The recent oil spill inside the Gulf of Mexico is a big warning call for all of us. We all must cautiously contemplate the devastating effect the actions of corporations and individuals are having on our planet’s ecological system. Much has been said and will continue to be written about BP and the public relations nightmare it brought on itself through the record oil spill inside the Gulf of Mexico. However you may not know that there’s another ongoing environmental controversy centered around the topic of deforestation and a business known as Asia Pulp and Paper (APP). Small businesses and organizations in all places may learn an incredible lesson from the situation APP finds itself in. APP is really a division belonging to the mega company, Sinar Mas, and calls itself one of the world’s foremost pulp and paper producers.
APP has in recent times been associated to being a major contributor to deforestation. Deforestation, man-caused loss of naturally occurring forests by logging or burning, is a big dilemma in today’s world. It is estimated that around fifty percent or more of the planet’s plant and animal life live in the 7% of the planet where rainforests currently exist. For instance, the most renowned of rainforests, the Amazon, a wondrous 1.4 billion acre rainforest located in South America encompassing sections of 9 distinct countries, has only 82.3% of the moist broadleaf forest cover it had in 1970. It is also estimated that between 1991 and 2000, the total loss of Amazon rainforest increased from 415,000 square kilometers to approximately 600,000. The above data is according to Wikipedia.
An additional lesser known however still struggling rain forest, the Indonesian rainforest, has made the latest headlines after a report from Greenpeace. In the report, Greenpeace accuses Asia Paper and Pulp of “relentlessly trashing rainforests, driving species extinction and, if left unchecked, will threaten Indonesia’s efforts to address climate change.” As outlined by CNN.com, Indonesia is one of the world’s biggest culprits of producing greenhouse emissions largely due to clear-cutting and burning up of rainforests for logging and other purposes. Indonesia has long been a recipient of criticism because of its environmental practices mainly due to disregard for global and even their very own laws. Asia pulp and paper is currently going through a public relations nightmare as a result of Greenpeace report, and naturally is claiming Greenpeace’s claims are exaggerated. Yet things a short time ago took a wrong turn for Sinar Mas as in July, 2010, Wal-Mart, announced it has taken steps to stop acquiring their paper, on account of this and additional controversies associated with APP. Seems like APP’s denial of the issue is making things worse and at the moment costing them major business. The disappearance Wal-Mart’s business over the next year and beyond will significantly influence their total sales.
This leads us to a great question: In today’s struggling international economy, how can organizations and businesses make certain they are adopting environmentally-friendly and energy efficient business practices and not on the wrong side of a PR controversy? Business.Gov, the official business link to the US Government, includes a 10ñstep guide to help companies ensure they are energy efficient, meeting the requirements of environmental policy, and recognized as a green business. Listed here are the steps: Comply with Environmental Policies, Develop an Environmental Management Plan, Build Green, Acquire Green Products, Implement Energy Efficient Practices, Reduce, Reuse, Recycle Wastes, Preserve Water, Prevent Polluting of the environment, Create a Green Marketing Strategy, and Connect with Industry Partnership and Stewardship Programs.
Step 4 Buy Green Products, is a good suggestion that many organizations fail to consider. A unique way to boost consciousness about deforestation while promoting your product is through eco promotional products like seed paper, made of actual seeds and can still germinate and sprout into a lovely flower when planted. Something so simple as seed cards like a seed business card or a seeded thank you card can create a really unforgettable interaction with a client or industry colleague. You could also include a statement about deforestation on the stationary, which makes it completely clear about where your business stands on ecological matters. Another one that stands out on this list is step 6, Reduce, Reuse, Recycle Wastes. Remembering to cut back as well as reuse is the best way to get rid of the need to recycle in the first place. Now is the time to act to prevent deforestation as well as ensuring your company is recognized as being a green business, as a result solidifying your eco friendly reputation. The 10 steps above are a great manual for any business owner or CEO to apply green practices within your business. Embrace the challenge of perpetually improving your organization’s ecological footprint. Your company’s leadership and example will help end the negative effects of deforestation and the time spent will be well worth it.