Certified Organic Moisturising Daily Use Shampoo

Sustainability Factors

1. Natural and Organic Ingredients:
   • Description: Organic shampoos often use natural ingredients that are biodegradable and do not contribute to water pollution. Ingredients such as coconut oil, aloe vera, and essential oils are common in organic shampoos.
   • Scientific Basis: The use of organic ingredients reduces the reliance on synthetic chemicals that can be harmful to the environment. These ingredients are grown without pesticides or fertilizers, which helps in preserving soil health and biodiversity .
2. Biodegradable Formulations:
   • Description: Organic shampoos are designed to break down naturally after use, minimizing their impact on aquatic ecosystems.
   • Scientific Basis: Biodegradable substances are broken down by microorganisms, reducing the accumulation of harmful substances in the environment .
3. Eco-friendly Packaging:
   • Description: Many sustainable shampoo brands use recyclable or biodegradable packaging materials, such as bottles made from recycled plastic or plant-based materials.
   • Scientific Basis: Reducing plastic waste and using sustainable packaging materials helps decrease the overall environmental impact of the product .
4. Ethical Production Practices:
   • Description: Sustainable brands often focus on ethical sourcing and production practices, ensuring fair trade and minimizing waste in manufacturing.
   • Scientific Basis: Ethical production practices contribute to social sustainability by supporting fair wages and reducing environmental harm during manufacturing .

Low Carbon Footprint

1. Local Sourcing of Ingredients:
   • Description: Using locally sourced ingredients can reduce transportation emissions associated with long supply chains.
   • Scientific Basis: Shorter supply chains mean fewer emissions from transportation, contributing to a lower carbon footprint .
2. Energy-efficient Manufacturing:
   • Description: Implementing energy-efficient processes and renewable energy in manufacturing can significantly reduce the carbon emissions of shampoo production.
   • Scientific Basis: Energy efficiency and renewable energy usage reduce fossil fuel consumption, which is a major source of greenhouse gas emissions .
3. Minimalist Formulations:
   • Description: Organic shampoos often use concentrated formulas that require less product per use, reducing overall consumption.
   • Scientific Basis: Concentrated formulations mean less packaging and lower production volumes, leading to reduced resource use and emissions .

Steps to Calculate the Carbon Footprint

1. Raw Materials:
   • Identify Ingredients: List all ingredients and their sources.
   • Emission Factors: Use emission factors for organic farming and ingredient processing. Organic farming generally has lower emissions due to the absence of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides.
   • Example Calculation: $$\text{Emissions from ingredients}=\sum (\text{quantity of ingredient}\times \text{emission factor})$$
2. Manufacturing:
   • Energy Use: Determine the energy used in the production process.
   • Emission Factors: Use emission factors for the type of energy used (e.g., electricity, natural gas).
   • Example Calculation: $$\text{Emissions from manufacturing}=\text{energy used}\times \text{emission factor}$$
3. Packaging:
   • Materials: Consider the type and quantity of packaging materials.
   • Recycling Rate: Adjust emissions based on the recyclability of materials.
   • Example Calculation: $$\text{Emissions from packaging}=\sum (\text{quantity of material}\times \text{emission factor}\times (1-\text{recycling rate}))$$
4. Transportation:
   • Distance and Mode: Determine the distance traveled and the mode of transportation for ingredients and finished products.
   • Emission Factors: Use emission factors for the transportation modes (e.g., truck, ship).
   • Example Calculation: $$\text{Emissions from transportation}=\sum (\text{distance}\times \text{quantity transported}\times \text{emission factor})$$
5. End-of-Life Disposal:
   • Disposal Methods: Consider how the product and packaging are disposed of (e.g., landfill, recycling).
   • Emission Factors: Use emission factors for each disposal method.
   • Example Calculation: $$\text{Emissions from disposal}=\sum (\text{quantity of waste}\times \text{emission factor})$$

Example Estimation

• Ingredients: 200g of organic ingredients with an average emission factor of 0.5 kg CO2e per kg.
• Manufacturing Energy: 1 kWh per bottle, with an emission factor of 0.3 kg CO2e per kWh.
• Packaging: 50g of recycled plastic with an emission factor of 2 kg CO2e per kg and a recycling rate of 50%.
• Transportation: 500 km by truck, transporting 250g per bottle with an emission factor of 0.1 kg CO2e per ton-km.
• Disposal: 50g of waste with an emission factor of 1 kg CO2e per kg.

Calculation

1. Raw Materials: $$\text{Emissions}=0.2\text{kg}\times 0.5\text{kg CO2e/kg}=0.1\text{kg CO2e}$$
2. Manufacturing: $$\text{Emissions}=1\text{kWh}\times 0.3\text{kg CO2e/kWh}=0.3\text{kg CO2e}$$
3. Packaging: $$\text{Emissions}=0.05\text{kg}\times 2\text{kg CO2e/kg}\times (1-0.5)=0.05\text{kg CO2e}$$
4. Transportation: Emissions=0.25 kg1000 kg×500 km×0.1 kg CO2e/ton-km=0.0125 kg CO2e\text{Emissions} = \frac{0.25 \, \text{kg}}{1000 \, \text{kg}} \times 500 \, \text{km} \times 0.1 \, \text{kg CO2e/ton-km} = 0.0125 \, \text{kg CO2e}Emissions=1000kg0.25kg​×500km×0.1kg CO2e/ton-km=0.0125kg CO2e
5. Disposal: $$\text{Emissions}=0.05\text{kg}\times 1\text{kg CO2e/kg}=0.05\text{kg CO2e}$$

Total Carbon Footprint

$$\text{Total Emissions}=0.1+0.3+0.05+0.0125+0.05=0.5125\text{kg CO2e per bottle}$$

References

1. Natural and Organic Ingredients:
   • Science Direct: Impact of Organic Ingredients
2. Biodegradable Formulations:
   • Springer Link: Biodegradation of Organic Compounds
3. Eco-friendly Packaging:
   • Science Direct: Sustainable Packaging
4. Ethical Production Practices:
   • Taylor & Francis Online: Ethical Consumerism