Jakob Auger, Business Greening @jakoba - Tumblr Blog

The Solution to Global Warming

The production of meat has been a major contributor to the emission of green-house gases and therefore, a contributor to climate change. According to Jackie Linden, “Global demand for pig meat, chicken meat and chicken eggs are forecast to grow by 32 per cent, 61 per cent and 39 per cent respectively during the period 2005-2030. If the greenhouse gases (GHG) emissions intensities (emission intensity; or the kg of GHG per kg of product) of these commodities are not reduced, the increases in production required to meet demand will lead to proportionate increases in GHG emissions” (The Poultry).

In recent year, to reduce the consumption of meat, we have seen innovations in the culinary world to make vegetarian eating not only eco-friendly, but also enjoyable. One of the greatest innovations of the past decade that may lead us to a better future is the cauliflower buffalo bites. This delicious snack not only saves our planet day by day, but it also bursts with buffalo goodness and cauliflower crunchiness at the same time.

To prepare these bites;

“Preheat oven to 450°. Toss cauliflower with cornstarch and oil and season with salt and pepper. Spread into an even layer and roast until golden, about 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine hot sauce, butter, and garlic powder together.

Pour hot sauce mixture over cauliflower and toss to coat.

Serve warm with blue cheese and ranch dressing for dipping and celery sticks.”

(Laura Rege)

References

Jackie Linden. (October 11, 2013). Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Pig and Chicken Supply Chains.

Hamlet Protein. Retrieved from: Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Pig and Chicken Supply Chains

The Poultry Site

Laura Rege. (January 16, 2016). Buffalo Cauliflower Bites. Delish. Retrieved from:

Best Buffalo Cauliflower Bites Recipe - How to Make Buffalo Cauliflower Bites (delish.com)

Image retrieved from: Buffalo Cauliflower With Spicy Tahini Nutrition Facts | All Menu Price

Greenwashing – The Art of Faking it

Greenwashing is a term used to describe the unethical practice of misleading consumers to believe you are conducting “green” business, while seeking to improve your company image. This may range from trying to hide certain environmentally impactful attributes of a product, to flat out lying about sustainability claims.

Oil companies like Shell and BP have a tough time keeping a positive, sustainable, image due to the huge negative environmental impact that the product brings to our planet. An example of why people think poorly of these companies is oil spills. Oil spills are a huge danger to our environment, especially wildlife like birds and fish who get these harsh chemicals on, and in, their bodies.

When oil companies release pictures and articles related to the spill cleanups, they advertise themselves as a company seeking to clean our oceans. The readers, in turn, perceive these companies as being environmentally conscience and continue to support their business. The problem with their eco-friendly claim is that “these initiatives are normally taken up by companies after they have been given directives by the government after committing an environmental offense.” (Rakish) This means that they aren’t actually taking action to improve the environment, they are simply cleaning up after their own wrong doing.

This situation would fall under one of the seven greenwashing sins since it involves a hidden trade-off. The hidden trade-off of these seemingly environmentally friendly initiatives, is the true negative impact these companies have caused leading up to these initiatives.

References

Rinkesh. (n.d.). What is Greenwashing? Conserve Energy Future. Retrieved from:

https://www.conserve-energy-future.com/top-greenwashing-examples.php

Image retrieved from: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/10/08/world/americas/brazil-oil-spill-beaches.html

Repurposing Face Masks

Throughout this pandemic, we have seen an incredible rise in the numbers of blue disposable face masks being thrown away and left for the landfills. The numbers of masks sold and disposed over the course of this pandemic are in the trillions and due to the small plastic components, they cannot be properly recycled.

Scientists discovered a new way to repurpose these masks in hopes of eliminating tons of landfill waste, turning them into roads.

“Scientists from RMIT University in Melbourne, Australia suggest the polypropylene from the masks can fortify the roads to be more durable and, the big selling point, cost 30% less to construct.” (R. Deer) The cost reduction may be the support needed to convince governments to put these into place as the benefits are not only environmental, but there are also engineering and economical benefits.

