Going 'Green' In Business To The Environment

For years the environment has been a topical subject with global warming and what the average person can do to reverse its effects at the forefront of conversation. And with recent reports from WWF and GBMPA on the rapid, and perhaps even irreversible damage done to the great barrier reef coming to light, there is no better time to be asking what else can be done to help.

Due to the large amounts of energy used and waste produced by large businesses, is it fair to be asking them to do more to improve the way they are run? After all, it is food manufacturers who create non biodegradable packaging and plastic bags. There are ways in which companies can create the same product without compromising their usual standard, while also ensuring that they are benefiting the environment rather than harming it. Florida’s Saltwater Brewery is a prime example of this initiative being put into practice; plastic beer rings hold such a high risk to marine life when they end up in the ocean - they can suffocate mammals and fish alike as well as pollute the water around it. And yet, Saltwater Brewery has manufactured an edible beer ring which benefits sea life. Created from barley and wheat leftover from the brewing process these rings can be, and is being, eaten by any herbivore in the sea.

Luckily for Saltwater Brewery, the cost of materials is incredibly low as the ingredients are a by product of their normal production. And where the payoff for any additional expenses is justified to them, many businesses debate the need to spend more money. It might not be a case of not wanting to help the environment, but a simple matter of is if worth the cost both to the company and the consumer. When speaking to Chron, the owner of Greenworks Cabinetry, Jon Kaplan states that in order to by the eco-friendly materials that he needs to has to import from places like Asia, which increases the cost price for consumers.

However, there is always the argument of should they do it anyway? The start up costs for switching to solar panels might seem huge compared to the savings made in the following years, but if it's a matter of the environment shouldn't a business do so if they can? There are many smaller things that a company can do to improve their contribution to the environment, such as reducing the use of plastic bags, by investing in business recycling bins, and following the paperless initiative.

Australia is currently under the world’s microscope as UNESCO removes the great barrier reef off the list of endangered habitats, despite research and reports stating otherwise. There are also debates over a new oil rig being installed on the other side of the country, where the water conditions are much worse than they are in the Mexican Gulf.

Since England brought in the 5p plastic bag charge throughout every industry and store in the country, the use of plastic bags has dropped by 85%. Finland is the most environmentally friendly country in the world, with an EPI of 90.68. And that can be attributed to the fact that each person does their part. It isn't a long shot then to hope that other countries and organisations will follow in Finland’s footsteps.