November is over and we are immersed in a consumerist maelstrom that is getting longer and longer. What was once just Christmas madness has now engulfed the whole of November, through Black Friday, Cyber Monday and Single's day (11/11). And we want to buy, we want to buy, we need to buy.
Thank goodness that, every now and then, a breath of common sense reaches us and we ask ourselves: Is this rate of consumption sustainable?
For years we have been slogans about "Saving the Earth", but it seems that the necessary motivation is not forthcoming. And maybe it is because the Earth does not need to be saved; the Earth has lived through many stages: when it was formed there were volcanoes and seismic activity everywhere. Then life appeared and changed the face of the earth forever. We are not the only organisms that have made changes to the planet; when oxygen-emitting autotrophic organisms arose, they changed the composition of the atmosphere in a way that allowed the rest of the life forms to develop. And the Carboniferous plant explosion fixed the largest amount of CO2 that has ever lived on Earth (which is what we are now releasing by burning fossil fuels). Millions of species have walked the Earth before us and millions will walk the Earth after us.
But what does need to be preserved is our way of life, even our very survival on Earth. We must sustain our way of life so that we can continue to enjoy it for a long time to come.
But is the tomato extract in my cream really better if it's organic? Is it better for the planet? Is it better for my skin? Or maybe it's better if the tomato has been grown in a vertical garden designed not to increase its flavour but to have the highest concentration of lycopene, using the least amount of water, soil and energy.
And if we use an extract from food industry waste, it is perhaps better than using organic tomatoes that are perfectly fit for human consumption.
These sustainability-based trends are much more aligned with the real needs of the skin and our planet, although of course all this needs to be explained. But until now, we have joined the bandwagon of the food industry, which as we know is more powerful than the cosmetics industry and its messages have a greater impact, and so we had more than half the work done. Even if it is with empty concepts that do not contribute, it sounds good. And it is very comfortable.
And if we use a pertinent extract of scraps of the alimentary industry, perhaps is better that use ecological tomatoes perfectly apt for the human consumption.
These tendencies based in the sustainability are much more ranged with the real needs of the skin and of our planet, although clear, all this it is necessary to explain it. But up to now, we have added us to the car of claims of the alimentary industry, that as we know is more powerful that the cosmetic and his messages have a calado greater, and like this had more than the half of the work done. Although it was with empty concepts and that do not contribute, sounds well. And it is very comfortable.
But I like the claims they make, as well as informing, and I think the time has come to explain to our consumers that beyond the percentage of naturalness there is a great deal of work on sustainability, looking for packaging from recycled and easily recyclable sources. About why a monocomponent packaging is better than a multilayer one, even though it has cost us months of R&D to overcome compatibility problems, welding, etc. (and it is also less aesthetically pleasing). About why my artichoke extract is not ECO, but it is upcycling and helps us reduce waste generated by the food industry without stressing the fields.
About how by using an active biotechnology we get the same results, but using much less drinking water. Or the importance of local or socially responsible ingredients.
Where we shop is also important. The type of packaging they use for transport, whether they allow grouped deliveries or whether they use systems to avoid time-consuming and resource-consuming missed deliveries. So when we consider our purchases, let's ask in our trusted shop, or post questions in the marketplace of choice, let's force the brands to explain things to us. I guarantee you that the technical departments know, but nobody asks them and this information is not valued.
Thus, with our strength as consumers we can make the best decisions to save the planet, I mean to save ourselves.