Earth: More than a Raw Material

Rates of climate change presently plaguing the planet have hit unprecedented numbers. It happens to meet the crossroads of high production amidst resource scarcity, so it is no longer enough for brands to produce products that possess just functionality and artistic value: consumers are increasingly beginning to understand how their their purchases have negative consequences on the planet, and have pressed upon themselves the moral imperative to purchase products with as little carbon footprint as possible.

Measurement of carbon footprints has long been regarded as an effective way of determining the direct effects that a product has on the planet. A carbon footprint is described as “The total set of greenhouse gas emissions caused directly and indirectly by an [individual, event, organisation, product] expressed as CO2e” (http://www.carbontrust.com/resources/guides/carbon-footprinting-and-reporting/carbon- footprinting/). It is calculated by multiplying emissions of all six Kyoto Protocol greenhouse gases by its 100-year global warming potential, and includes emissions that result across organizational, value chain, product, and supply chain lines. So every time you purchase a product, you are in a way responsible for the emissions required for that item to go from a raw material into the final product that you can conveniently pluck from a supermarket shelf.

In 2018, the global population consumed an entire year’s of resources by August of that year (http://www.businessinsider.sg/earth-overshoot-day-is-august-1-2018-7/), and there are no signs that we will not overshoot our consumption expectations even earlier in 2019. What humanity needs to remember is that our survival is contingent on the health of the planet we inhabit: every tree felled for fiber, every plastic bag carelessly discarded into the ocean, and every greenhouse gas emission compromising stability of glaciers at the North and South Poles will also risk our successful continuation as a species.

As governments and institutions strive to create policies that in the hopes of making industrial production and supply chains more eco-friendly, what can businesses and consumers do to alleviate damage already done?

Start with baby steps like ditching private transport in lieu of public transport and reducing waste by using reusable bottles and shopping bags instead of single-use plastics. But once these habits become second nature, take into consideration your purchasing and consumption habits: think about where your consumables come from and how far they’ve traveled to reach you. Are there greener and more local options for your choice of shampoo, milk, or chocolate that you can adopt?

When seismic shifts in consumer trends take place, business will notice and change their processes to meet market demands. So put your money behind brands that are conscious of their impact on the planet and conduct business in an ethical and transparent manner. Have they done everything possible to minimize their carbon footprint? And do they have a long- term plan to make up for the carbon footprint left behind?

At Krakakoa, we’re proud to have been founded with transparency and active preservation of the environment at the core of our mission values. Every bar of Krakakoa was made for you to guiltlessly enjoy, so help save the planet and don’t stop at just one bite. Bon appetit!