As 2021 has officially begun, most of us are hoping that the pandemic of last year will begin to abate. However, if there is one thing that the coronavirus showed us, it is that we need to begin taking better care of our planet. Earth seemed to breathe a sigh of relief as we all quarantined in our homes, cutting back on the daily air pollution from cars and even the littering we often cause as we walk down the street. In fact, research has shown that although the earth cleansed itself of us during the pandemic, the pollution we have caused actually escalated the covid-19 symptoms for some, making them high-risk patients, as the polluted air particles entered their bodies as they breathed contaminated air, weakening their immune systems and causing issues such as diabetes, hypertension and heart disease (among others).
What can companies do to help?
One main aspect needed for environmental change is the positive endorsement of such change. Individuals – and not only businesses – need to get on board in order for real environmental transformation to happen. Therefore, companies need to make it easy for their customers to adopt a positive lifestyle change as, truthfully, there are not many of us out there who are truly comfortable with making any difficult or drastic changes to our lives.
An example of such an endorsement is Nicokick, a leading online retailer of nicotine pouches. As throwing tobacco and nicotine products onto the street or out in nature is often overlooked as the last acceptable form of littering, Nicokick has pledged to work with suppliers that are ISO 14001 certified and provide sustainable packaging. This means that the nicotine pouch cans sold on Nicokick’s website are made from recycled paper, as well as plastic containing a lower chemical content.
Moreover, the lids on these cans are all supplied with an extra space to keep used nicotine pouches, in order to prevent them from being tossed to the ground after consumption. Now, the user can instead store them in the lid until they are able to dispose of them in the garbage.
The impact of these measures will be great, as nicotine pouches generally take up to five years to decompose, while the plastic from the cans will remain for the next 400 years. The lower chemical content also means lower emissions – in all a very positive step forward for Mother Earth, and your great-great-grandchildren.
While on the topic of climate smart changes that various companies can do, the global leaders in retail, H&M, have been producing sustainable clothing for a number of years now. Customers are able to recycle their old clothing in-store in exchange for a discount on their next purchase. These discarded clothes are then used by the fashion giant in their next production. This helps to minimize the impact of the millions of garments that end up in landfills every year – something that the fashion industry has often been lambasted for due to its seasonal lifecycle and appeal.
Thus, no matter what industry you are in, from nicotine to fashion, it is possible to consider environmental changes that suit your products and services. Moreover, the ease with which Nicokick and H&M allow their consumers to adjust their lifestyle ever so slightly in order to act in an environmentally friendly way, as well as the financial benefits offered by H&M in the form of discounted shopping, emphasize the need to make the transition smooth, easy and alluring for consumers.
How to make the change
Each company is different, and so the first step is to consider the logistics of your business because, of course, no one wants climate smart changes to negatively impact the bottom line. Perhaps, as we saw above, the packaging can be changed in order to become more eco-friendly, or you can source more sustainable resources for the production process.
Sometimes, deliveries can be limited to fewer days per week, or climate smart changes to the delivery route can be drawn up – such as only shipping to certain areas within close proximity during certain days of the week. Indeed, biofuel could also be something to consider here.
There are a plethora of environmentally friendly changes to make – one simply needs to decide which action suits the business best. In the long run, your customers and the earth will thank you for making the change.