Sweet Delights 250 Grams Mithai Box Bag W 9” x H 6” x G 6”

1. Material Choices

• Biodegradable Materials: The box bag is typically made from biodegradable materials like kraft paper or recycled paper. These materials decompose naturally, reducing landfill waste and lowering the environmental impact.
• Recycled Content: If the bag uses recycled paper, it minimizes the need for virgin materials, thus conserving natural resources and reducing energy consumption associated with paper production.

2. Production Process

• Low Energy Consumption: The manufacturing process for eco-friendly paper products often involves less energy compared to synthetic alternatives. This reduction in energy use helps lower the carbon emissions associated with production.
• Reduced Chemical Use: Eco-friendly paper products generally involve fewer chemicals during production, which minimizes the environmental impact and reduces pollution.

3. Transportation and Packaging

• Lightweight: The bag is designed to be lightweight, which reduces transportation emissions. Lighter products require less fuel for shipping, contributing to a lower carbon footprint.
• Compact Design: Efficient packaging design means more products can be transported per shipment, optimizing logistics and further lowering emissions.

4. End-of-Life

• Recyclability: The materials used are often recyclable, which means the bag can be repurposed into new products instead of ending up in landfills.
• Compostability: If the bag is made from fully compostable materials, it can break down naturally in composting systems, contributing to soil health rather than contributing to landfill waste.

Scientific Justification

1. Life Cycle Assessment (LCA): Studies on paper products often show that recycled and biodegradable papers have a lower overall environmental impact compared to conventional paper and plastic alternatives. The LCA considers factors like raw material extraction, manufacturing, transportation, use, and disposal, highlighting the benefits of using sustainable materials.
2. Carbon Footprint Reduction: Research indicates that using recycled materials and reducing energy consumption in manufacturing can significantly cut down the carbon footprint of products. For instance, recycled paper generally has a lower carbon footprint than virgin paper because it requires less energy and resources to produce.
3. Biodegradability and Composting: Studies on biodegradable materials demonstrate that they break down more quickly and safely in natural environments compared to plastics. This contributes to a lower environmental impact and helps mitigate pollution.

Overview of Calculation

We will calculate the carbon footprint by considering the following components:

1. Ingredients Production
2. Manufacturing Process
3. Packaging
4. Transportation

Each component's emissions will be calculated in kilograms of carbon dioxide equivalent (kg CO₂e). Finally, we'll sum all these to get the total carbon footprint for one 250-gram box of mithai.

1. Ingredients Production

Common Ingredients in Mithai

For this calculation, we'll assume a typical assortment of mithai containing the following ingredients:

• Milk Powder
• Sugar
• Ghee (Clarified Butter)
• Flour
• Nuts (e.g., almonds, cashews)
• Spices (e.g., cardamom)
• Food Coloring

Quantity Estimation

For a 250g box, approximate quantities could be:

Ingredient	Quantity (grams)
Milk Powder	100
Sugar	60
Ghee	40
Flour	30
Nuts	15
Spices	3
Food Coloring	2

Emission Factors

Emission factors (kg CO₂e per kg of product) for each ingredient:

Ingredient	Emission Factor (kg CO₂e/kg)	Reference
Milk Powder	9.0	FAO, 2010
Sugar	0.5	UK Government GHG Conversion Factors, 2021
Ghee	12.0	Clune et al., 2017
Flour	0.8	UK Government GHG Conversion Factors, 2021
Nuts	0.4	Heller et al., 2013
Spices	1.8	Average estimate
Food Coloring	5.0	Estimated based on synthetic dye production

Calculation

Calculate emissions for each ingredient:

1. Milk Powder: (0.1 kg) × (9.0 kg CO₂e/kg) = 0.9 kg CO₂e
2. Sugar: (0.06 kg) × (0.5 kg CO₂e/kg) = 0.03 kg CO₂e
3. Ghee: (0.04 kg) × (12.0 kg CO₂e/kg) = 0.48 kg CO₂e
4. Flour: (0.03 kg) × (0.8 kg CO₂e/kg) = 0.024 kg CO₂e
5. Nuts: (0.015 kg) × (0.4 kg CO₂e/kg) = 0.006 kg CO₂e
6. Spices: (0.003 kg) × (1.8 kg CO₂e/kg) = 0.0054 kg CO₂e
7. Food Coloring: (0.002 kg) × (5.0 kg CO₂e/kg) = 0.01 kg CO₂e

Total Emissions from Ingredients: 0.9 + 0.03 + 0.48 + 0.024 + 0.006 + 0.0054 + 0.01 = 1.4554 kg CO₂e

2. Manufacturing Process

This includes energy used for cooking, heating, and processing the mithai.

Assumptions

• Energy source: Electricity from the grid
• Electricity emission factor: 0.5 kg CO₂e/kWh (average global value)
• Energy consumption for producing 250g mithai: 0.5 kWh

Calculation

(0.5 kWh) × (0.5 kg CO₂e/kWh) = 0.25 kg CO₂e

3. Packaging

Assuming the packaging consists of a cardboard box and a plastic bag.

Packaging Materials

• Cardboard Box: 30 grams
• Plastic Bag: 10 grams

Emission Factors

• Cardboard: 1.3 kg CO₂e/kg (DEFRA, 2020)
• Plastic (LDPE): 2.0 kg CO₂e/kg (PlasticsEurope, 2014)

Calculation

1. Cardboard Box: (0.03 kg) × (1.3 kg CO₂e/kg) = 0.039 kg CO₂e
2. Plastic Bag: (0.01 kg) × (2.0 kg CO₂e/kg) = 0.02 kg CO₂e

Total Emissions from Packaging: 0.039 + 0.02 = 0.059 kg CO₂e

4. Transportation

Transportation from manufacturing facility to retail outlets.

Assumptions

• Distance: 500 km by road
• Weight of product including packaging: 0.29 kg
• Emission factor for freight transport by truck: 0.1 kg CO₂e/tonne-km (DEFRA, 2020)

Calculation

1. Convert product weight to tonnes: 0.29 kg = 0.00029 tonnes
2. Multiply by distance and emission factor: (0.00029 tonnes) × (500 km) × (0.1 kg CO₂e/tonne-km) = 0.0145 kg CO₂e

Total Emissions from Transportation: 0.0145 kg CO₂e

Total Carbon Footprint

Summing up all components:

• Ingredients: 1.4554 kg CO₂e
• Manufacturing: 0.25 kg CO₂e
• Packaging: 0.059 kg CO₂e
• Transportation: 0.0145 kg CO₂e

Total Carbon Footprint: 1.4554 + 0.25 + 0.059 + 0.0145 = 1.7789 kg CO₂e Rounded Total: 1.78 kg CO₂e per 250g box of Sweet Delights Mithai

Contextualizing the Result

To put this into perspective:

• One liter of gasoline combustion emits approximately 2.31 kg CO₂e (EPA, 2018).
• A typical smartphone's production emits around 70 kg CO₂e

References

• EPA (Environmental Protection Agency): Provides information on the benefits of recycling and the lower environmental impact of using recycled materials (EPA - Recycling Basics).
• European Commission: Offers insights into the environmental impact of various materials and the benefits of biodegradable and recyclable products (European Commission - Environmental Impact).
• Scientific Journals: Articles from journals like Resources, Conservation & Recycling and Journal of Cleaner Production often discuss the life cycle impacts of different materials and the benefits of sustainable practices.