Fascinating facts about flax

Flax, Linum usitatissimum, is one of the oldest crops in the world and was extensively used in Ancient Egypt. 30,00 year old fibres have been found in Palaeolithic caves in the Republic of Georgia.

Linen is the name given to the very strong natural fabric made from flax.

Lawn (delicate and transparent) and cambric (very fine and tightly woven) are both forms of linen.

Linen velvet is cool and produces a vintage crushed velvet effect.

Crinolines were made from horsehair and linen, stiffened by a framework of steel hoops.

Linen union is made from a mixture of cotton and linen.

Linen takes a dye well because it is a hollow fibre.

Linen canvas for painters provides a smooth and strong surface that lasts.

It is said that linen sheets help people fall asleep more rapidly and that the sleep will be deeper and more refreshing.

Flax plants grow to approximately one metre in height, with the roots extending about the same amount in the soil.  The roots are left after harvest, and that improves the state of the soil.

One hectare (2.5 acres) of flax can produce 20,000 km of thread.

The seeds of flax produce a vegetable oil called linseed oil, one of the components in linoleum as well as being used in paint, varnish and putty.

Flax seed is rich in omega-3 fatty acids.

Flax needs far fewer pesticides and fertilizers than cotton, and no irrigation.  Processing is mechanical and uses neither solvents nor water.

Retting the flax to separate out the fibres can be done by using water but leaving the flax in the field produces a finer fibre, far less pollution, and uses fewer resources.

Flax waste is used in insulation boards.

Fishing rods, tennis rackets, chairs, bicycles, can be, and are, all made using linen composites.

In the language of flowers, one of the meanings for flax is "I feel your kindness".  It is turning out to be not only an ancient crop but, as a result of its kindness to the environment, one for the future too.

From November 4 to 7, the European Confederation for Flax and Hemp (CELC) held its annual congress in Strasbourg: Natural fibres, innovation and sustainable development.

Babyloan

Working in very much the same way as Kiva, a new micro-finance initiative called Babyloan (pronounced in French more like Babylon than baby loan) has been set up, which links European donors with micro entrepreneurs in developing countries. European internet users can look at the profiles of micro entrepreneurs, choose who they want to support and by how much, then lend money, in Euros, directly to them. The loan is paid back and the original sum can be either taken out of the scheme or re-lent.

The beneficiaries are selected by MFIs (Micro Finance Institutions) who are partners of Babyloan. Legally, the lenders are lending to the MFI who will repay the loan in case of default.

Babyloan are hoping to develop the site into a social community, so that lenders can meet others and share experiences, even electing representatives to the board of directors.

The site is still showing a beta version, but, although it is primarily a French site, it does have an English version. Of sorts. Someone needs to tell them that "Vêtements pour hommes" doesn't translate as "Men's dresses".

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A green passport

Are people living in France the only ones interested in sustainable and responsible tourism?

I picked up a reference to le "passeport vert" on the Programme des Nations Unies pour l’Environnement (PNUE). I assumed it would be on the main unep.org site, but no, it's only in the French version, which I find quite strange. Stranger still, it's in English. There is no reference to it at all that I can see on the main site.

The aim of the Green Passport section is to introduce the traveller to some of the things that can be done to make tourism more sustainable - respecting the environment as well as promoting economic and social development in the tourist area communities.

It fits quite well with my earlier post about the awards for responsible tourism being promoted by the French rail company SNCF.

Eating insects

Photo by Flickr user The Daily Joe. Creative Commons licence.

Has anyone tried fried grasshoppers or chapulines? They are a speciality of Oaxaca in Mexico and one of 1400 types of insects in the world which are eaten by humans. The Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) says the insect world offers great possibilities, both economically and nutritionally.

Nutritional potential

As a food source insects are highly nutritious, some having as much protein as raw meat. In the larval stage they also can have a high fat content with important minerals and vitamins. While some are eaten only to ward off starvation, others like the grasshoppers above are considered a delicacy.

Management and development

Although insects account for most of the diversity in natural forests, which is where most edible species are found, they are probably the least studied. While forest dwellers know an enormous amount about these insects, the forest managers know very little about their potential or how they could be harvested sustainably.

Commercial potential

Apart from their nutritional value there is the possibility for jobs and income for local people rearing and capturing these insects and preparing them for market. According to Patrick Durst, senior FAO forestry officer, there are opportunities to make edible insects more appealing and to expand markets to urban areas.

There has been a 3 day workshop in Thailand, run jointly by the FAO and Chiang Mai University to consider these possibilities. They hope to "raise awareness of the potential of edible forest insects as a food source, document the contribution of edible insects to rural livelihoods and assess linkages to sustainable forest management and conservation".

PS I didn't try the chapulines but my husband did. He said they were unremarkable, just crispy. Although I realise it's illogical when I'm happy to eat prawns or mussels, or even snails, it will take a little more marketing before I try grasshoppers myself.

SolarAid

Some facts about solar power and how SolarAid, a UK registered charity, plans to use them.

The earth receives more energy from the sun in just one hour than the world uses in a whole year. Solar power could provide a huge amount of energy.

Photo by Flickr user Giorgio. Creative Commons Licence.

The panels used are sturdy and dependable. They are usually guaranteed for 25 years and should last at least 50 years.

Two billion people in the world have no access to electricity. The areas of the world where the sun shines abundantly and with a greater intensity are in the main those that need electricity most. SolarAid helps to redress this through small-scale solar projects.

Because of poverty, people in Africa cannot afford solar power but lack of electricity is one of the causes of poverty – a vicious circle, which is why SolarAid focuses on these regions, using solar power for education and health.

