As a growing number of people think about their impact on the environment and how they can reduce it, ideas like low-waste living and recycling have well and truly entered the mainstream. But making planet-friendly purchases isn’t always easy. The beauty industry alone produces 120 billion units of packaging every year – that’s a lot of packaging! And while it’s clear that “green” or “eco” beauty products are a trending topic at the moment, what does that actually mean? If you’re looking for ways to reduce your environmental impact and make the move to a more sustainable lifestyle, paying attention to your beauty products’ packaging is a great place to start.
How does our choice of beauty products impact the environment?
Once you start looking, you’ll notice that almost all of your beauty products come in plastic packaging. This has a huge impact on the environment. Why, you ask? Well, most plastics don’t break down after we throw them away. Instead, they’re tossed into landfills or the ocean, harming the environment and marine life. Worse still, plastic in the ocean and soil can degrade over time, leaving behind microplastics that can damage soil quality and pollute waterways.
So the beauty products we choose to use, and the beauty brands we choose to support have a direct impact on the health of our planet. If you’re trying to make more sustainable choices, we recommend sticking to the simple, golden rule: if it can’t be reused, recycled, or replaced, avoid buying it. Start by looking for brands that offer recyclable beauty packaging and do your research to find out what else they’re doing to reduce their carbon footprint.
How can we choose sustainable beauty packaging?
Whether it’s using refillable containers and innovative alternative eco-friendly packaging or buying from brands that are creating packaging innovations from recycled or recyclable materials, there are plenty of ways to reduce the adverse effects on our planet. And with more and more beauty brands making promising headway when it comes to sustainable and eco-friendly materials and products, it’s only getting easier to make good choices. Some brands are even using natural ingredients such as sugarcane to make their packaging, citing its biodegradable properties as one of its major benefits to the environment.
The Australian Packaging Covenant Organisation (APCO) works with the government and businesses to reduce the environmental impact of packaging in Australia. Their mission is to “keep packaging materials out of landfill and retain the maximum value of the materials, energy and labour within the local economy.” They work to set out how governments and businesses across Australia share the responsibility for managing the environmental impacts of packaging and ultimately hold them accountable.
Sustainable beauty brands
Even when armed with all of the right information, shopping for beauty products in a sustainable way isn’t an easy task. You can get lost in the endless marketing jargon, misleading promises, and a surprising level of ‘greenwashing’ where brands appear to be more environmentally friendly and sustainable than they actually are.
But this hot topic is absolutely claiming the spotlight, and responsible and ethical beauty brands like OC Naturals are making it easier to make better choices when it comes to sustainable packaging. Passionate about making nourishing, environmentally responsible and Australian-made hair and skincare products, they also use plant-based and naturally derived ingredients. Their bottles are made from recycled plastic and better yet, the products are made in a factory powered by roof-mounted solar systems. They source ingredients from renewable and sustainable sources and perhaps most importantly, they are an APCO signatory.
You can read more about how OC Natural began their business and about their promise to continue creating environmentally responsible products of the best possible quality, that are both vegan and cruelty free. Browse their full range of beauty products and find your local stockist today.
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