Consciously Curated:

Put a Cork in It

Contributed By: Heidi Atwal

If you’ve been following ecofabulous lately, you know that we’re wild about cork, a sustainable, rapidly renewable material that has been used to create some of our most loved stylish accessories and home products. Recognizing the importance of preserving cork forests, their inhabitants and biodiversity, The Cork Forest Alliance strives to educate and take action to promote ethical stewardship of cork-rich environments.

Since 2008, The Cork ReHarvest movement has partnered with businesses to collect cork at restaurants, hotels, wine bars, and more to ensure that it doesn’t contribute to our greater carbon footprint. What seems like a paltry doodad discarded from a bottle of wine can actually find life post swilling of Sangiovese, don’tcha know. Whether repurposed as stunning artwork or used to protect your beloved iPad, the wonder material can be put to myriad uses and beautify the world simultaneously.

You can contribute to this inspiring crusade by collecting cork products in your home and bringing them to one of many participating drop-off locations, or by contacting The Cork Forest Conservation Alliance directly to find out how you can get involved. You’ll look at that empty vino container much differently after learning more about how its tiny topper can make a big difference to sustainability efforts.

Photo: Sean Davis