful throughout the years, celebrating and appreciating everyone’s own beliefs and mythologies. There are many festivals to attend, including Easter celebrations and the Electric Peacock Festival, which is a relatively new music gala.

Tags asia, better sleep, natural latex, organic bedding, rubber, rubber tree, sri lanka

Eco-Tips Environment Green Living Healthy Lifestyles Miscellaneous

Don’t Be Ignorant! The Environment is Everyone’s to Share!

Post author By Eric Hahn
Post date December 14, 2013
No Comments on Don’t Be Ignorant! The Environment is Everyone’s to Share!

Earlier this week my mother shared with me a disturbing story. Her and my sister we in the McDonald’s parking lot when they saw a man stop his car, open his door and drop his giant bag of trash just right out onto the ground when the trashcan was literally 2 feet away. What makes this story even more alarming is that once my mother honked her horn to show her disapproval the man proceeded to open his door back up and pick his trash off the ground, however he did not throw it out in the trash, instead he threw it up in the air! Now the trash littered even more of the ground because this pig didn’t have the decency to walk 2 feet out of his car and throw his trash away.

When things like this happen I wonder if these people do the same thing inside of their own homes. Do they just drop their trash where ever because it they are too lazy to bring it to the garbage can? Probably not, because they want their house to remain clean. So why do they not seem to give any care about the world outside of their home? It’s their planet too, do they not process that? It angers me to no end to see people act this way toward the mother we all share.

Did you know that 3 out of every 5 cigarette butts are littered? It may not seem like much, when you see a cigarette but lying on the ground, but when there is a full street of them it is kind of disgusting. I remember once I was walking down the street with a friend and there was just a pile (and I mean a couple inches high and a couple of feet wide) of cigarette butts just spilled across the sidewalk! I mean, how disgusting is that?

Another thing I saw, which inspired me, was when I took a stroll down the beach and saw the cutest couple with their dog exiting, of course, their Prius with two giant trash bags and sticks to pick up trash. I helped to pick up some small debris that they missed but for the most part they were hard at work cleaning up the beach and believe me when I say that the beach may be the most important thing to save. If trash piles up on the beach then is it going to get into the waterways and perhaps kill fish and other various sea creatures. Without much of these creatures our food chain would not be what it is today.

Anyways, I guess I just wanted to get that random rant out of the way because it has been sitting inside of me for some days now. So do your part in helping the world turn to a cleaner, better place. Even if it is something as simple as a cigarette butt or a scrap of paper, it can make a pretty big difference in the long run.

Environment Green Living Healthy Lifestyles Made in the USA Miscellaneous Natural Bedroom Natural Fibers Natural Home Organic Comfort Organic Mattress & Bedding Renewable Energy

Latex is Green, not Mean

“But latex isn’t natural!” Is the first thing that comes from my friends lips whenever I tell them that I make natural latex mattress’ as a part of my work. I simply smile and say “Yes it is,” and being the simple-minded yet stupefyingly deep teenagers that we are, that is usually where the conversation ends. However, while talking to customers, I receive that response more often. It is a common misconception that latex is not a natural material and that it can only be a synthetic fiber. This is not true.

The natural latex that goes into our bedding is one hundred percent natural. We live up to our reputation as tree-huggers, literally, because our latex rubber is extracted from the rubber trees in Sri Lanka. The product is then put into a mold and baked until it has been hardened to our liking, no harmful additives or environmentally unfriendly chemicals added, thus proving that latex, or rubber, is not always an unnatural material only to be found on the tips of pencils and to be worn over somebody’s sweaty crotch. No, latex can serve as a natural haven for those who choose to lie on it and indulge in all of its benefits.

When you decide to take home one of our natural latex products you are doing more than purchasing a new item of bedding material. You are supporting the environment by not having to throw out a mattress or a pillow that is unsafe every three years, you are supporting your local economy and giving the people in Sri Lanka a trade, thus supporting the larger, international picture. Do you see it now? Taking one small step can effect many other small things that have a big impact.

We are taking our part in protecting the environment by producing organic products that are safe for one’s own household as well as Eco-friendly. We make sure that our customers get only the best from us and that they know what to expect every step of the way. You can rest assured that all of our products are natural, even the latex ones. We wonder here, at the Organic Comfort Zone, why people don’t take the necessary steps to improve our natural world and instead, many show habits of regression that will bring us farther back than we’ve already come in cleaning up our Mother Earth.

