2 chapters across the catalog
The Portuguese cork industry is facing a public relations battle against the plastics industry regarding the sustainability of cork stoppers. Cork is harvested from the bark of specific oak trees every seven years, a process that does not harm the tree and is strictly regulated by Portuguese law. Despite propaganda claiming cork forests are shrinking, the plantations are currently growing at a rate of four percent annually.
A visit to a new deepwater port south of Lisbon is compared unfavorably to major shipping hubs in the San Francisco Bay Area. The conversation shifts back to the wine industry, specifically the environmental impact of plastic enclosures and metal screw tops compared to natural cork. The lack of effective communication from the Portuguese cork industry is identified as a primary reason for the rise of synthetic alternatives.
