Earth Day and Every Day: 3 questions to ask yourself when assessing a product’s sustainability

The SEC recently proposed a requirement for public companies to report on “climate-related risks,” prompting consumer goods makers to think twice how They manufacture products Where everything is related, and What ingredients they use.

From the endless supply of paper products that require lots of water to produce, to the chemicals that flood the beauty products market, to the single-use plastic bottles that are forced upon the cannabis industry to meet compliance requirements, it ranges hard struggle to become a more sustainable manufacturer across industries.

Only 1% of all consumables remain in use six months after sale. The carbon footprint of companies that manufacture consumer products is under scrutiny, not only from federal agencies, but also from consumers who want to lead zero-waste lifestyles and support brands that share similar values ​​when it comes to sustainability.

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When evaluating the sustainability of a product, there are certainly a number of things to consider. But by asking yourself these three questions, you can get a good starting point for your evaluation.

What types of chemicals or plastics are used to make the product?

There are widespread concerns about chemical pollution of the environment. Of approximately 350,000 registered connections worldwide, only a small fraction have been security tested, and that number continues to grow at a rate that poses great risk to Earth’s systems.

Most paper products require processing chemicals to produce the end product, but not all paper products require the same amount of chemicals to deliver a finished product. Hemp paper is an industry game changer in the world of paper product manufacturing. botany, a maker of customizable and scalable hemp paper products for cannabis businesses, creates roll and blunt packaging derived from natural resources and eco-friendly processes. This is both due to the fact that Botani uses hemp, an annual crop, combined with a unique whitening process called TCF (Totally Chlorine Free) as part of a 400-year-old pioneer publicly traded paper mill SWMBotani inherits a rich history in natural fiber technology.

Using chemicals to create something edible or smokeable like rolling paper is one thing, but products that rely heavily on synthetics continue to flood the wellness market

“Endocrine chemicals are too prevalent and found in a range of products from plastics to cleaning products to cosmetics to fragrances,” said Veronique Lee, CEO and founder of CandaScent Labs, a health and wellness fragrance brand. “Regarding the elusive ingredient ‘fragrance’, the ingredients need not be listed and little is known about how the ingredients take into account the environment, let alone your personal health.”

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CandaScent Labs challenges the status quo in this regard throughout his collection of candles and botanical mists. They offer full ingredient transparency with fragrances that are 100% plant-derived, free of any synthetics and enriched with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory ingredients.

Are the product ingredients ethically sourced?

Along with finding imaginative ways to use natural or organic ingredients like plants, sourcing is an incredibly important piece of the puzzle that can also be the most difficult to navigate. The rise of the organic produce and food market from farm to fork reflects the growing interest of the general public in knowing where their food comes from, alongside other products they regularly use. Tracing a product back to its sources is also a way to separate the legitimate and trustworthy products from the fakes.

“Trust but verify” is an expression used by Cannabis Advocates (AFC), a luxury hemp brand that also promotes the idea of ​​knowing your grower and being intimately involved in every part of a product’s journey from soil to oil. AFC’s hemp comes from seeds grown in Colorado that are bred from stable hemp genetics and grown organically.

Mindful sourcing is incredibly important when it comes to hemp products. Hemp roots reach nearly a meter lower than other plants, absorbing nutrients along with all of the harsh chemicals found in overly industrial regions of the United States. Soils in the eastern US have more heavy metals in the plants and different soil consistencies, making these regions less ideal for growing hemp than western US farming states with a history in the hemp supply chain like Oregon, Colorado, or California.

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For every ton of hemp produced, 1.63 tons of carbon are removed from the atmosphere, which exceeds the amount of carbon sequestered by trees. Hemp is also an incredibly sustainable alternative for food production as a protein substitute.

The carbon footprint of the meat and dairy industry is currently being continuously expanded accounts for around 14.5% of global greenhouse gas emissions. When it comes to protein needs, consumers tend to turn to proteins from soybeans, peas, or whey. Hemp protein has never triumphed in the protein powder market before, but knowledge of hemp’s sustainable potential led ECS Marks to develop a water-soluble and tasty one Hemp fuel hemp protein Powder that represents the first organic hemp protein of its kind.

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The global proliferation of meat and dairy farms is polluting waterways with animal waste and forcing farmers in places like Brazil to clear forests for soybean cultivation – most of which is used as animal feed. This vicious cycle of the meat industry pumping greenhouse gas emissions into the air along with other harsh chemicals is something hemp as a protein substitute could help reduce.

Much like CBD products on the market are often questioned about the origin of the plant and often compared to snake oil, the essential oil market is also under scrutiny. Approximately 80% of the essential oils on the market today are adulterated with chemicals or other ingredients to make them cheaper, altering composition and purity. Véronique Lee of CandaScent Labs, through her experience at one of the largest grain trading companies in the world, has recognized how important ethical sourcing can really be when looking at the overall sustainability of a product.

“I’ve seen how the desire for efficiency and profitability has transformed the way we produce, source, process and market our food, and it has sparked a passion for sustainable sourcing in me,” said Lee. “​​We are truly investing in our supply chain, supporting the cultivation of healthy crops, a sustainable future and our own well-being. We formulate our flavors using organic essential oils and botanicals, all tested for purity, and we also continue to educate ourselves as members of the Airmid Institute.”

That Airmid Institute is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization dedicated to the global education, research and sustainable management of medicinal and aromatic plants. The organization supports projects and training focused on aromatic plant medicine, ethical sourcing, sustainable harvesting and forest regeneration.

Has the company invested in sustainability initiatives or partnered with nonprofit organizations that support the cause?

Even if sustainability isn’t at the forefront of a company’s offering, there are several ways to get involved and use resources to support a green economy.

Brands can easily donate to nonprofits specializing in sustainability, learn more about the impacts they may be making through education and a Carbon Literacy course, or volunteer to literally “clean up” local trash at a location that desperately needs attention. With Earth Day and Arbor Day coming up (April 29th), there are plenty of good reasons to take a closer look at how to show some love to Mother Earth.

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52 years ago this month, environmental and peace activists in the United States held the first Earth Day celebration. This kick-off remains the largest one-day protest in human history – 20 million people have celebrated it with marches and events across the country.

On this earth day, AE Global, a company for individual packaging design joins 4G Recycling, Ocean Recovery Group, Clean Miami Beach and more than 100 volunteers for an event to clean up Miami’s beaches – a Event sponsored by Ocean Recovery Group in partnership with Clean Miami Beach.

April 29 marks the 150th anniversary of Arbor Day, a day when communities around the world gather to celebrate and plant trees for a greener future. When Arbor Day was first celebrated in Nebraska in 1872, more than a million trees were planted in a single day, and the tradition is still alive and well.

That Arbor Day Foundation is the largest nonprofit 501(c)3 membership organization dedicated to planting trees. It has planted over 350 million trees in neighborhoods, communities, cities and forests around the world to ensure a greener and healthier future for all.

Being a fully informed consumer enables you to make more sustainable choices when buying the products you need. By asking companies these three questions we’ve outlined, you can gain a better understanding of their sustainability efforts and how they align, or disagree, with your own personal values. However, remember that sustainability is an evolving concept and companies are constantly changing their policies and procedures. So it’s important to keep up with the latest news about your favorite brands.

We challenge you to become a sustainability advocate by questioning brands and asking them to do better, and supporting the brands out there that are doing extra things for our planet.