| So
what does it mean to be decomposable?
Of course all manufacturing processes
have some impact on our environment
The earth mat is recyclable
So what are these chemicals, and
why are they considered to be so bad for us and our environment?
Care for your Earth Yoga Mat
So
what does it mean to be decomposable?
The agoy earth mat breaks down under high temperature (with
oxygen) and high pressure over a period of 5 to 10 years,
for example in waste sites, releasing only CO2 (carbon dioxide)
and H2o (water) and if burnt becomes 100% CO2 and H2o. Most
PVC mats on the market today will not break down in this manner,
in fact they won’t break down at all therefore having
a high impact on the earth.
Of
course all manufacturing processes have some impact on our
environment
this has always been the case and will never change. agoy
believe that the solution is to do what we can, when we can,
knowing that every effort we make will in turn make a difference
to our world. Every little bit helps. agoy are committed to
providing products which are not only beautiful and versatile
but which through innovation lessen the effects on our health
and our environment.
Because
the earth mat is recyclable
any waste or off-cuts resulting from the manufacturing process
are re-used to create other products, therefore reducing unnecessary
damage to our environment. The manufacturing process is also
completely toxic free and is actually more environmentally
friendly than that of latex and rubber which some people are
allergic to. Although initially a natural material, the processing
from raw latex into latex or rubber products has a high environmental
impact.
So
what are these chemicals, and why are they considered to be
so bad for us and our environment?
Most sticky mats available today are made with PVC or Polyvinyl
Chloride, which leaves a heavy mark on the environment. The
raw materials used in the production of PVC – EDC (ethylene
dischloride) and VCM (vinyl chloride monomer) produce high
volumes of hazardous waste, which contaminate the air, land
and surrounding water systems during production. PVC requires
more toxic additives than any other plastic.
These include heavy metals such as lead
and organotins to stabilise the PVC, chromium and cadmium
to colour it and phthalates to make it spongy and flexible.
These chemicals are said to wreak havoc on hormones, affecting
the count and quality of sperm and increasing the incidence
of testicular cancer and genital abnormalities in men and
breast cancer in women. (source: www.greenpeaceusa.org)
Phthalates are a class of widely used
industrial compounds. About a billion pounds per year are
produced worldwide. Uses of phthalates include softeners of
plastics, oily substances in perfumes, additives to hairsprays,
lubricants and wood finishers. That new car smell, which becomes
especially pungent after the car has been sitting in the sun
for a few hours, is partly the pungent odour of phthalates
volatilizing from a hot plastic dashboard. In the evening's
cool they then condense out of the inside air of the car to
form an oily coating on the inside of the windshield.
High level exposures of Phthalates have
previously been linked to cancer and adult infertility. Recently,
however, attention has turned to low-dose toxicity of phthalates
during crucial windows of foetal development…revealing
that male reproductive development is acutely sensitive to
some phthalates. For example, the phthalates dibutyl phthalate
(DBP) and diethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP) produced dramatic
changes in male sexual characteristics when exposure took
place in utero.
In May 2005, researchers identified
an association between pregnant women’s exposure to
phthalates and adverse effects on genital development in their
male children. The pattern of genital changes seen in these
baby boys is consistent with the ‘phthalate syndrome’
previously observed in rodents prenatally exposed to phthalates.
It is also suggestive of ‘testicular dysgenesis syndrome’,
a human health condition is linked to these compounds. The
adverse effects are seen at phthalate levels below those found
in one-quarter of women in the United States, based on a nation-wide
survey by the Centers for Disease Control. In August 2000,
scientists reported on an association between exposure to
DEHP and premature breast development in young girls, possibly
linking phthalates to trends in puberty. (source:www.ourstolenfuture.org/NewScience/oncompounds/phthalates/phthalates.htm)
Toluene is a clear, colourless liquid
with a distinctive smell. It is added to gasoline along with
benzene and tolueneylene. Toluene occurs naturally in crude
oil and in the tolu tree. It is produced in the process of
making gasoline and other fuels from crude oil, in making
coke from coal, and as a by-product in the manufacture of
styrene. Toluene is used in making paints, paint thinners,
nail polish, lacquers, adhesives, and rubber and in some printing
and leather tanning. A serious health concern is that toluene
may have an effect on your brain. Toluene can cause headaches,
confusion, and memory loss. Whether or not toluene does this
to you depends on the amount you take in and how long you
are exposed. Low-to-moderate, day-after-day exposure can cause
tiredness, confusion, weakness, drunken-type actions, memory
loss, nausea, and loss of appetite. These symptoms usually
disappear when exposure is stopped.
In animals, the main effect of toluene
is on the nervous system. Animals exposed to moderate or high
levels of toluene may also show slightly adverse effects in
their liver, kidneys, and lungs. Several studies have shown
that unborn animals were harmed when high levels of toluene
were breathed in by their mothers. When the mothers were fed
high levels of toluene, the unborn animals did not show any
structural birth defects, although some effects on behaviour
were noted. We do not know if toluene would harm your unborn
child if you drink water or breathe air containing low levels
of toluene, because studies in people are not comprehensive
enough to measure this effect. (source: www.toluene.org/pr03.htm)
Care
for your earth yoga mat
The agoy earth mat is best washed by hand, in cool water using
a mild detergent, ensuring that the mat is not twisted. Hang,
to air dry or wipe dry. Your agoy earth mat should not be
exposed to extreme temperatures or to direct sunlight for
extended periods of time (one month or more). Always keep
your mat away from solvents such as lacquers. Please avoid
folding your mat – best to roll for storage.
|
when
we started out, our idea was to create a yoga mat we would
be proud of, the ultimate mat to practice on - it had to look
great, be sturdy, light weight and have the best natural grip.
Most of all we wanted it to have the least possible impact
on the environment. After years of working away with this
in mind, here it is...the earth mat.
