The beauty industry, including organic skin care and cosmetic companies, are joining the automotive and manufacturing industries in focusing on reducing environmental impact. No longer primarily focusing specifically on the end result, beauty companies are centering on business as a whole, including production, marketing, packaging, and researching ways to service customers while helping the environment. Companies producing green beauty and skin care products hope to make the earth as beautiful and healthy as they make the people who live here.
Green Beauty and Skin Care Products
Companies in the beauty industry who have “gone green” no longer use harsh, unnatural chemicals or resources that are unsustainable in their product lines. Products used to be made using ingredients taken from the environment or produced in a lab without care of the devastating effects of environmental impact. Chemicals that are used in product production and resource accumulation eventually make their way into the water and air supply. These chemicals are then absorbed into people’s bodies, many times causing health issues.
With environmental impact in mind, today the beauty industry produces organic skin care products and cosmetics using resources produced by organic farming and renewable processes instead of harvesting ingredients from the depleting environment. The beauty industry now considers the plant population and the plight of endangered species of animals in product production. For example, chemical-based sunblock applied to the skin is absorbed into the body and washed off into water when swimming in natural water sources. Organic skin care products, like Sunsation Sunblock, are not produced with chemicals that can harm people, water sources, or marine life.
Observing Green Business Practices
Thanks to the establishment of green business practices, the beauty industry has changed the way it does business. The Internet and computer technology have helped to eliminate landfill waste by keeping papers, and therefore are empty ink cartridges, out of the trash. The beauty industry now recycles paper, ink cartridges, packing materials, and other production and office materials that used to go straight to a landfill.
Factories and offices are now conserving as much water, energy, and resources as possible. Energy-efficient appliances and machinery work together with new production systems that are more ecologically aware so that companies have a reduction in renewable energy use.
Marketing plans within the beauty industry, including organic skin care and cosmetic production companies, now include ecologically friendly business practices. For example, many companies in the beauty industry now provide media kits, catalogs, and special advertisements online or via e-mail instead of on printed paper. E-mail, web conferencing, and telephone meetings have lessened travel requirements, thereby lessening the use of fossil fuels.
Green Packaging and Shipping
Green business practices have also changed the packaging and shipping methods used in the beauty industry. Excessive, unnecessary product packaging has been eliminated by organic skin care and cosmetic companies through the use of earth friendly recyclable materials. This green business practice serves as a bonus for the beauty industry as this type of packaging not only keeps waste out of landfills, but it increases the amount of shelf space for displaying more products. Green packaging is also smaller, making for less costly, more efficient shipping since more products can be shipped per load. The materials used in shipment packing are also now made of recycled materials.
A vital step toward a successful business today, the beauty industry, including organic skin care and cosmetic companies, are constantly on the lookout for ways to ensure green business practices and to promote an environmentally aware world. If companies and consumers work together to live responsibly on this planet, everyone can rest assured it will be here and healthy for a long time to come.
By: Kent Campbell
Posts Tagged ‘Environmental Impact’
Green Business Practices in the Beauty Industry – Beautifying Both People and the Environment
January 8th, 2010Remanufactured Toner Cartridges Usage Helps the Environment
January 1st, 2010Buying remanufactured toner cartridges and recycling empty cartridges are easy ways to reduce the environmental impact of these products.While saving substantial amounts of money, Any office equipment that uses a toner cartridge, rather than requiring toner to be added to the machine,
should be able to use a remanufactured toner cartridge. Many toner cartridge remanufacturers both supply customers with remanufactured toner cartridges and collect spent cartridges.
This Fact Sheet provides important information for those wishing to purchase remanufactured toner cartridges.
1) Quality
When remanufactured by reputable companies exercising good quality control, remanufactured toner cartridges will perform as well as, or better than, new cartridges. Almost all suppliers will guarantee that the quality of their remanufactured toner cartridges will match or exceed that of an original equipment manufacturer (OEM).Remanufactured toner cartridges should not damage the copy machine or printer. Printer damage resulting from a defective toner cartridge is rare and usually very minor. A properly remanufactured cartridge is no more likely to cause damage to a machine than a new cartridge. Additionally, antitrust legislation prohibits copier and printer manufacturers from voiding their warranties when remanufactured toner cartridges are used in their machine
2) The Remanufacturing Process
In general, used cartridges undergoing remanufacturing are first disassembled and the parts inspected. Key parts include the drum, corona wire assembly, wiper blade, and roller. Worn or defective parts are replaced, and the cartridge is cleaned, refilled, and reassembled. Toner cartridges can be remanufactured several times.
