While the logic train in the video is somewhat convoluted, this is definitely a great way to showcase the environmental benefits of natural cork over plastic cork. According to the video and the campaign at 100percentcork.org, cork trees are left standing and the only part used for the cork is their bark. Plastic, on the other hand, is composed of lots of nasty stuff. You can find out on their site how to get involved in the 100% cork campaign and sign a petition that will be sent to wineries and other wine industry bigshots telling them that you will be saying no to wine with a cheap, earth-destroying, plastic stopper.

Contrary to popular belief, cork oak trees are not cut down or harmed during the harvest. Cork oaks can live for hundreds of years, and there is no shortage of corks or cork oak trees.  Demand for cork provides an incentive to plant and maintain the Mediterranean’s vast oak forests, which every year offset the carbon produced by 2.5 million cars.

Then there is the wine lover debate over cork versus plastic. I think there is something very traditional about opening a bottle of wine with a real cork rather than a plastic one. It cheapens the experience and basically just makes you think that you should have swallowed your good taste and bought the wine in that box after all. But that is just me; just google the debate and you will find legions of articles on it.

The campaign is funded by the Portuguese Cork Association and the Cork Quality Council. Probably why they used the word “swarthy” to describe the Portugese men, no?

Tags: eco cork, organic cork, plastic wine cork, wine cork

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