Reykjavík Grapevine - 02.07.2008, Qupperneq 53

www.nature.is
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NATURE.IS – AN ECO-CONSCIOUS NETWORK
The idea for Nature.is was born during the ‘lost’ fight for the preservation of Kárahnjúkar during the winter of 2002-3 and
has been developing ever since. The idea is based on the fact that by raising environmental awareness and the environmental
participation of the general consumer, it is possible to use the market forces to solve many of the complex environmental issues
that the world faces today, whether they are local or global. The web is designed to be educational, fun and practical for any-
one and for any age, whether tourists or natives. Visual artist Guðrún Tryggvadóttir is the entrepreneur of Nature.is and a large
group of specialists and artists have taken part in developing the network. The Icelandic version, “Náttúran.is“, has been
running a little over a year but the English version is just getting ready and will be ‘up and running’ by mid-summer 2008,
including Green pages and a Green map of Iceland.
FRUIT
Fresh fruit is often suspiciously beautiful and smooth. It
is not only that the ugly fruit has been sorted away; a
lot of fruit has been sprayed and washed with insec-
ticides to make it look better. Organic fruit, on the
other hand, is not washed with insecticides. No drugs
or preventive chemicals have been used and only an
organic fertiliser has been provided. Additionally, the
environmental impact of such production is significantly
reduced and much more positive in all aspects. Still,
only when the product is certified by a recognised certi-
fier can the consumer trust that the product is wholly
organic. Within the European Commission (EC) there is
a directive that specifies what constitutes organic foods.
It is forbidden to promote and put on the market goods
as organic unless they fulfil the strong requirements
of the said directive. The certifier in Iceland, ‘Tún’, is
a member of ‘IFOAM’, an international organisation
that certifies organic foods. The difference between
the organic and ecological cultivation of fruit is that
the use of synthetic fertiliser is not allowed nor the use
of traditional chemicals in organic cultivation. Ecologi-
cal cultivation is really ordinary farming where the use
of some chemicals and synthetic fertilisers is allowed,
although in modest amounts. Ecological farming is
quality controlled, whereas ordinary farming and the
quality control are in the hands of federations of farm-
ers and farmers’ unions – people who may not have the
best interests of the consumer at heart.
SEAFOOD
Fish is a beneficial source of protein and vitamins. It also
contains Omega-3 fatty acids which prevent disease and
strengthen the immune system. There are some inter-
national standards that exist in regard to ecological
fish or ecological fishing, such as the Marine Steward-
ship Council Certification and the Swedish certification
KRAV, which will soon be available for smaller fishing-
boats in Iceland. Some companies have introduced their
own standard about ecological fishing, and therein it
is usually specified just how large a part of the popula-
tion the overall catch can be, depending on the fishing
method used and the amount of energy used per catch.
In this regard fishing, where the fish “chooses“ to be
caught, is more environmentally friendly than the more
brutal use of fishing nets or trawlers. Generally speak-
ing it is assumed that one litre of fuel is required for
each kg of fish caught. From a energy saving standpoint
in modern fishing, more energy is being used to collect
a smaller amount of energy.
Unfortunately, lipophilic, and organically persistent
chemicals like PCB, have the somewhat disturbing habit
of migrating from warm latitudes to colder latitudes.
That’s why these chemicals bioaccumulate more easily
in organisms at northern latitudes than in the tropics.
Usually chemicals that bioaccumulate have little impact
at the lowest step of the food chain. However, as we
go higher up in the food chain, the chemicals accumu-
late and their impact increases. This is the reason why
polar bears and killer whales have relatively high levels
of chemicals like PCB in their bodies. People, like polar
bears and whales, sit at the top of the food chain and
can thus be vulnerable.
RECYCLING
What used to be defined as waste or garbage is today
seen as valuable raw material or a useful resource for
new production. Waste and garbage is nothing else
than a valuable resource in the wrong place. Almost
everything can be reused or recycled. The key, if it is
possible, is to sort waste in the right way right from the
beginning. The wrong classification of waste can result
in the impossibility of reuse or recycling. By using recy-
cling, the need for landfills decreases which diminishes
the risk of soil pollution. Landfilling is also expensive,
and while that cost is not directly reflected in the price
of products we are still paying for it through taxes to
the municipality. However, from the beginning it would
be best of all to avoid buying and thereby unnecessar-
ily create waste. What do we mean by buying waste?
How often do we buy plastic bags and packaging which
end up in the wastebasket as soon as we get home?
In order to facilitate the classification of content and
of the packaging of the various products which can be
bought in the Nature-market, various recycling catego-
ries are shown for each product. Here under the topic
‘Recycling’ you can also find various aids for recycling
and reuse.