The idea of using recycled waste for construction purposes has recently received much attention, and for good reason. Creating this circular supply-chain where post-consumer waste is reused is a huge way to “Green” your business and will also make a difference in the perception consumers have on your company. The pandemic, being negatively impactful on a wide array of topics, has brought to us new innovations. This is only the beginning of environmental innovation, where will innovation lead us next?

References

-Deer, Ryan (June 10th, 2021) 10 ENVIRONMENTAL & SUSTAINABILITY INITIATIVES TO KNOW THIS YEAR Roadrunner. Image and text retrieved from: https://www.roadrunnerwm.com/blog/sustainability-and-environmental-initiatives-this-year

Greening your Business Transportation

Transportation is an important aspect of businesses and our every-day life. Although it is necessary today, it is a major contributor of the negative environmental impact humans have made in recent years. We cannot remove transportation from our lives so, innovations in cleaner or recyclable energy sources and alternative methods of transportation have seemed to be the answer.

A great way to reduce your own carbon footprint is by utilizing public transportation or carpooling. It is a no brainer that the less vehicles we have running, the less fuel will be used. What if there was more that we could do than just using public transportation, like using hybrid buses.

“A classic example is the Mercedes-Benz Ciatro G BlueTec Hybrid Bus, which utilizes 4 electrical wheel hub motors together with automotive lithium-ion batteries.” (Rinkesh) These large batteries allow for long periods of transportation which greatly reduces the emission of greenhouse gases and other toxins. Not only does this reduce the gas emissions of public transportation, it also may entice others to use public transportation as it makes it clearly the more sustainable option.

This is one of the many innovations that are being done by businesses and cities to lead us to a cleaner and healthier future. What other actions could you take as an individual to reduce your every-day carbon footprint?

References

Rinkesh, What is Greening Transportation? Conserve-Energy-Future Modes and Benefits of Green Transportation - Conserve Energy Future (conserve-energy-future.com)

Picture from: Tests - Erlkönige - Autokauf - Formel 1 | AUTO MOTOR UND SPORT (auto-motor-und-sport.de)

DIY: Reuse and Repurpose

Properly and consistently recycling is a great way to reduce your carbon footprint. Unfortunately, it isn’t always a reliable solution since most of the recycling ends up in landfills either way. To reduce the amount of recyclable waste in your home or business, try repurposing or reusing instead of tossing your waste in the blue bin. Doing so may reduce the amount of plastic and cardboard in landfills like you see in the image below.

Below are 4 items you may be using at home or in the office which you could repurpose or reuse to reduce waste:

- Sheets of paper

o Especially in an office, it is very likely to use large amounts of paper. Paper is also a large portion of landfills. “If you’ve only used one side for example, collect them instead of throwing them away. You can bind these sheets and make a notebook using the other side. This small effort reduces paper waste by 50%.” (theworldcounts.com)

- Plastic Cups

o At home, or at work, we are very likely to come across a disposable cup at one point or another. We are also very likely to come across loose pencils, pens, lighters, scissors, or other small items. A disposable cup makes for a perfect pencil holder.

- Water Bottles

o In the summer of 2021, I worked in a homeless shelter and food bank where we offered bottles of laundry detergent. We take in used water bottles as donations, wash the bottles, and fill each one with laundry detergents to give to our clients.

- Toothbrush

o I hope that you all have used and purchased new toothbrushes throughout your life. I also know that some of you have stepped in mud with a pair of leather shoes. An old toothbrush makes for a great brush you can use to clean those annoying spills on your shoes or even to brush dirt off your mushrooms.

References

(2021) Paper Comes From Trees. The World Counts. Paper Waste Facts (theworldcounts.com)

Image from: Newly Discovered Fungus Could Rid Landfills Of Plastics! - True Activist

The Chinese River Dolphin

Human activity is the main cause of the extinction of most species around the world. Although this is a saddening subject, it is the reality of our world, and it is up to us to start changing things for the better.