With all the opportunities and choices that lie in front of us, all of the ways that we can be ‘Green’ – whatever that truly means – in this day and age, it stumps us as to why people choose to not do their part in cleaning up our world. It breaks our tiny hearts to see such a beautiful and vast land that once held so many wonders turn into a wasteland, so of coarse our latex is natural, we wouldn’t have it any other way! Our electricity is self-produced – or, in fact, I guess the sun should take the credit for that one, seeing as it is solar panels that light us up down here in Ocean View. We do our part daily to make sure that our customers receive the best products, and that Mother Earth, being our biggest supporter, gets treated with the best respect that we could possibly fathom. So do your part, make your decisions, become educated and cultured in every way possible, be ‘Green’, be wild and free. Do your part, make smart choices! It is the best that we can do, and sometimes it is the only thing that can be done, but it has to be done, in order for our planet to function correctly.

Eric is currently a student and part-time team member for Norfolk, VA based business Organic Comfort Zone, manufacturers of CozyPure organic bedding and mattress. For more information visit organiccomfortzone.com or cozypure.com or call 757.480.8500.

Tags cozy, latex, natural, organic, rubber, synthetic

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Green is Good

I guess I’ve been on a health kick lately, but here is another food post. Eating organically will help boost the body’s immune system and other natural defenses, as well as keeping your complexion clear and your body trim. There are many ways to eat organically in this day and age and you should always be mindful of where your food is from, how fresh it is, whether or not pesticides and steroids were used in its production, and its nutrition level. Like many food posts I have compiled another list of things that can be bought with peace of mind whether or not they are from the farmers market or not:

-Avocado -Cauliflower -Watermelon

-Asparagus -Kiwi -Garlic

-Blackberries -Onions -Tomatoes

– Broccoli -Mangoes

-Cabbage -Pineapples

Now we can move on to a list of foods that are OK to buy non-organic, but still would be made better if bought fresh daily 🙂

-Bananas

-Green Onions

-Lemons

-Grapes

-Tangerines

OK. Now it is time to reveal the food that is safest to buy ORGANIC

-Almonds -Papaya -Celery -Cherries

-Apples -Carrots -Cucumbers -Kale

-Bell Peppers -Blueberries -Potatoes -Strawberries

-Peaches -Spinach -Raspberries

-Lettuce -Green Beans -Zucchini

-Pears -Plums -Corn

All our lives we will face tough choices about what we should be eating and why. We will be consumed with temptation when looking through the windows at Dairy Queen or maybe the bakery at your local supermarket. We can not let ourselves down, though. There are always healthier and safer options for everyone to enjoy no matter what your preference is. Just the other night I had a fresh, delicious, savory, spicy catfish sandwich from our local farmers market. The sandwich was rich with spices and subtle flavors and I enjoyed every bite of it. The dinner was healthy and it was also affordable.

Why should we stop where we eat though? We want to practice healthy choices in every aspect of our life, don’t we? We want to live to the fullest of our potential and we can only do that when we are thinking straight and clearly, but how can one think clearly after stuffing there body with greasy McDonald’s and wondering how long it might take for our body to digest the unnatural preservatives in our food. It is simple chemistry, the more organic the product, the easier it will be for your body to accept and also to make use of.

This is same for all the world around us, the more natural that the product is the safer it will be for the overall environment. So many landfills are just piles upon piles and stacks on stacks of waste that is not biodegradable. This is not safe for the ecosystem as these unnatural products release toxins and become and eyesore. Why not choose to be organic? In the end it won’t hurt a soul, but it can make millions of lives safer and thousands of places cleaner.

I remember taking a trip down to Puerto Rico over the summer and being struck in awe by the natural beauty that the country provided and then feeling like I had been slapped in the face when the juxtaposition of the filthy piles of waste that lined the shore appeared in my line of vision, and it was not only in one place, it was all over the place. If we all took simple, easy steps toward creating a healthier world we might not face the environmental issues that we are struggling with today.

Why not do your best to take part in cleaning up this world whenever possible. By buying Eco-friendly, organic products you are saving a whole crop from being poisoned by threatening chemicals. Even more, when you move from simply buying green foods to other green products than your role just became a whole lot more important. When buying organic bedding you are saving a landfill from having another filthy mattress being placed in it ten years down the road because natural bedding is just that good. Give it a try with your delicious new grocery list and then try to incorporate ‘green’ into other aspects of your life.

Tags Environment, green, healthy, natural, organic, pollution

Eco-Tips Environment Green Living Healthy Lifestyles Miscellaneous Natural Bedroom Natural Fibers Natural Home Organic Apparel & Textiles Organic Comfort Organic Mattress & Bedding Sleep Tips

Kapok: The Tree of the Gods

Post author By Eric Hahn
Post date December 4, 2013
No Comments on Kapok: The Tree of the Gods

Yesterday I wrote an article about wool, hoping to persuade those against it to join; however, I understand the integrity our customers hold and that some of them can not sacrifice their beliefs for a product, no matter how cozy it may be. This one goes out to all the vegans out there.

