You probably know that a real sponge is a sea sponge. But do you realize sea sponges are actually living animals, not plants? Animal phylum consisting of organisms called sponges, is also known as Porifera. The word “Porifera” means pore-bearing and refers to the many tiny openings, or holes, visible on all sponges. Sea sponges are simple-celled, filter feeding animals that grow in every ocean in the world.
Sea sponges are colorful, colonial creatures living together in large clusters. We are fortunate to have such a beautiful renewable natural resource in our oceans. It is remarkable how they survive pollution where other sea creatures cannot. That is because they have the ability to regenerate into new individuals from even the tiniest fragments of the original. When their food supplies diminish from contamination, the sponges fragment and lie dormant until growing conditions improve. Scientists believe that age, environmental conditions and food supply may be related to their size ranging from tiny to rather enormous. Baby sponges resemble plankton and after a few days of free floating will attach themselves to a hard surface and begin to grow.
History reveals many fascinating stories, including sponge blights, social and biological issues. Sponges produce a toxin they release in the water. The intended function is to ward off predators that would otherwise feed on the sponges, including humans. Small particles from the sponge surface -- spicules, may dislodge and adhere to skin. Thus, harvest today is by skindiving with proper equipment or hooking sponges from shallow waters.
Sponges have a life span of a few months to 20 years or more. Scientists have found that their harvest actually enhances the health and population of others. There are sub-species of Porifera and some thrive in the deepest regions of the seas, including sea caves where there’s little or no light. There are even some varieties that live in fresh water locations. Scientists have identified approximately 5,000 species of sponges to date.
Before the advent of the synthetic age, early Mediterranean and European civilizations used the natural sea sponge for many daily tasks like painting, washing and sweeping floors, or as a way to gather drinking water when cups or other vessels were unavailable. Roman soldiers used them to line their helmets and doctors and healers used the burnt sponge as a therapeutic aid for certain maladies. Nowadays the natural sponge’s many uses has dwindled to selected areas like arts and crafts, painting and redecorating, or for use in operating rooms during surgical procedures.
Natural sponges are absorbent, durable, long lasting, will not stain or retain odors. Their soft texture promotes better and less abrasive cleaning. Even artists and craftsmen say the natural sponge is essential for distinctive design applications.
Synthetic sponges are made of cellulose polymers while organic sponges have naturally formed crevices and ridges that cannot be duplicated. The synthetics are processed from materials such as nylon or rubber, which generate as much pollution in their processing as in their residues.
Commercial sponge harvesters typically immerse sponges in a mixture of water and hydrochloric acid, a procedure often used in food preparation. It gives them a blonde coloring before being sold by merchants. When assorted for a specific purpose, they are often trimmed to an oval shape.
It’s not unusual to see display ads in magazines about women using a sea sponge instead of a tampon. Research determined there are health risks associated with conventional tampon use. These risks are related to Dioxin, a by-product of the bleaching of the rayon fibers used to make tampons, as well as to the rayon itself. Companies that sell sea sponges tell you they are sanitized, and probably are. To be safe, however, you can clean them yourself and should repeat periodically.
To sanitize a sea sponge, don't use harsh soap. Boiling is not recommended because it shrinks and toughens your sponge and shortens its useful lifetime. The microwave is not recommended either. It changes the molecular structure. A solution of one tablespoon of baking soda, tea tree oil, or cider vinegar in one cup of warm water does the job. Or try a solution of half hydrogen peroxide and half water. Air dry preferably in sunlight and replace about every six months.
Get creative and use a sea sponge to put on face paint for Halloween. Apply everyday makeup with a sea sponge. It’s kind and gentle to your face, as well as on the soft skin of babies and children. Try putting organic shower gel on your sea sponge and keep a spare in your travel kit. By using a sea sponge for washing dishes, you can save 50 to 100 rolls of paper towels a year!
You can find sea sponges from discount stores to specialty bath boutiques. The cleaner we keep our oceans, the more sponges people can harvest. Be an educated consumer and help eliminate synthetic production, which causes pollutants.
Written by: Delia Montgomery, Chíc Eco
Delia Montgomery is an environmental fashion consultant and personal shopper for homes, bodies and gardens. Questions or comments are welcome. Visit www.ChicEco.com or e-mail Info@ChicEco.com
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