A letter from Mia Davis, Director of Mission.
Credo is deeply committed to moving the beauty industry in a more sustainable direction every single day, but we are especially happy to celebrate our blue planet on April 22nd. The day gives us all an opportunity to think, share, and act to protect our only home.
In 2018, there are so many threats to the health of our environment: climate change, plastic pollution, toxic chemical trespass, deforestation, and more. It is easy to feel overwhelmed by the multitude and magnitude of the problems.
We want to celebrate some positive actions from our environmentally friendly brand partners—their carbon footprint reduction initiatives—so that you can see some light. Hopefully you will be inspired to reduce your footprint, and to vote with your dollars to support brands which are taking real action.
But first, let’s make sure we’re covering the basics. Climate change is happening, and it is undoubtedly one of the biggest threats to the planet, ever. The world’s temperature is rising, polar ice sheets are melting, ocean chemistry is changing, and extreme weather events are happening with greater frequency.
Most scientists agree that climate change is caused by human activities, namely burning fossil fuels, which creates a greenhouse effect. Carbon dioxide, or CO2, is the main greenhouse gas, which is why we talk about “reducing carbon footprint” as a key step in stopping climate change.
Leading up to Earth Day, we surveyed our beauty brand partners to hear what they are doing to reduce their company’s carbon footprint. We’re proud to partner with our brands who are doing their part to reduce their company’s carbon footprints and other greenhouse gases , which is awesome.
Here were some highlights:
Skin Owl uses a messenger to pick up 80% of their packaging materials in LA (where they are based). And local customers can have their orders Ubered to them. This cuts down on multiples modes of transportation.
Our friends at Osea ship domestically via ground transportation (which has a lower footprint than air freight), and when they send products overseas they pay an extra carbon offset fee.
Ere Perez is certified Carbon Neutral, Vapour Organic Beauty’s manufacturing facility and offices are designed to take advantage of passive solar via skylights (and therefore lower energy use), and Eu'Genia Shea, a social enterprise that works with women in Ghana, is actively reducing charcoal and firewood use (needed to create their shea butter).
Neal’s Yard Remedies reported that they offer interested staff at their “eco-factory” funds for bicycles so they can bike to work. And they aren’t the only ones biking: Osmia Organics has a company bikes for running local errands, and Patyka staff all use public transport to commute to work, except Pierre, the CEO, who comes to work by bike every morning.
We thank these clean beauty leaders for taking action to reduce their carbon footprint. And they’re not the only ones: Kari Gran, YUNI Beauty, H. Gillerman Organics, province apothecary, One Love Organics, Goldfaden MD, Trilogy Natural Products, Juice Beauty, Violets Are Blue, Tata Harper Skincare, Ellis Brooklyn, Red Flower, January Labs, Soapply, Lovefresh, and Tammy Fender Holistic Skin Care all responded to our survey with information on what they’re doing as well.
This Earth Day, we hope that you will learn more about reducing carbon emissions, and take action. Learn more from the Environmental Protection Agency.
Be well,
Mia
