CHRONICLE COLUMN – 06 MAY 2023 – WORLD ENVIRONMENT DAY
On 5 June 2023, it is World Environment Day. This day is about security of and for the environment, not just for us, but for future generations.
And chances are you have heard the term ‘greenwashing’ A LOT of late. As more so-called ecofriendly and sustainable products flood the market, ‘greenwashing’ is something that the ACCC are going to be crunching in on over the coming months to separate the false marketing of businesses cashing in on the government’s aspiration targets as we all hurtle to race to reach NET Zero.
Many argue that terms like biodegradable, sustainable, climate neutral are being marketed incorrectly. And in the current setting where the customer is KING and the environment credentials and performance of business integral to purchases, many argue misleading labelling is taking sales away from the businesses that are doing “good” for the planet and using the very same terms in the right way.
On World Environment Day think about your Environmental Credentials
How do you market your environment credentials to consumers?
Local business and Focus HR Business Excellence Awards Sole Trader of the Year in 2022 Winner, Stirling & Truffles have been focusing on plastics and specifically environmental challenge, reducing the proliferation of the single use plastic (SUP) water bottle.
They have been advocating for change given the collapse of Recycle due to Australia not having the infrastructure or capacity to be able to facilitate such a concept and Containers for Change struggling to be able to find manufacturers to reuse all their recycled plastic pellets.
Thankfully, we still have our great local business-like E&E Waste who are an integral part of the solution, excelling in the broader recycling space, taking up the challenge to create a better and safer environment for all of us to live by helping remove a large portion of SUP bottles from the environment. But the view held by many is that manufacturing of new plastic bottles needs to stop.
The SUP water bottle statistics are alarming!
The University of Wollongong reports only 36% of SUP water bottles make it to recycling in Australia which equates to 373 million bottles that end up in landfill or directly into our oceans or waterways. The United Nations University articulate the problem will not be reducing any time soon with the water bottle industry being one of the fastest growing globally, expecting to reach $515.3 billion by 2031. Australia is the second highest consumption of SUP bottles in the world per capita, behind Singapore. Why?
Even though the government has plans to reduce plastic, it’s simply not fast enough, nor keeping pace with our insatiable appetite for bottled water. The Queensland Government’s five-year roadmap for action on SUP unbelievably still does not include single use plastic water bottles!
Thankfully, the state and federal governments do see this as an issue funding the likes of Boomerang Alliance, a non for profit, which has been doing wonderful things across the country helping businesses in the hospitality sector make the transition to either reduce plastics or become 100% plastic free businesses. But they need more cash to make a drastic impact on this challenge and our help.
It is time to take our future by our own hands and not wait for government to make the next ban.
World Environment Day helps shine the light on these issues
So, with this as the problem, how can we be part of the solution?
What practical environmental actions (PEA) does, or can your business implement to address this individual and growing SUP water bottle challenge?
At the Toowoomba Chamber we are working with Stirling & Truffles to help us transition to a ZERO reliance on SUP water bottles in the office and at our events into the future. Our small PEA to hopefully make a difference.
We have discussed solutions like using refillable and reusable stainless steel, copper, or glass bottles. Because research by the likes of the University of Wollongong and Boston Collage Annals of Global Health argue not to reuse plastic water bottles.
Did you know, research by the University of Wollongong suggests that the more SUP water bottles are used over time and subjected to UV the further toxins have been proven to leach into your water causing health problems.
We encourage you to take up the challenge (if you have not already) and identify a PEA that you and your business can do. We as businesses and individuals, like usual need to lead the way, be proactive and take bigger steps now.
Use World Environment Day to start the conversation
With a local government election not far away, take some time to speak to or write to your local Councillors, and ask them how the organisation which they oversee, an administration where they are the culture setter, and business which they are policy maker, are addressing environmental matters and specifically the growing alarm and statistical facts around the SUP water bottle challenge.
And speak with David, Trevor, Pat, and Garth too because all levels of government have an essential role to play.
Remember, every local action can have global impacts.
Todd Rohl, Chief Executive Officer
Petria Cumner, Stirling & Truffles
