For me, it becomes extremely frustrating, to see the efforts my family, friends and I have undertaken to be more environmentally conscious, being completely undermined and negated by the actions of individuals, groups, corporations and Governments. For instance, just recently, I started feeling very happy with myself – almost smug, for eliminating cling film from our house, via the use of beeswax wraps and sealable containers. However one day recently, within the space of 5 minutes, I witnessed a local company, going around their everyday business, using the equivalent of multiple years of domestic use of cling film, while wrapping a pallet of materials, that were to be transported less than a mile, to be then put in a bin and destined for landfill.
I happen to see them in action, as they were moving stuff from the side of the street, back to their warehouse, but it got me thinking – how much of this goes on behind closed doors, away from the public gaze. How often does this happen per day, in every shop, warehouse, factory or farm? How many other wasteful and unsustainable practices are taking place throughout Ireland and worldwide?
Now, my intention is not to shame those involved, but to question how do we stop this needless waste. Is it a matter of changing peoples’ mindset, or is it even possible to change peoples’ actions in the framework of a for-profit business environment. I understand that the smallest factors, can make the difference between success and failure of businesses, especially at the level of small to medium enterprises. Considering this, is it realistic to think that businesses can and will make the changes required. In my teens and early twenties, I worked Summers in the family business, growing and selling vegetables. During that time, I noticed many changes taking place in consumer behaviour, as well as business behaviour resulting in many negative habits forming, that as a society, we are now trying desperately to reverse.
Some simple things changed during my 10 years – from mid 90’s to mid noughties, working in that industry, such as:
- When I began, we used to fill paper bags with potatoes, which at the time were relatively expensive compared to the cost of the produce. Many of the shopkeepers we dealt with, emptied and folded the bags and returned them to us, to be reused – often up to 10 times. This wasn’t done to save the world – it was done to save us money on new bags and to save the shopkeeper money and hassle of disposing of the “waste bags”. Also, it was just common sense. The trend started to emerge of using white bags, so bags which naturally got some dirt on them from the fields, were no longer chosen by customers – who instead opted for the cleaner looking bags. Purchasing decisions were increasingly being made on appearance, regardless of the quality of the produce. Within the space of a year or so, the longstanding practice of reuse disappeared.
- With the increasing popularity of supermarkets, came the increased buying power they currently hold today. Many of these supermarkets held national buying contracts, that only the biggest producer could fill – all the while taking more control of price, payment terms, packaging and many other factors once in the farmers control. Centralised purchasing, accelerated the drive away from buying local produce – which up till then was just the natural way of doing things, rather than a trendy boast to have on a restaurant menu!
- We operated without the use of mechanical graders, which ensured the produce was in the shops within 24 hours of being harvested – often going directly from the garden to the shop (if only being “hand picked” was a selling point at that time!). We were strict with selection, in relation to size and quality. However, at around the same time as above, we noticed more produce being returned, due to size or being irregularly shaped. This was the beginning of the trend we see today in video clips and images from around the world, of trailer loads of all types of fruit and veg being dumped, as they are not being bought by consumers. It is one aspect of current commentary that annoys me a little – that these nasty farmers are just dumping all this food for no reason. Often the keyboard warriors complaining, are the same people who will walk straight past an irregularly shaped carrot, or spotty apple and go for the picture perfect one next to it.
- I’m sure there are improvements in the safety of the chemicals used, such as fungicide, herbicide or pesticide, with the older, more dangerous ones being discontinued, or banned. Against that, the increasing political power yielded by the corporations that manufacture these chemicals – some of the biggest and most profitable in the world – is extremely worrying. Monsanto, the manufacturer of Roundup, already having paid out on numerous lawsuits, due to the cancer deaths of users of their product. It has been proven that they know about the dangers, yet chose to suppress their findings, in order to maximise profits. Extensive lobbying of politicians, journalists and scientists ensured their products were not only allowed to be used, but actively encouraged by government and advisory bodies.
- Another factor are the new classes of chemicals that are now being used, that weren’t, back in the day. For instance, it is now much more commonplace for the shelf life of veg to be extended using chemical growth suppressors, instead of the alternative of cold storage, or the optimal solution of eating seasonally. Our early crop potatoes were on the market in June. Due to the longevity and “quality” of chemically suppressed stored potatoes available at the moment, there is now no market for Irish Early Season Potatoes, often until September.
By the end of our family run business venture, the industry was moving increasingly towards fewer, larger operators, using most mechanised methods, with increased use of chemicals and produce travelling larger distances. And yes, we too wrapped pallets of veg in rolls of pallet wrap “cling film”. Landfills weren’t as big a public issue then and there was little to no understanding of microplastics either. It seems that the more knowledge we gain, the worse the problem becomes.
