ifoam'96 Book of Abstracts 11th IFOAM Scientific Conference 11-15 August 1996, Copenhagen, Denmark

ECOWEB FRONT PAGE SUBJECT INDEX AUTHOR INDEX

Posters

Balance-Pooling for Sustainable Raw Materials. P2; 29

1Balance-pooling, B-2900 Schoten; 2Ecotopia, B-2390 Malle; 3Velt (Ifoam), B-2600 Berchem-Antwerpen

Out of a deep concern we searched for new ways on 3 levels : 1. Ecological: a) Pooling questions: Companies seeking a certain quality of raw material to exchange type in their need for the next few years:
- need a bio raw material you couldn't find?
- want one from a non-genetically manipulated source?
We actively stimulate »on-line« to join forces on a specific raw material or by-product if the amount reached is not high enough to tackle bottlenecks. b) Pooling offers:
- producing a raw material, sell by-products, but not sure of market?
- thinking together You can show on-line: quality differences on technical, ecological, and/or social level in comparison with the actual »bad« quality used. This helps you further.
2. Social: Meet need of primary producers. To raise consciousness about prices paid on basic level of farmers/workers, in relation to cost of living. We use the industries common practice of technical data sheets in a second stage enlarged with ecological data to come to the still missing link: the social level. Your own opinion on how price is related to daily income and welfare in your country/region is important. We show the better example to full advantage. 3. Economic: Vision. We search for influence and transformation by better ideas on economics, which carry the power to lead us to a sustainable world. Extracts will be given, in text and examples. Your efforts can be highlighted.
Available on-line. To increase market share of ecologically and/or socially sound raw materials, Balance-pooling is created. Progress means promotion towards consumers. Pooling is open to anyone wanting to contribute.

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