The use of plastics in our everyday life has become inescapable due to its flexibility to take any form, its light weight, and low cost. They are more durable than paper bags and are easily available. While the use of plastic may seem convenient, its effect on the environment and other life forms is harmful and dangerous.

Industry research[1] states that 91% of plastic is not recycled. As a result, the soil and water quality of our landfills and water bodies, which are the common grounds for the dumping of plastic and waste, gets polluted and deteriorates over time. While plastic bottles may take 450 years or more to decompose, daily-use plastic bags can take up to a millennium[2]. Plastic entanglement has caused the demise of over a hundred-thousand marine creature.

All these and more are reasons that the government of India has decided to take steps to eliminate the use of single-use plastic by 2022. The consequences and the environmental impact that the use of plastic has leaves us, as responsible citizens of the country, with a tough choice to make- do we choose convenience in the short run over environmental protection in the long term?

Given our commitment to leading a sustainable business, we strive to achieve the Triple Bottom Line of People, in how we provide a satisfying work environment to our employees and even the communities of farmers in Uttarakhand that we are associated with, Planet, in how we work towards reducing our carbon footprint, and Profit, to keep the business financially afloat. As a business, we at SoulTree also made a conscious choice and initiated a trend in sustainability which will have a long-term impact on the environment, on our business, and on how our customers view us. With our recently launched Ayurvedic Face Packs, we took another step towards expanding our Circle of Goodness by introducing them in Biodegradable Sachets.

What is Biodegradable Packaging?

A new trend for green living is the use of biodegradable packaging. It can be decomposed faster and naturally with the help of moisture and by the action of microorganisms. Once decomposed, the compounds either return to nature or disintegrate, leaving no waste behind.

What is the Biodegradable Sachet made up of?

Biodegradable sachets/packaging can be made with natural substances like wood, paper, starch, cotton, waste, and more. They are created with relatively less energy as compared to plastic.

What is the future of Biodegradable Packaging?

With the growing awareness around the repercussions that the use of plastic has on the environment, aquatic life, wildlife, and even human life, businesses are switching to more environment-friendly packaging options. People are becoming more sensitised towards the amount of carbon footprint that gets produced by using plastics. The potential health risks of disposing plastic makes the switch to using alternative forms of packaging, such as biodegradable packaging, necessary.

What is the future of Sustainability for SoulTree?

SoulTree is a believer in mindfulness. All our products carry the Triple Seal of Truth- Ayurvedic (products), Organic (farming), and Ethical (sourcing). Staying true to the values we hold close, it is our constant endeavour to become a more sustainable business.

As a process, we are trying to eliminate the use of plastic from our packaging and supply chain operations, and in the long run, we aim to phase out its use from other products as well.

We believe that these are steps in the right direction. We would like to share with our readers these initiatives that we keep taking to build a business that stands on the strong pillars and ethos that we hold close. The path is a long one and requires the investment of resources, time and money. But we are committed to create an impact and share our journey with all of you. We would also like to hear from you your thoughts and ideas around this.

With every step that we take towards building a sustainable business, we will have more stories to share with everyone. Watch out this space for more!

1. http://advances.sciencemag.org/content/3/7/e1700782.full
2. https://www.thebalancesmb.com/how-long-does-it-take-garbage-to-decompose-2878033