Africa as a continent is one of the lowest users of fossil fuels so contributes least to emissions of greenhouse gases, and yet is very vulnerable to climate change with floods and drought becoming more common, changes are occurring in seasonal patterns, lakes and rivers are drying up, some diseases are re-appearing.

Many people living in rural areas in Africa, use kerosene lamps for lighting and fires for cooking. Both produce significant levels of CO2 and are bad for health. The kerosene lamps could be replaced by solar lamps and the fires by solar cookers.

Photo by Flickr user Barefoot Photographers of Tilonia. Creative Commons Licence

SolarAid believes that communities can have the power to create their own sustainable development. It trains local communities in DIY solar skills: how to build small devices such as solar-powered radios and lanterns, which can then be sold to make an income.

SolarAid was started by employees of Solarcentury which has committed to pay 5% of its annual net profit into SolarAid

Cooking in the sun

I can remember when I was young in Africa, my mother cooking meringues in the sun in the garden. I can't recall the precise technique used to prevent them being eaten by assorted animal life, but there didn't seem to be any specific equipment involved.

Solar cooking has since developed quite a long way and Solar Cookers International have trained people (mostly women) how to construct and use simple solar cookers which not only cook food while retaining essential nutrients, but can also be used to pasteurise water.

A project in Kenya is providing women with an income from making and selling the cookers. Some also sell cakes they have cooked in their own solar cooker, while others use them in restaurants. Further benefits have been an almost 50% reduction in the number of cases of diarrhoea, a 40% saving in the use of wood for fuel, and a subsequent saving of time taken to obtain and carry the wood.

Moving the goalposts

It was blogging for the environment day yesterday, so only a day late...

African farmers have been encouraged to produce organic crops, both for the price premium they command and because, as the Soil Association says "Organic farming is better for wildlife, causes lower pollution from sprays, produces less carbon dioxide and less dangerous wastes. This has been proven in a number of studies."

Organic production is still gaining popularity, an example being Kenyan coffee producers. The farmers use farm manure instead of fertilisers and natural pest control. The process of becoming organic is slow but ultimately fully organic coffee earns farmers up to $20 premium above the normal rate for every 50 kilo bag.

It is expensive to convert for two reasons:

• During the first four years there is considerable drop in production and almost the whole crop can be lost.
• Farmers have to pay $4500 to be audited for certification.

Having made this sort of commitment, it is no surprise then to read that farmers in Uganda, Ghana and Kenya are worried at the Soil Association's consultation on the question of whether they should remove the organic certification from any product which is air freighted. Reading the summary, I think most people would seem to think that it is unreasonable to ban air freight outright.

It seems especially unreasonable when Africa as a holiday destination is becoming increasingly popular. How galling to see tourists flying in when you are not allowed export your goods by the same means.

PozzoGhana

Photo courtesy of Architect Magazine

From Modern Green Architecture in Accra

PozzoGhana is a new sustainable material being used in a new development in Ghana. It is a mixture of palm kernels, lime and local clays and will reduce the cost of imported cement forming the outer structure. It helps too, to insulate against sound.

There will be wide and deep balconies to provide natural ventilation but solar panelling if air-conditioning is needed. Bamboo will make up balcony railings, adobe plaster will be on the walls, and recycled oil drums will provide facing for the sides. Responsibly harvested native woods will provide wall panelling.

It is hoped that the first PozzoGhana factory will be built in 2008 and that the product will be sold throughout West Africa.

Ethical athletics

Ethletic is a company which produces shoes and sports balls in a way which is both environmentally and socially responsible.

They are the first in the world to help producers of rubber latex in Sri Lanka. They pay above the going rate in order that the living conditions of the workers are improved. Running water has been provided for the houses on the plantation, which not only eliminates the need to transport heavy loads of water but also improves the quality of the water. A canteen has been built where they can not only eat, but change their clothes and use the facilities.

The plantation has certification from the FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) which is an organistion to protect forests and to encourage their responsible and sustainable management.

The balls they produce: footballs, basketballs, volleyballs, rugby balls, hand balls, are all FairTrade certified, meaning that the people who make them are paid a decent wage, sadly unlike many.

There are two websites for Ethletic, one in English, and the other in French, both of which are worth visiting because they have slightly different information on each.

Bees for Development

Einstein is reputed to have said that if bees disappeared, the earth would die within four years. It is unlikely that he did in fact say it, but the idea nevertheless does have a grain of truth.

The Bees for Development organisation helps people in poor and remote areas of developing countries and raises awareness of the value of beekeeping in alleviating poverty. They provide both training and resources. They advise on how to build hives, market the honey, manage the bees sustainably and develop a livelihood.

The benefits to people are that the bees pollinate crops, they provide food in the form of honey, and they provide income from selling honey as well as other products such as beeswax. Beekeeping offers a good way for people to create income from natural resources without harming the environment.

The other products can be made and sold locally. Beeswax is used in polish, soaps and candles. Propolis is commonly available as an ingredient in toothpaste, soaps and ointments. Many people value it for sore throats and toothache.

Beekeeping is especially empowering for women as it offers an opportunity to create an income without great expense in setting up, and there is no requirement to own land, often a major problem for women. It doesn't require constant attention and can fit in with other work.

Projects have been set up in Ethiopia, Senegal, Nigeria, Tanzania, Ghana, Malawi, as well as many other countries outside Africa. North West Bee Products in Zambia is the only Fair-trade and organic certified honey business exporting honey from Africa to the UK.