Solutions
To come to a solution, we need to understand the causes of the problems. I think the main drivers in relation to environmentally unfriendly actions taken by businesses, are:
- lack of accountability
- profits at all costs mentality
- hiding behind shareholders / suppliers / customers
Lack of Accountability
Does the guy who sweeps the floor in a multinational corporation factory care if he puts the sweepings into the correct bin? Is it Landfill, Recycling or Compost – Who Cares? I know this may be a petty example, but it shows how seriously the business takes its responsibilities.
Well the answer to this unfortunately depends on the chain of command, coming all the way from the top. Is there a Corporate Environmental Policy in place? There probably is, but the biggest issue is often, does the culture within the business allow or encourage the right thing to be done? How often are these policies created to tick a box and then all but ignored in the day to day running of the business. Quite often, employees are actively ordered to operate against these policies, resulting in myriad environmental abuses, polluting our land, air and water.
Everyone within a workplace has to do their best, within their current role and responsibilities. Actively encourage your superior to enact change. If you are at the top of this chain of command, it’s up to you to enable real change. Make everybody accountable for their actions, but lead by example and allow and encourage all those within the organisation to do their job, in the most environmentally sound way possible. This is not about greenwashing – this is about enacting real change.
Profit at all Costs Mentality
When maximising profit becomes the absolute number 1 priority, environmentally sound decisions cannot be made. I’m not against any person or business making a profit – provided it is not at the cost of other people or the environment, I’m all for it. All too often, this is not the case. Every business needs and deserves to make more money than they spend, but how often do decision makers choose financial criteria as the absolute overarching factor. As a business do you source raw materials from an ethical supply chain, or choose the cheapest ones available, regardless of the impact to the environment or people involved. Do your packaging materials come from verified environmentally aware sources, or do you just use the handiest ones available. Again, those with the power within the organisation, need to ask themselves the following questions:
Are the raw materials I am using, sourced from reputable companies and can you trace their existence, with any bit of certainty to their origins? This is the only way we can combat deforestation, environmental destruction, child labour and climate change.
Is your organisation operating on the Reduce, Reuse, Recycle mantra in terms of waste? Are you facilitating and encouraging more thoughtful behaviour in your employees and customers? This is vital if we are to combat excessive natural resource usage and the landfill and microplastic problems.
Are your products / packaging created in a way that takes their end of life into account?
Treating employees
If you are a manufacturer, are your products designed to last, or are they designed to fail after a period of time? Do you depend on planned obsolescence for future sales and growth?
Hiding Behind Shareholders / Suppliers / Customers
It is all too easy for businesses to pretend their hands are tied by outside forces that won’t allow them to do the right thing. Maybe there are factors outside of your control that affect your work practices – forcing you to make unethical or non environmentally friendly decisions, but what is preventing you from eliminating these influencers? Have you set you your preferred, ecologically sound path to where your business should be in the near future? Tell your shareholders that some of their dividend is being reinvested to future proof the business and the world. Tell your suppliers to up their game, or find a new customer. Tell your customers that things are changing, for the better.
The old way of doing things is not an option any more. Many multinational businesses, including retailers, food producers, packaging producers etc are making real changes that are at least changing their impact on the world and having a positive and visible impact.
Should it be up to the business or should be a government driven enforced new Lane
Should businesses have to take it upon themselves to operate better and greener. Is there enough certification bodies and are these trustworthy enough
Conclusion
Businesses of all sizes are under extreme pressure from all sides. Government legislation, fluctuating markets, changing customer trends and shareholder demands all play their part in the decisions taken in running a business. However, like every individual, businesses also have an obligation to protect the environment, first and foremost.
It really does come down to every person and organisation doing every little thing we can, to create real change, to lead by example and to ensure we personally have a net positive influence on the world around us. It’s not about passing the blame – change has to start with the individual.
Once you’ve started making the changes you can make, begin to flex your muscles and encourage change within your circle of influence. Seek out better companies to work with. Approach associated companies, such as suppliers, transport providers, packaging etc with suggestions on how they could help you be a more sustainable business and you’d be surprised by how willing many people and businesses are to change. If they are unwilling to change, maybe your relationship with them may have to change.
At the very least, assign a portion of your budget to improving your environmental footprint. There are so many steps that can be taken, that along with having an environmental benefit, will also have a financial benefit. For example, changing your light fittings to energy saving versions, will start saving you money immediately. Solar panels may pay back its investment in 5 to 10 years, depending on your location and circumstances. Many of these investments can be self funding and can put you on a truly righteous path.
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