CLOTHES AND FOOTWEAR
Clothing is necessary for us humans and it can be said
that clothes are always close to our heart. Our skin is in
contact with the clothing fabric and therefore it is im-
portant to consider what, in fact, we are wearing. Many
colorants and dyes and clothing production processes
include the processing of fabric with acids and toxins
which may be harmful to our health. Also, the produc-
tion of clothing can have serious environmental conse-
quences and influence on the health of factory workers
(and perhaps even the neighbourhood and beyond).
Some chemicals are more environmentally friendly than
others. Cotton is one of the most harmful materials
used in clothing because of the amount of toxins used
during cultivation. For each kg of cultivated cotton you
need one kg of toxic chemicals. On the other hand, if
organic cotton is chosen (IFOAM) then the use of toxins
is highly restricted as is the use of harmful chemicals.
Fair trade is a confirmation of the fact that the cloth-
ing is produced in an ethically responsible way without
affecting the health of workers and without financially
exploiting personnel.
Clothing lasts longer if it is looked after and shoes
which are brushed and shined can last for many years.
It is also better to buy quality clothing even if it is more
expensive. Cheap clothing and shoes don’t pay in the
end if they do not last long.

HEALTH PRODUCTS
Health products are products which promote better
health. It is rather difficult to define today what is a
health product and what isn’t. There are a great variety
of health products and the term health itself is some-
times rather broad. What is healthy for one individual
is not necessarily healthy for another. For instance, the
needs of pregnant women are vastly different from
the needs of adult males. Assertions on packaging
are checked by the Environmental Authority and the
Pharmaceutical Authority. Here at Nature.is, all of the
information shown on the packaging is listed. Health
products can be taken orally or topically (used on skin).
In the ‘Health Products’ section it is possible to find
many products, because nature itself provides a great
variety of herbs, seafood and trace minerals that pro-
mote better health. Some of these products are based
on traditional usage which have been tested by time,
while others are based directly on modern scientific
research. Always consult a doctor if your symptoms are
serious or if you are suffering from a disease.

HOUSEHOLD APPLIANCES
Household appliances use a lot of energy and therefore
it is more environmentally friendly, and also cheaper, to
choose appliances which do not use excessive energy.
The energy symbols, e.g. Energy Star and the European
Energy symbol, help us to find the most energy efficient
appliances on the market at any given time. The use of
water can also be a very important factor. It is also wise
to choose household appliances according to the real
needs of the family and according to the family size.
Often, it is unnecessary to invest in expensive equip-
ment which has a limited lifespan. It is also better to
have only a few high quality appliances than many old
and inefficient ones. While there may exist a machine
which can do the job, you can do many things by hand.
Here in the household appliances section, a lot of in-
formation is available regarding energy saving, energy
symbols, and certification by a third party which leads
to how, through Nature.is, you can obtain the product.
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Nature.is a guide for eco-friendlier products!
In our perception of today’s reality, we can see that everything is either environmentally friendly, unfriendly or
even hazardous. Not that it wasn’t always that way, but in the past we lacked awareness and were ignorant of
the real damage we were actually doing to ourselves and the environment. The issue is complex and can be con-
fusing, so unless we are planning on getting a special academic degree it would remain difficult for us to know
what’s best. Therefore Nature.is has done much of the work for you in order to make it easier to understand and
even to make finding out about environmental issues a fun excursion. The nature of the products determines the
possible labels or environmental guidelines fitting that particular group. See the examples below, look for more
on HYPERLINK “http://www.nature.is” www.nature.is:
CLEANING PRODUCTS
Ecological cleaning products are available in great
quantities and many of them are environmentally certi-
fied. It is often possible to get by entirely without the
purchase of specific cleaning products if natural materi-
als like vinegar and salt are available. Overuse of soaps
and cleaning agents is harmful and expensive for the
environment. Chemicals do not disappear when they
go down the sink; they continue through the sewage
system and end up in the ocean. There they continue
to be active and can damage marine life. Even though
chemicals may eventually biodegrade in nature, we do
not always know how fast that happens and sometimes
the decomposed products are more harmful than the
original substance itself. Avoiding the use of unneces-
sary and strong chemicals and only using the minimum
amount of detergents is safest. In general, water in
Iceland is softer than in most parts of Europe, so less
soap and detergents can be used here. The inhabitants
of the Earth use an enormous amount of toilet paper
which has to decompose in nature. By selecting envi-
ronmentally friendly paper napkins and toilet paper
we can reduce the harm to our environment. The same
goes for diapers, sanitary napkins, and other once-used
products. Here, in the section of ’Cleaning Products’, all
information on the packaging is listed and environmen-
tal certifications and other certifications are explained
in detail.