3) Cost
Remanufactured toner cartridges save money. Remanufactured cartridges cost 30% to 60% less on a per copy basis than non-remanufactured cartridges. Some cartridge remanufacturers will accept used cartridges at no cost, or even buy them back or provide a credit, depending on the model, therefore saving you even more money
4) Environmental Benefits
97% Recyclable
The typical used toner cartridge weighs about 3 pounds and is composed of 40% plastic, 40% metal, and smaller percentages of rubber, paper, foam, and toner.The plastic is made of engineering-grade polymers and takes at least 1,000 years to decompose. However, approximately 97% of these combined components can be recycled and reused.
5) Conserves Resources
Accordingly, using remanufactured toner cartridges reduces pollution and waste by minimizing the amount of materials, such as plastic,steel, aluminum, and rubber, disposed of in landfills. It also conserves natural resources by eliminating the need for virgin materials used to make new cartridges. For each pound of new material used in remanufacturing, 5 to 9 pounds of virgin materials are conserved.
6) Saves Energy
Using remanufactured toner cartridges also saves energy.Approximately 3 quarts of oil are burned in the production of a single new toner cartridge. A used toner cartridge can be remanufactured
up to four times, depending on its type and condition, thus potentially saving up to 12 quarts of fuel.
7) Evaluating Remanufacturers
Most remanufacturers are reliable and provide quality toner cartridges that meet or exceed OEM standards. Some companies, however, simply drill a hole in the side of the cartridge and refill it with toner, failing to clean and repair broken parts. These “drill and fill” operations do not produce quality remanufactured toner cartridges. Also be aware that some products perform better than others. It is important to get references from suppliers and test several products before purchasing significant quantities of any model or brand
By: Kishor Nayak
Mazda Committed to Preserving the Environment
December 14th, 2009June 5 is World Environment Day and on this special day environmental issues and awareness takes the center stage. Motor vehicles have always been accused of increasing environmental hazards. However it’s a different case when you’re driving a Mazda. You see Mazda constantly monitors the environmental impact of their operation especially in terms of car production. And not only that they also make sure that their car from inception to end of its life remains to be eco-friendly. This is Mazda’s way of helping to preserve the planet.
The Mazda oil filter maker, Mazda manufactures clean-energy vehicles that make use of production technologies that have very minimal or no environmental impact. They were also the very first motor company to ever develop the first hydrogen-fueled rotary engine that was made available for commercial use last 2006 particularly in the RX8 Hydrogen RE.
The RX8 Hydrogen RE is a special type of engine that functions by mixing hydrogen and oxygen to produce the required electricity. And the best thing about this engine is that it only emits water as exhaust without the production of greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide. But that’s not all! Amazingly Mazda was also able to manage to achieve this result without sacrificing torque, acceleration, and exhaust tail note.
Aside from the hydrogen rotary engine, Mazda has created another environmental breakthrough—the one-of-a-kind Three Layer Wet Paint System which is a first in the world to reduce the Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC) and carbon.
This paint system developed by Mazda us a one-step baking and drying method that applies three layers in succession meaning primer coat, base coat, and the clear coat while still wet. By eliminating the drying process the C02 emissions are reduced significantly by almost 15 percent.
Aside from that the Hiroshima-based automaker is also working on a new low solvent content paint in partnership with paint manufacturers that when applied using high- precision coating equipment will not only increase coating efficiency but will also reduce VOC emissions by 50 percent.
Mazda is also engaging in a continuous research and analysis to develop vehicles that can conserve energy, eliminate air and water pollution, reduce waste and minimize noxious chemical emissions. Mazda makes use of an effective and systematic operation system that efficiently utilizes resources and reduces hazardous wastes.
Overall the systematic process that Mazda employs ensures that all of its environmental goals are smoothly achieved. Mazda also provide its employees with trainings to raise their environmental awareness plus it also encourages its staffs to gain public qualifications related to environment. Mazda Corporation even goes as far as providing environment education programmes which are also designed for specific to various job profiles.
Such commitment of Mazda to the environment didn’t go unnoticed as a matter of fact the Hiroshima-based automaker has been duly recognized by the Californian research firm J.D. Power and Associates. The Mazda3 and MX5 have been included in their Automotive Environmental Index (AEI) study last 2006 and was listed among the most environmental friendly cars.
About Mazda Motor Corporation
Mazda Motor Corporation has started out as a manufacturer of tools way back in the year 1929 and later on it branched out into production of trucks for commercial use. The first passenger car models that Mazda produced were introduced in early 1960s. This was also the very same year that Mazda has started developing the rotary engines.
The headquarters of Mazda is located in Hiroshima in western Japan. Mazda presently ranks as one of Japan’s leading automakers and exporters. The Hiroshima-based automaker has been exporting cars to United States and Europe for over 30 years. Its overseas sales account for more than half of its total turnover.
Mazda has two main production sites in Japan and 19 overseas facilities. The overseas sites include joint ventures based in United States, and in Thailand. At present Ford Motor Corporation is still owns one-third controlling interest in Mazda.
By: Kraig Johanssen