History

The Baiji is a beautiful pale colored dolphin home to the Yangtze River in China. “The mighty Yangtze River in China was the baiji’s home for 20 million years. It took less than 50 years for humans to wipe them out.” (uk.whales.org). Just like most extinct ocean creatures, the cause of the Baiji’s extremely low population is the consequence of over-fishing, water pollution, and ocean debris, all caused by humans.

Baiji - Whale and Dolphin Conservation (whales.org)

In this picture we see a beautiful Baiji, or Yangtze River dolphin, swimming in a dark colored water. Whether this water is dark since it is nighttime, or dark due to waste and pollution is up to you to interpret.

What Now?

It is one thing to acknowledge the threat of humans on the survival of other species, it is another thing to act. Considering my class at Fanshawe may one day managing companies, we can make a change. Moving forward, it is important to learn of the threats that cause negative outcomes like these, make sustainable efforts to eliminate these threats, and bring attention to the issues so hopefully, more will follow your norms.

References

BAIJI Lipotes vexillifer, uk.whales, Baiji - Whale and Dolphin Conservation (whales.org)

Are Electric Cars Really the Solution?

In 2008, Tesla released the first ever completely electric vehicle to be sold, the Roadster. This innovation was revolutionary and everyone, including me, were convinced that these fully electric automobiles would be a huge step towards saving our planet by reducing the use of gasoline powered cars. I would be lying if I said I didn’t at one point wish to own one. Ever since the tesla was released, electric vehicles and hybrids have been evolving and gaining a huge presence in the transportation market. But is this really a step in the right direction? Or is this just an alternative way of destroying our planet?

Although the Tesla does save you from releasing pollutants while driving, the environmental impact of the company goes far beyond driving the car. “The primary sources of electricity are natural gas and burning fossil fuels, and coal. These are known to cause pollution.” (Anderson M.). The installation of charging stations and the production of massive batteries may be contributors to more pollution than alternative transportation methods which is why we continue to research and evolve the automotive industry.

Until a proven cleaner energy source for driving becomes available, the best way to feel good about your environmental contribution would be to use a bicycle, walk, or even use shared public transportation.

References-

Mona Anderson (November 26th, 2020) A Closer Look at Where Electric Cars Can Cause More Pollution. ENRG A Closer Look at Where Electric Cars Can Cause More Pollution - enrg.io

Image from: Saleen Tesla Model S Electric Sports Car - Freshness Mag

Eliminating meat consumption to save the environment

Making a conscious effort to greening your business and everyday practices is important. We know we can make a business green by reducing water usage, paper waste, and plastic waste. But what new innovative way are businesses incorporating in their practices to reduce their negative impact on the environment?

“Avoiding meat and dairy products is the single biggest way to reduce your environmental impact on the planet, The new research shows that without meat and dairy consumption, global farmland use could be reduced by more than 75% – an area equivalent to the US, China, European Union and Australia combined – and still feed the world. Loss of wild areas to agriculture is the leading cause of the current mass extinction of wildlife.” (Carrington, Damian)

More than ever before, companies are going vegan by removing the use of meat products and leaning towards vegetable-based alternatives. “In a bold move, the shared workplace company WeWork announced that they will no longer be serving nor expensing meat products at their company functions.”(Rise.com) Not only does this tactic successfully help improve your greening practices, but there are an increasing number of vegan or environmentally conscious customers that might be drawn to your business which will increase sales.

