From
the Editors of E / The Environmental Magazine
THIS
WEEK'S COLUMN
Dear
EarthTalk:What is “kenaf” paper?
From what I‘ve heard, it’s good for the environment.
But what exactly are its benefits and where can I obtain
some?
-- Tiffany Mikamo, via e-mail
Kenaf,
a fast-growing, non-invasive annual hibiscus plant related
to cotton, okra and hemp, makes ideal paper fiber as well
as great source material for burlap, clothing, canvas,
particleboard and rope. Its primary use around the world
today is for animal forage, but humans enjoy its high-protein
seed oil to add a nutritious and flavorful kick to a wide
range of foods. In fact, kenaf has been grown for centuries
in Africa, China and elsewhere for these and other purposes,
but environmentalists see its future in replacing slower-growing
trees as our primary source for paper.
U.S.
Department of Agriculture (USDA) research shows that kenaf
yields some six to 10 tons of dry fiber per acre per year,
which is three to five times more than the yield of Southern
Pine trees—now the dominant paper pulp source in
the U.S. And to top it off, researchers believe kenaf
absorbs more carbon dioxide—the chief “greenhouse
gas” behind global warming—than any other
plant or tree growing. Some 45 percent of dry kenaf is
carbon pulled down from the atmosphere via photosynthesis.
No
wonder environmentalists are so bullish on kenaf for our
common future. “The more kenaf we grow, we can not
only absorb significant amounts of the carbon dioxide
that is responsible for global warming,” says Bill
Loftus of the non-profit Kenaf Research Farm, “but
also educate the world on how to be self-sustainable through
kenaf’s many properties of providing food, shelter
and economic opportunities.”
As
to its use for paper, 10 major U.S. newspapers have tested
kenaf-based newsprint and were pleasantly surprised by
how well it held up and how crisply it displayed text
and pictures. And since it is already brighter than wood-based
pulp, it requires less bleaching before it can be used
to carry ink. But since kenaf is not mass-produced the
way paper trees are on big plantations across the Southeast
and West, it still costs more than regular paper and as
such has not gone mass market, despite its environmental.
Also,
while some policymakers and many environmentalists would
like to see our paper feedstock switched from Southern
Pine and other trees to kenaf, entrenched timber companies
with big investments in tree farms (and who employ many
a Washington lobbyist) do not. And with many timber companies
already suffering economically,
lawmakers are unlikely to mandate changes that could make
matters worse.
Even
if kenaf doesn‘t become the paper of tomorrow, it
may still have a bright future. The Kenaf Research Farm
reports that Toyota is already using kenaf grown in Malaysia
for insulation and interiors in some cars. Toyota is also
experimenting with using kenaf to reinforce the sugarcane-
and maize-based biopolymers it hopes can replace many
of the plastic and metal parts in the vehicles it is designing
today.
Your
best bet for finding some kenaf paper is to try a specialty
art supply or stationery store. One good online source
is The Natural Abode. Photographers might try using kenaf
photo paper, such as Pictorico’s ART Kenaf, in their
ink jet printers to give their snaps a unique look and
a green pedigree.
Dear
EarthTalk:OK, so are cell phones emitting
dangerous radiation or not? If so, which phones are safer
that others and what do we do to minimize exposure?
-- Luke Alderman, Santa Fe, NM
The jury is
still out as to whether or not the radiation emitted by
cell phones can cause negative health effects for callers.
Mobile phones emit signals to communicate with cellular
towers via radio waves, which are comprised of radio-frequency
(RF) energy, a form of electromagnetic radiation.
The U.S. Federal
Communications Commission (FCC) limits the amount of radiation
any phone sold in the U.S. can emit to what it considers
a safe level of 1.6 watts per kilogram of body weight
(a measure of the energy absorbed by the body when using
a wireless device). But some health practitioners are
concerned that even this level of exposure may be too
high, resulting in people unwittingly exposing themselves
to potentially harmful radiation every time they make
or take a call.
Such radiation
is known to heat up living tissue it comes into close
contact with by a fraction of a degree, but this level
of temperature increase is less than that caused by exposure
to direct sunlight, and the brain’s blood circulation
typically disperses this excess heat quickly by increasing
local blood flow.
Some recent
studies have found higher risks for brain and salivary
gland tumors among people using cell phones for 10 years
or longer, while other research has found little if any
risk. Other research has looked at the reproductive, cognitive
and sleep effects of RF energy at levels similar to what
cell/smart phones emit. Results have been mixed. More
studies are now underway to resolve whether or not cell
phones are safe for people to use, but some electronics
manufacturers aren’t waiting around to cut down
on the radiation emissions of the phones they make and
sell.
If you are
in the market for a new cell phone, check out the nonprofit
Environmental Working Group’s (EWG’s) rundown
on which of the thousand or so popular cell/smart phone
models give off the most and least radiation. Levels vary
widely, from as little as 0.3 to the legal limit of 1.6
watts per kilogram of body weight. Sanyo’s Katana
II, Samsung’s Rugby, Nokia’s 7710, and the
Blackberry Storm, among others, get top marks from EWG
for giving off lower amounts of radiation (in the 0.3
range). Meanwhile, more than a dozen different cell/smart
phones (including some of the most popular models such
as Motorola’s Droid, Blackberry’s Bold 9700,
LG’s Chocolate Touch and HTC’s Nexus One by
Google) are categorized as “worst” by EWG
for giving off larger amounts of radiation (pushing the
1.6 limit). Apple’s iPhone 3Gs is in the middle
of the spectrum, leaking between 0.52 and 1.19, depending
on usage.
Regardless
of which cell/smart phone you use, you can minimize your
exposure to RF radiation by taking a few simple precautions.
For one, using a headset (these give off significantly
less radiation) or speaker phone keeps the phone itself
away from your head. Also, your phone emits far less radiation
when used to text instead of call—and the phone
isn’t next to your brain when texting—so the
more you tap (just not while driving, please!) instead
of talk the better. Also, a poor signal (fewer bars) means
that your phone has to work harder—and emit more
radiation—to connect up to a wireless tower, so
wait to make that call until you are somewhere with a
stronger connection.