FURNITURE AND LAMPS
Our furnishings consist of various chemicals both from
the plant kingdom and the mineral realm, for example,
from wood, metals, glass, fibres from plants, minerals
and various synthetic chemicals. It is mainly the syn-
thetic chemicals that can be dangerous. Not only can
the outgassing of certain chemicals be detrimental to
human beings, the environmental impact can also be
considerable. Over 100,000 chemicals are used in all
kinds of products today and most of them have not
been tested with regard to allergies or the impact on
human health. Also, we need to beware of things that
are harmless in moderate amounts that can become
harmful in excessive quantities or in combination with
other chemicals. If we take furniture made of wood as
an example, then it is important that the wood comes
from sustainable forestry. Furniture which is marked
with the symbol of the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)
can be trusted to be from sustainable forests. Corc is
one of the natural materials considered environmen-
tally friendly, especially if it is produced from recycled
materials. PVC – plastic, on the other hand, is always
environmentally harmful and unhealthy. The home, in
view of environmental sustainability, is a wide subject
and running a sustainable one can be complicated.
However, here in the ’Furniture and Lamps’ section
there are some things available which are exceptional
from health and environmental perspectives.
COFFEE, TEA AND SPICES
Coffee, tea and spices are dried products of many dif-
ferent plants. As with living plants, it is important that
they are grown in a clean and healthy environment in
order to safeguard quality. Also important for quality is
how the plants are dried, stored and packaged. Organic
certification or environmental certification concerns
the whole process from production to packaging and
ensures that nowhere in the process have harmful
chemicals been used, guaranteeing that quality is in
accordance with the strictest standards. Sometimes pre-
servatives or even MSG are added to the spices in order
to increase flavour and to lengthen shelf life. Therefore
it is important for the consumer to carefully read the
ingredients. In this section, all information provided on
the packaging is listed and certifications are especially
mentioned. Coffee is produced by burning the beans
of the coffee plant. The growing of the coffee plant
can be with or without synthetic chemicals, e.g. fertilis-
ers and toxins. By buying organically grown coffee it is
possible to ensure that neither the body or the environ-
ment is being polluted. Fair trade encompasses both tea
and coffee production and ensures that the workers are
fairly treated and paid.
PLANTS
Plants are either grown wild or produced, i.e. raised
by sowing seed or by planting seedlings. The plants
that are available in Iceland are either grown here or
imported. Supervision of the importation of seed, liv-
ing plants, flowers and fertiliser is in the hands of the
the Icelandic Food and Veterinary Authority. The main
role of the the Icelandic Food and Veterinary Author-
ity is to prevent diseases or vermin imported into the
country from causing damage to plant cultivation here.
Organic seeds and organically grown plants can now
be bought from many producers and the demand is
steadily increasing. Organic cultivation is based on the
fact that medicines and preventive chemicals are not
used for the soil, and only organic fertiliser is used.
The environmental impact of such production is much
more positive than it was during traditional cultivation.
The TÚN certifying agency is a member of IFOAM and
certifies organic production here in Iceland. As it is dif-
ficult to avoid plants and seeds in Iceland from contact
with organically modified organisms, and since it is not
obligatory to label or enlighten the general consumer
about the origins of the product, genetically speaking,
there has been some interest in declaring entire parts of
Iceland as areas without genetically engineered cultiva-
tion.
1. The Icelandic Seal Center – Hvammstangi
2. Glacier Exhibition, Höfn Hornarfjörður
3. Iceland Arctic Fox Center, Súðavík
4. Sea Ice Exhibition Center, Blönduós
5. Sheep Farming Museum Exhibition, Strandir
6. The Ósvör Maritime museum, Bolungarvík
7. Museum of Icelandic Sorcery and Witchcraft, Hólmavík
8. The Icelandic Herring Era Museum, Siglufjörður
9. The Settlement Center, Borgarnes
10. The Whale Museum, Húsavík
11. The Icelandic Salt Fish Center, Grindavík
12. The Ghost Center, Stokkseyri
13. Nature and Heritage Center, Skálanes
14. The Snjafjallasetur Heritage Center, Dalbæ
15. Exhibition Cowshed Vogar, Mývatn
16. Petra’s Stone Collection, Stöðvarfjörður
17. Sænautasel, Egilsstaðir
18. Þingvellir Interpretive Center, Þingvellir
19. Aquarium & Museum of Natural History, Westman Islands
20. National Museum of Iceland, Reykjavík
21. Jón Sigurðsson Museum, Hrafnseyri
22. West-Iceland Institute of Natural History, Stykkishólmur
23. Skógar Museum, Skógar
24. Þórbergssetur, Suðursveit
25. Wool Center, Hvanneyri
26. Gljúfrastofa, Ásbyrgi
Cultural sites
Green map of Iceland has as its main aim to give a representative overview of available green businesses and opportuni-
ties, providing sound information on green aspects of Iceland both for tourists or natives.
Many Icelandic museums and cultural centers devoted to the distinctive interaction of culture and nature in the rural areas
of Iceland or the natural/cultural heritage among the rural population have been established in recent years throughout the
country. Following centers are only an example of cultural sites established in recent years, and not a complete list. A com-
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