References

Image from 20 Vegan Meat Products So Delicious You Won't Know the Difference | Vegan grocery, Vegan meat substitutes, Grilled chicken strips (pinterest.ca)

Carrington, D. (May 31, 2018) Avoiding meat and dairy is ‘single biggest way’ to reduce your impact on Earth.The Gaurdian Avoiding meat and dairy is ‘single biggest way’ to reduce your impact on Earth | Farming | The Guardian

(April 18th, 2019) 10 ways to encourage an environmentally conscious workplace. Rise.10 ways to encourage an environmentally conscious workplace | Rise (risepeople.com)

Young Environmentalists of Today

I am going to try to make you visualize a scenario to help you understand a serious topic. Imagine you are in your 6-bedroom house in which resides 5 other college students. You wake up every morning to another dirty dish piled in the sink. It isn’t yours, so why should you wash it? You are partly correct; it has been there before you ever came down to the kitchen. The problem is that now, there is a sink full of day-old dishes and no one is willing to clean it, the problem will only get worse. This situation leads us to the quote I posted on my first ever blog post.

“The greatest threat to our planet is the belief that someone else will save it.” -Robert Swan

This young generation of today are acknowledging that the environment is in danger and needs immediate action to be saved. We are holding ourselves accountable and are trying to help save the planet. I will introduce you to one of these young activists making an impactful difference in our world.

Stella Bowes is a 15-year-old girl from Novia Scotia. At the age of 11, Stella discovered that she could not swim in a river near home due to sewage. For her grade six science project, she took samples of the water and had posted her findings onto the corresponding Facebook page. “Not only did she discover the water was very contaminated, Stella learned that 600 sewage pipes were illegally dumping in the river. Her results on Facebook went viral, reaching policymakers from all three levels of government who jointly pledged 15.7 million dollars to clean up the river.” (canadahelps.org)

To this day, Stella has been advocating for this issue earning awards and inspiring other kids to do the same.

Reference

Rahmani, Tamara. 6 Young Activists Changing the World. CanadaHelps. 6 Young Activists Changing the World | CanadaHelps - Donate to any charity in Canada

Trump and Climate Change

Climate change is the unusual change of weather or temperature caused mainly by fossil fuel emissions. It would be false and ignorant to say that climate change is not a major threat to humankind. It is important that we must continue to improve as a collective and remove negatively impactful energy sources where we can to save future generations.

“Earth just endured its hottest month on record, and Greenland's massive ice sheet is melting an alarming rate.” (Kann, D)

“Global climate change has already had observable effects on the environment. Glaciers have shrunk, ice on rivers and lakes is breaking up earlier, plant and animal ranges have shifted, and trees are flowering sooner. Effects that scientists had predicted in the past would result from global climate change are now occurring loss of sea ice, accelerated sea level rise and longer, more intense heat waves.” (nasa.gov)

After reading the article and watching the video recommended to me by my Business Greening professor, I concluded that Donald Trump is completely oblivious and ignorant to climate change. I feel as though he simply prioritizes the economy and other lesser issues and would rather not waste his funds on saving our planet. In a 2017 Trump rally, he said “Don’t forget, Obama thinks that climate change is the single biggest and most dangerous problem for the world today.” So maybe it isn’t the biggest problem for this specific day, this just shows that Trump is not the type to care about what happens to our future generations.

Canada and America are very reliant on each other. There are countless businesses that work between these two countries. When American regulations change and business laws are placed or removed, it affects the image of Canadian businesses and forces Canadian businesses to break relationships or to break ethical rules or regulations to keep these relationships.

References-

Video recommended by teacher: https://www.cnn.com/2019/09/04/politics/trump-climate-change-policy-rollbacks/index.html

-The Effects of Climate Change https://climate.nasa.gov/effects/

-Kann, Drew (2014, September 4th) Trump's rollback of climate change regulations will be felt far beyond his presidency cnn.com, https://www.cnn.com/2019/09/04/politics/trump-climate-change-policy-rollbacks/index.html

Welcome...

forgive me as I am a little new to this whole blog post thing. As an ice breaker to this blog and to break the silence, I would like to leave you with a quote that stuck with me my first day of class.

“The greatest threat to our planet is the belief that someone else will save it” -Robert Swan

#welcomeclass

Trending Blogs

Recently Viewed Blogs

Jakob Auger, Business Greening