Thanks to the various options available from clothing to cars, it is so much easier to care about the environment then it ever was
WHEN FINANCE MINISTER Arun Jaitley presented the Union Budget 2016-2017, he expressed concern about pollution and traffic situation and proposed to levy an infrastructure cess of up to 4 per cent on small petrol, LPG and CNG cars, diesel cars and other high-powered vehicles and SUVs. It’s yet another small but significant step by the Indian government to pursue an environmentally sustainable path.
At the international level, the step could be a building block to pursue Sustainable Development Goal 13, which urges governments to take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts. Domestically, it can be implied that the government is taking cognizance of the growing public opinion in favour of green living and, of course, in the process also seeking to raise more resources.
In fact, if one goes by the green surveys over the last few years, consumers in India are usually rated higher than those in most countries. For example, India has ranked at the top amongst 18 countries in Greendex, a global survey of consumer behaviour in areas related to housing, transportation, food and consumer goods by the National Geographic Society and GlobeScan. Over the years environmental concerns, environmentally friendly behaviour and sustainable consumer behaviour have been increasing globally, particularly in emerging economies, according to the survey.
Translation of environmental concerns and environmentally friendly behaviour into sustainable consumer behaviour has been in turn helped by increasing availability of eco-friendly products. What’s a truly eco-friendly product may be debatable in the absence of mandatory certification or labelling, but the intention and action of consumers is not. Even if it’s out of snobbery by some consumers, it doesn’t diminish the value of their actions or end results.
When one looks at Roti, Kapada Aur Gaadi (instead of Makaan, which is usually once a lifetime decision), the eco-friendly choices are aplenty today. A simple Google search yields mindboggling results. A lot many times it also causes confusion because some terms like green, ecofriendly, organic, sustainable, and local, etc, have been used interchangeably. Then there are terms like fair trade and ethical practices, which are applicable from the social perspective.
Organic is the most common and intelligible term used for foods. Organic foods are produced without the use of chemical fertilisers or pesticides or insecticides. Top organic food companies in India like Sresta Natural Bioproducts, Organic India, Morarka Organic, Nature Bio Foods, Sunstar Overseas, Kashmir Apiaries, etc, are more today famous abroad than in India. Most of the retail chains, including Godrej Nature’s Basket, Fabindia, Food Bazaar, Hyper City, More, Nilgiris, Spencers and Tesco-Starbazar, also stock organic products. Conscious Food, EcoFarms, Navdanya, etc, have their own organic niche market.
India's organic food market is projected to grow at a CAGR of over 25% during 201520, according to “India Organic Food Market Forecast & Opportunities, 2020” published TechSci Research. The reasons are obvious. Consumers in India are now getting more health conscious, leading to a change in their food preferences. The change is driven by higher income levels and improving living standard, and availability of organic products due to enabling ecosystem for organic farming, according to the report.
The sector would have got a bigger push if organic food certification and labelling were mandatory in India. Most organic food companies in India voluntarily acquire India Organic mark, which certifies that the product or its raw materials have been grown organically without using chemical fertilizers or pesticides, or inducing hormones. The Mark is issued by agencies accredited with Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority under its National Programme for Organic Production.
Similarly, the apparel sector spots a vast range of eco-friendly shades. Leading Indian apparel brands like Van Heusen and Arrow ventured into the eco-friendly territory a few years ago with 100 percent organic lines made of cotton and linen in natural dyes. Woodland's collection for riders and skiers made mostly from environment-friendly fabrics is fully recyclable.
An organic clothing brand, Bhu:sattva uses certified organic cotton fabric. Besides, it use fibres like hemp, soya bean, banana, pineapple, milk protein, flax and jute, and fabrics like bamboo and modal. Cruelty-free silk and khadi also feature in its collection. Natural dyes made from beetroot, turmeric, indigo and extracts of leaves and flowers add to the value of the products.
Ethicus products such as sarees, organic clothing and home linens are handcrafted from handwoven fabrics, ethical silk and organic cotton by rural artisans using traditional weaving methods. Dyes too are natural. The products are naturally biodegradable and recyclable.
An online shopping store for organic clothing, Do U Speak Green uses organic cotton and bamboo. It has itself obtained the Carbon Footprint Mark from SGS. The mark demonstrates a company’s commitment to measuring and managing its impact on climate.
In contrast to foods and clothes, environment-friendly hybrid or electric cars in India have a rather limited range. The top five environment friendly cars in India include the first all electric car Mahindra e2o; Maruti Suzuki Ciaz Hybrid also called the Maruti Suzuki Ciaz SHVS or Smart Hybrid Vehicle by Suzuki; Toyota Camry Hybrid; and Toyota Prius, which runs on both petrol and electricity, and BMW i8. Apart from the limited choice, the prices are also not particularly encouraging. Their price varies from a few lakh to a couple of crore (in rupees). Since pricing, to some extent, is also a matter of scale, the eco-friendly car drive at the lower end is expected to get cheaper at some stage.
Though a majority of the eco-friendly products are costlier upfront, in most appliances the additional investment is recoverable from reduced energy consumption in a few years. In fact, solar powered appliances do bring in profits after some time. Government subsidies and incentives too are useful. Green choices can help rake in greenbacks. Till then, a good feeling about having done something for the environment and in turn for our own healthy living can be the motivation.