Plenty of companies have touted this slogan earth-conscious, earth-friendly, etc. but few are actually meeting the criteria. Really, how can your products be "earth-conscious" when they're utilizing plastic bottles? The truth is "only 9% of the worlds plastic has been recycled" and furthermore begs the question, is the idea of recycling a myth? According to The Boston Globe "of the 51 million tons of plastic waste that U.S. households generated in 2021, just 2.4 million tons - or 5 percent - was recycled." It's unfortunate but truthfully most companies use misleading marketing practices when when it comes to this topic. What does it mean to be earth-conscious anyhow? We'll take you through some of the biggest issues impacting our environment today and what it means for producers and consumers to really become earth-friendly.
Plastic Pollution + Single-Use Plastics
Plastic pollution has become a primary environmental issue, with single-use plastics accommodating for over 40% off all plastic-pollution. The convenience of plastic-use has become so popular that the world cannot keep up with its production. Plastic production has expanded since its inception in the 1950's (2.3 million tons) to 2015 (448 million tons). It is estimated that 8 million tons of plastic production is lost too pollution and some plastics can take up to 400 years to breakdown. So how does all this effect you, your food, your future, your children?
There's plenty of issues that may and will arise from plastic-pollution, one of them being microplastics. Microplastics are a breakdown of plastic waste into several tiny pieces or small particles. These particles can be so fine that they have been found in city drinking water and even in the air! That's right over time plastic pollution could result in plastic microfibers in your lungs, your body, your food, your products, and more.
Speaking of food, it's important to consider the consequence of plastic-pollution on our wild life. Wild life are not just something pretty to look at or a fun halloween costume idea. We depend heavily on wild life for nourishment, education, biological products, companionship, and entertainment. Their endangerment should be a primary concern as it will effect our way of living dramatically. According to National Geographic "Millions of animals are killed by plastics every year, from birds to fish to other marine organisms. Nearly 700 species, including endangered ones, are known to have been affected by plastics" this includes most seabirds, cattle, elephants, lions, whales, fish, shrimp, and more have either consumed or in some cases died from their run-in with plastic pollution. And those same microplastics we mention earlier? They're also being consumed by the animals some of you may eat or eat from everyday. Don't eat meat, dairy, cheese, or eggs? Doesn't mean these microplastics and pollution can't be found in the soil that grows your grains, fruits, and vegetables! Either way plastic-pollution is a growing issue that will become unmanageable if not taken seriously today.
What Can You Do?
- When buying products look for items that have little to no-plastic packaging.
- Search for companies that offer a recycling program or offer to refill your bottles.
- Demand more from the companies you shop from! Write or email them to encourage change!
- Glass and metal containers are infinitely recyclable which basically means they can be melted down an infinite amount of times and still return the same quality. Glass can also be cleaned and sterilized, up-cycled and down-cycled, which makes it a great substitute for plastic.
- Bamboo, Cardboard, and Cork are also recyclable options to look for.
- Try DIY - body wash, toothpaste, moisturizers are simple items to create at home!
CnvsBrnd + Sustainable Skincare
The responsibility to reduce pollution and the effects on the environment is not exclusive to the consumer. As producers, we feel it's important to not just say we are eco-friendly, but to back it up!
Our Promise
CnvsBrnd promises to use as little plastic in our packaging as possible, recycle materials when possible and often , continue to use truly eco-friendly materials in our packaging, responsibly source ingredients from local vendors, and continue to learn about innovative ways to reduce our carbon footprint.
Our Products
All of CnvsBrnd's products, including our MILK Essential Oil Cleanser, COFFEE + HONEY Face Scrub, and LAVENDER Moisturizing Oil utilize glass bottles and tops made of real bamboo. We offer a recycling program, Recycle 3 + Receive $5, where customers can return their used bottles for a discount on their next purchase! So there's no questioning how you will dispose of your new items, pesky colored bins, or the secret drawer you hide with all your empty bottles (we know we have one too) here at CnvsBrnd we want make recycling easy!