I understand that wool is an animal product and I am a firm advocate of animal rights, and while I still enjoy my wool comforter and indulge in feasting on a Thanksgiving turkey or a juicy burger whenever the time comes, for the most part I steer clear of products in which I know that animals are treated harshly. The food chain is real, and I wont sacrifice my appetite as long as the chicken that I am eating grew up happy and healthy. I also hold true to using wool products such as socks and bedding. Still, there are substitutes for wool all over, it just depends on where you are looking for them.

Good thing you are looking at CozyPure, though, because our natural Kapok has much of the same therapeutic effect as wool does, and its just as comfortable. Kapok is a soft, all natural product that comes from none other than the Kapok trees in South America. Kapok is a non-toxic, hypoallergenic fiber that has been used for centuries for things such as pillows and in other bedding products because of its durability and also because it is safe to grow, without comprising the environment around it. It has been used for a variety of things from stuffing life-preservers to cushions and saddles and woven into blankets, its wood has been used for carvings and coffins and canoes.

The Mayans believed the Kapok tree to symbolize the heavens and all of the glory than shines in the night time sky. This is where their Gods reigned, in comfort and peace, stowing away in the trees. Who could blame them? I would be propped up in one at this very moment if there were any nearby, what with all the comfort and beneficial properties that the tree holds. It is used as a medicine plant in the Mayan culture and in most wedding ceremonies, as well as other gatherings, it is made use of.

My affection for the tree is so high that I wrote a small poem dedicated to it. Enjoy:

The majestic Kapok tree, how we worship thee

you are oh so divine, your qualities benefit mine

and I am happy to use you: in my pillows,

in my blankets, and even between my toes!

Ok, so maybe I’m no poet, but at least I know it! (Bad joke?) Still, there is no denying the natural benefits of Kapok products and it is the perfect substitute for those who are allergic to cotton and wool, or are against the manufacturing of wool, or other animal products. Don’t waste your time, try it for yourself today. It can’t hurt, it can only help.

Tags healthy, Kapok, organic, wool

Environment Green Living Healthy Lifestyles Made in the USA Miscellaneous Natural Bedroom Natural Fibers Natural Home Organic Apparel & Textiles Organic Clothing Organic Comfort Organic Mattress & Bedding Sleep Tips

Why Wool Is Cool

A huge problem that people have with buying wool is that it is an animal product, and with the way that animals are treated in modern civilization people are skeptical on the matter. However, sheep are not killed when wool is attained, and while some people do bring harm to their sheep we make sure that where our products come from there is a safe environment for the animals. The wool is merely sheared off, so it is as if the animals are getting a haircut. No harm comes to these sheep, they enjoy their days long after the product has been taken, can you say the same about that burger that you ate last night?

Another concern with wool is the odor. So many people understand wool to retain a musty smell after being worn multiple times but this is true with all fibers, synthetic included! It is a fact that an article of clothing will get dirty and smelly if not washed for a prolonged period. All my wool sweaters and socks smell perfectly fine after being thrown into the washer, just as my spandex do. See, it can go either way in whatever you are wearing, no matter what your body will leave behind odors on your clothing and its up to you to make sure that it does not stay in such a smelly condition. Its either that or remove your sweat glands.

Wool is WARMER! Wool is capable of maintaining body heat, and while it dries slower than synthetic fibers it is still able to keep one’s body heat elevated without them burning up. Wool is a temperature regulator, meaning that in the cooler months it tends to retain body heat, while during the hot seasons it breathes with your body It is water resistant to a certain degree (lets not get too crazy here though, you can’t jump into a pool and stay dry) however, with smaller spills and messes there is a tendency for the liquid to drip down and simply spill off the fibers. Wool can also absorb up to 30% of its weight in water before beginning to feel wet.

Being the flame resistant fiber that it is wool will not melt into a persons skin when on fire. It is self-extinguishing, so when caught on fire it will typically only char (lets hope that fire gets contained though because you’d hate to ruin that polyester sweater of yours). Not only is it flame resistant but its super durable. Unlike other fibers that break and wear down over time, wool takes much longer to wear down.

Finally, wool is comfortable too! Every night I tuck myself away under my warm, cozy organic wool comforter and thank the stars that its available to me. In the morning I wake up just a little happier because of how cozy I am wrapped up underneath my blanket and my mood is destroyed when the realization that I actually have to see the world outside sinks in. Just another reason to sleep, I guess.

Tags green, natural, organic, wool