SUSTAINABILITY ANALYSIS

SUSTAINABILITY ANALYSIS

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An ecological footprint measure is a benchmark for today’s global hectares. The earth today contains about 1.7 global hectares for every human being (2020). The figure is arrived at by dividing the world’s productivity area by the number of persons occupying earth. I found an ecological footprint measure of 5 global hectares (gha). My measure is almost three times today’s global land available of 1.7(gha) productive land available to every human occupying the earth.

I got an 8.9 carbon footprint, which means 8.9 tons of carbon is being emitted each year. Offsetting the 8.9 tons of carbon emission will require me to plant more trees, purchase locally sourced, plant-based, organic, and unprocessed foods from local farmers or switch to renewable sources of energy.  A forestry carbon sequestration offset rate occurs when trees, through photosynthesis, absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, storing it in leaves, stems, roots bark, and branches (“FAQs – Carbon Neutral,” 2017). Carbon forms about 50 percent of a tree biomass weight.  A single carbon (C) tonne is equal to 3.67 tonnes of ‘carbon dioxide equivalent’ (CO₂^-e) (“FAQs – Carbon Neutral”, 2017). Therefore, 50 percent dry weight of a tree weighing two tonnes, which is one-tonne carbon, is equal to 3.67tonnes of (CO₂^-e); hence, I will be required to plant about three trees to offset my 8.9 tonnes of carbon emission.

Land Type

By my results, the largest portion of Global Hectares is that of Carbon Footprint, using five gha, that is, C02 emissions from using natural resources, for instance, coal and oil, produced every year. Other portions consist of fishing grounds forest cropland, grazing land, and built up. The most significant output for my results is carbon emissions, which comprise 62% of the ecological footprint.

Consumption Category

Goods form my biggest consumption in global hectares. Others include mobility and services, food, and shelter fall below. The carbon footprint is mostly comprised of mobility, goods, and services of my 62% ecological footprint.

4. Food, shelter, and services I am consuming. Their sum is high, especially since only 1.7gha is allocated to a person every year.
5. Amount of goods I am utilizing every year. My consumption category comprises the highest percentage of (% gha) compared to the other five categories.

• My ecological footprint of 5 global hectares is very high, considering an average person is required to utilize only 1.7 hectares.

8. I am generating carbon emission levels every year, consisting of 8.9 tonnes every year from the above results, and show that 62 percent of my ecological footprint is comprised of carbon emissions.

City

Carpooling with my partner or his family would be my best option for reducing carbon emissions, rather than driving to and from work every day. By reducing driving by 50% globally, assuming we replace car miles with public means of transport, biking, and walking, Earth Overshoot Day moves backward by 12days (“Take Action – Earth Overshoot Day,” 2020). Carpooling can also do carpooling, where they may take turns to share their cars to carpool. Through this method, levels of carbon emission into the atmosphere can be reduced.

Energy

Various things can be carried out to minimize my energy consumption. A major inflection point in this century is the migration from fossil fuels to renewable sources of energy (Nations, 2020). I could replace light fittings with energy-saving bulbs. Switch off all electronics, not at use from the sockets. Open and close blinds to take advantage of natural light from the sun. I should also replace my sources of energy with renewable sources, for example, install solar panels that will generate electricity at home. Minimal energy consumption is good for sustainability.

Food

I can reduce consuming unsustainable food, by replacing animal calories I currently ingest by about 50% with plant-based food. Plant calories require fewer resources to produce than animal calories (“Take Action – Earth Overshoot Day,” 2020). Also, I can conserve the amount of food I have, by ensuring none goes to waste and that all of it is utilized. Placing labels with dates for food, proper storage of opened and packaged foods and listing foods that need to be consumed are ways I can conserve food.

Population

It is important to maintain a sustainable population. Population growth is putting pressure on earth’s resources, making it unstainable, and therefore, empowering girls is the most effective method to stabilize that. Also, providing political and economic empowerment to women will safeguard their reproduction rights (“Solutions,” 2020). To reduce unsustainable overpopulation, I can empower my daughters by educating them on gender equality, so they become aware of the power and choices they possess. I can also educate and provide them with effective, safe, and proper family planning methods. Donating to programs related to family planning in my country and other countries will help empower girls to decrease rates of birth hence which contributes to a sustainable population.

Charley’s chocolates are my product of choice that is manufactured by Charley’s chocolates Factory.

7. Making Charley’s Chocolates requires the following major raw materials; milk powder, sugar, cocoa mass, and cocoa butter. Coloring, flavor enhancers, and stabilizer materials are also used during the first production steps for Charley’s chocolate.
8. Charley’s chocolates Factory mostly utilizes conventional sources of energy as the main source of energy. Such sources include gas, oils, fuel, and many others in mass production of Charley’s Chocolates. They are mainly used during the second stage of creating the product.

