Sustainability: business, life, environment

As eco awareness continues to expand and the availability of alternative options continues to increase and gain support, individuals and businesses seek ways to assess the sustainable aspects of various products.  One recent result is the development of plastic ratings, like the new Plastics Scorecard.  This scorecard, like other measures, will be a rating system for not only product manufactures to aspire to but a quick reference guide for consumers to make informed choices.

A similar pursuit is the International Resin Identification Coding system, which assigns an internationally accepted number from 1-7 to all plastics (resins).  The number can be found on the bottom of plastic containers.  This new scorecard will be another measure to increase eco awareness.

For manufacturing, plastic ratings are creating an immediate need for business sustainability improvements.  According to Clean Production Action's Research Director, Mark Rossi, “The Scorecard is essentially a decision-making tool aimed at improving the design of plastic products.”

Aimed at helping manufacturers, purchasers and government agencies, this product transparency will hopefully move consumers away from the most hazardous types of plastics and switch to more-preferable options.  Plastics will be given a grade of A+ to F rating based on their environmental and social impacts.  This evaluation will take into account the full lifecycle of the product, from production to disposal.

•    Which materials were used in the development of the product?
•    Which manufacturing processes were used in the production of the product?
•    Does the product contain materials that could be detrimental to health?
•    Does the product contain materials that could be detrimental to the environment?
•    Is the product recyclable?

From the viewpoint of our business sustainability consulting, we believe that growing eco awareness and resulting pressure will dictate that best of the best products and services will continuously rise to the top.  The key, like most improvement pursuits, will be engagement to reduce the production and use of undesirable plastics.

At Taiga Company, we encourage our personal consulting clients to be as much a part of the change as the business world.  By increasing personal eco awareness and taking proactive steps to make changes in your daily life, individuals can create sustainable development in the market.  Become aware of your plastic alternatives and drive change through informed choices.