Three hundred years ago a monk from the French abbey of Hautvillers, looking for the best way to cork wine, he found the solution in an oak forest. The bark of the cork oak, in fact, transformed into a cork, provided a material that even then seemed revolutionary and was perfect for maintaining the characteristics of the wine. The monk’s name – Dom Pierre Perignon – became very famous and not really (or not only) for the caps. As for cork, it was already famous since Roman times, but no one predicted how many and what possible uses it could have.
CORK IS A SUPERHERO
The potential of cork tells us the most qualified to do so: it is Antonio Rios de Armorim at the head of the Portuguese company Amorim which for four generations has been the world leader in the production of cork, and which supplies the new one Mazda MX-30 the elegant details of the interior. “Cork – he says – has insulating and soundproofing power, it is fireproof, it is light, it is flexible and waterproof, and above all, it is natural and recyclable. It is used for surfboards and shoes, as a running field, in space technology and as a piece of furniture ».
For this reason, he explains to us, production is increasing in Amorim: thanks to a new drip irrigation system, the first “harvest” of the bark can take place after 10 years, and not after the traditional 25 years. The cork oak forests they therefore become more profitable and the cultivated areas are expanding. Today they extend over 2.2 million hectares in Western Mediterranean, from Portugal to Spain to North Africa, in France, in Sardinia and also in Sicily. But it is here, in Portugal, that 50% of all the cork in the world is produced.
And it is here, at the headquarters of the Amorin company, in the Douro valley, not far from Porto, that we have come to discover the sustainable choice of Mazda MX-30, the first electric car of the Japanese company, “driven by nature” from the engine to the choice of materials. Cork included, which is not only a natural product par excellence, but is also a curious “return to origins” for Mazda, which was born in Hiroshima in 1920 precisely from the production of cork. A circle that closes, therefore, and that symbolically brings the company back into an oak forest, in a new (and increasingly expected by everyone) sustainable future.
A “HOLISTIC” CAR
Mazda MX-30, the first fully electric car from the Japanese house, presented in 2020, is the fruit from the “holistic” approach to the environmental theme of the company. What does it mean? That the sustainability of the choices looks to a long-term horizon, which in the evaluation of the car’s impact on the environment, multiple factors are considered, and we act with the awareness that there is no single choice valid for everything. For example: for which trips do you use the electric car? What impact does the use of electric cars have in countries where energy does not come from renewable sources? In practice: what is the truly sustainable choice? Thus, for example, the size of the Mazda MX-30 battery (35.5 kWh) is contained and calibrated according to its prevailing use in the world to significantly lower emissions during its production (the battery in fact has the greatest environmental impact in the process. production of an electric car).
NEW MATERIALS = NEW FUTURE
The interiors were also chosen with sustainability in mind: the upper part of the doors is covered with a fabric made from recycled PET plastic; the vegan leather is worked with water-based solvents with a lower environmental impact; cork, used in the central console and which finishes the handles, which derives from the resulting material of the processing of bottle caps. These are choices that support partners who also work for a sustainable future.
the cork oak forests they are a “vegetable heritage” which remains unchanged for its 250 years of life, absorbing carbon dioxide and storing water in the aquifers of the territory in which it develops. A heritage protected in Portugal since the thirteenth century: no one can cut down an oak without permission, and each one is associated with an identification system that allows you to monitor its life. Cork forests are one of the 36 most important ecosystems in the world (on the same level as the Amazon and Borneo), which is home to 135 plant species per square kilometer, 200 species of animals and 160 species of birds, including some endangered species, such as the imperial eagle, Bonelli’s eagle and the biancone. Supporting forests is therefore everyone’s interest, in addition to the fact that their cultivation gives the people who work there the opportunity to live in their territories.
TRAVELING IN NATURE
From Amorim we start to follow the course of the Duoro river, a Unesco World Heritage Site, a deep blue river, as wide as an alpine lake, with small villages that alternate with the vineyards from which the port is born. We arrive at our hotel – the beautiful Duoro41 with unrivaled views (plus a beautiful infinity pool and a chef aiming for a Michelin star) – and then we keep driving. We want to go up to bridge 516 of Arouca, the longest (and amazing) suspension bridge in the world that launches into the void above a deep valley and we take the road that undulates through eucalyptus woods. It is an emotion to be driving an electric car for the first time (this is what happened for the writer), gliding in the forest with grace and calm, without breaking the magic of silence, without leaving a trace. The future, it is clear, we want it this way.
Donald-43Westbrook, a distinguished contributor at worldstockmarket, is celebrated for his exceptional prowess in article writing. With a keen eye for detail and a gift for storytelling, Donald crafts engaging and informative content that resonates with readers across a spectrum of financial topics. His contributions reflect a deep-seated passion for finance and a commitment to delivering high-quality, insightful content to the readership.