• The final stage is transportation, where vehicles like trucks utilize conventional energy sources like gas, oil, and fuels to transport the product to local and international markets.

Production

Producing Charley’s chocolates creates unsustainability in the process of using water, crops, land, livestock, pesticides, fertilizers, and energy to produce. Pollution effects also arise from energy emissions and packaging materials.

Distribution

Unsustainability in this process results when transporting the product from the factory to the market. Transportation is done by trucks and other vehicles that use conventional sources of energy, for instance, gas, fuel, and oils.

Consumption and Disposal

Methods of disposal for packaging materials after consumption creates unsustainability issues. For example, materials used for packaging Charley’s chocolates are not ecologically friendly due to degradability. That causes adverse environmental effects when poor disposal methods are used.

Waste management hierarchy

A waste management process is essential during production to limit the number of wastes resulting from producing Charley’s chocolates. Such a method may include utilizing reusable ingredients to make other chocolates. The concept involves three major objectives; reducing, reusing, and recycling amount of disposable wastes, preserving valuable and limited landfill space—a summary of waste management hierarchy is provided below in the form of a triangular diagram.

Source: (“Waste Management Hierarchy and Homeland Security Incidents | US EPA,” 2018)

The Cradle to Cradle design concept is aimed at minimizing negative effects and leaving a positive ecological footprint. Charley’s chocolate factory utilizes packaging materials made from plants that are fully bio-degradable. Using plastics in packaging the chocolates would cause adverse environmental effects. Bio-degradable packaging materials minimize the effects of unsafe disposal of chocolate packets by customers. Therefore, the company will have created minimal negative effects on the environment.

The government is a major stakeholder, and the company must comply with government regulations regarding food products to avoid court suits. Supplies are the other key stakeholders. A long-term relationship should be created by the company with the primary produce suppliers. Safe sourcing for ingredients and fairness should be guaranteed. Customers and the community are other stakeholders, and the factory should avail safe and high-quality products to the customers and contribute to the community. Employees are also stakeholders, and therefore, the company should ensure their workplace is safe and rewarding. Their working terms and conditions should demonstrate equality and fairness. Finally, the environment is vital. The company is required to preserve the environment by adopting sustainable production methods.

A major corporate social responsibility (CSR) issue at Charley’s chocolate factory is on energy and water consumption. CSR is about organizations exercising some degree of social responsibility to reduce economic, social, and environmental implications (Brin & Nehme, 2019). More emphasis is needed on the use of renewable sources of energy and the reduction of water consumption. Vital policies are needed to minimize wastes, greenhouse gas emission, and efficient use and reuse of natural resources for production.

The environment is an example of a stakeholder group. Charley’s Chocolate Company can improve to achieve a positive social impact. The company can set up renewable sources of energy like solar energy to reduce overreliance on natural resources. Only recyclable materials should be used for packaging, especially plant materials which are bio-degradable. Managers and employees can also reduce business trips and instead replace them with video conferences

The above corporate social responsibility strategies will ensure that Charley’s Chocolate Company maintains a positive effect on the environment, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and non-degradable waste products to the environment.

Yes, I can. After consuming Charley’s chocolates, I will adopt a better safe disposal method, for instance, recycling. I can also decide to purchase less of Charley’s chocolates to reduce packaging wastes.

References

Brin, P., & Nehme, M. (2019). CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY: ANALYSIS OF THEORIES AND MODELS. EUREKA: Social And Humanities, 5, 22-30. doi: 10.21303/2504-5571.2019.001007 Brin, P., & Nehme, M. (2019). CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY: ANALYSIS OF THEORIES AND MODELS. EUREKA: Social And Humanities, 5, 22-30. doi: 10.21303/2504-5571.2019.001007

FAQs – Carbon Neutral. Carbon Neutral. (2017). Retrieved 15 May 2020, from https://carbonneutral.com.au/faqs/.

Footprintnetwork.org. (2020). Retrieved 15 May 2020, from https://www.footprintnetwork.org/our-work/ecological-footprint/.

Nations, U. (2020). The Role of Fossil Fuels in a Sustainable Energy System | United Nations. United Nations. Retrieved 15 May 2020, from https://www.un.org/en/chronicle/article/role-fossil-fuels-sustainable-energy-system

Solutions. Population Matters | Every Choice Counts | Sustainable World Population. (2020). Retrieved 15 May 2020, from https://populationmatters.org/solutions.

Take Action – Earth Overshoot Day. Earth Overshoot Day. (2020). Retrieved 15 May 2020, from https://www.overshootday.org/take-action/.

Waste Management Hierarchy and Homeland Security Incidents | US EPA. (2018). Retrieved 16 May 2020, from https://www.epa.gov/homeland-security-waste/waste-management-hierarchy-and-homeland-security-incidents