Environmental Ethics - what they are and why they are so important!
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What is the definition of environmental ethics? Although the term can have different meanings, here is a good summary.
The underlying principle of environmental ethics is that nature has intrinsic value. Meaning that nature and its parts are not mere means for accomplishing one's purposes but end in and for themselves.
This definition sounds simple enough, but it's quite a radical reversal of centuries of anthropocentric thought. It was easy to believe that nature existed for human beings to exploit for centuries.
The more trees we could cut down and convert into magnificent buildings, the better our quality of life. The more coal we could mine for fuel, the more energy we had available to power factories and produce more life-enhancing goods. And best of all, no matter how much we used, there was always plenty more available.
However, it's become clear that this is no longer true in recent decades. As economies around the world have grown, the human impact on the environment has grown to the point where we are depleting the available resources, causing the extinction of thousands of animal species, and altering our planet's climate each day.
Many businesses, however, have continued to operate on the traditional model. Environmental ethics aims to question the basic assumption that nature is there for our benefit. If nature has an intrinsic value, how should that change how your company uses energy or packages its products or treats animals? It can have significant (and impactful) implications for how you do business today.
For many small Australian businesses, the cost is a genuine concern. Many small businesses in Australia today have no environmental management systems in place. Despite that, most business owners wanted to reduce their environmental impact. Still, they were held back by "resource constraints" and other factors like lack of support or guidance.
Another barrier to businesses is competitive pressure. Suppose your competitors are importing low-cost goods with no regard for environmental sustainability. Won't you be at a disadvantage if you insist on the highest ethical standards?
These are valid concerns. Even if a business is not all about profit, it does need to make a profit to survive. And although some environmental policies can also have a positive bottom-line impact, others can add to the cost.
What's important is to look at the overall impact on your business, including the positive effects.
There are the benefits of cost savings, business reputation, resource recovery, OH & Safety, and legal compliance benefits.
Follow the steps here to plan and you can prioritise your environmental management activities -
Schedule an environmental audit. An audit can help identify how you can reduce your environmental impact.
It can help you prioritise your environmental management activities. You can also demonstrate your accountability to the government, customers, and shareholders by conducting an audit. Ensure you store your audit results to compare improvements and results as you progress.
Set up an environmental management system. Once you understand your current environmental impact, you can plan and see your changes in results and reduction in impact. Set up objectives and targets for changes. These targets can be with costs and targets for cuts, and outline responsibilities within your business.
For companies and organizations of any type that require practical tools to manage their environmental responsibilities, there’s the ISO 14000 family. These targets will also help you to identify areas for future improvement. You can also take steps to have your environmental management system accredited – the requirements are here.
Report on your impacts. Make sure you monitor and report your effects. You can track environmental reporting for businesses by looking at, for example, greenhouse gas and energy reporting, corporate sustainability reporting, and natural resource management monitoring.
Ensure you are up to date with all Government requirements. Australian, state and local governments jointly administer EPA laws in Australia. As a business owner, you need to understand which laws apply to your business. Each state in Australia has its own EPA for you to keep up to date with requirements for your business.
Research, research, research - recognised environmental initiatives that you can access. Environmental awards are available in each state has options available - such as the Climate Active Certification - which is for carbon-neutral businesses, to name just one.
Search for grants and programs here and see which ones you may be eligible to apply.
There are many benefits to being environmentally ethical for you and your business.
Read all about the Cream Collection Ethical and Sustainability policies here.
Store owner replied:
Wow! What awesome pics Josh, you look great as usual :) Thanks for your ongoing support.
Whether working the grill, pass or larder. You are always going to look good in the shirt. Comfortable & cool (if you are standing over a coal grill for 12hrs you are gonna sweat no matter what you wear). Always feel proud rolling into a shift in one of these.
Store owner replied:
Wow! You look great Olly, and Thank you for your beautiful review. It's much appreciated and we are sure this will assist other chefs who work in hot environments and want to look and feel cool. Thank you again.
The apron is well made of a lovely quality material, was well packaged and delivered promptly. Very happy with the purchase!
Store owner replied:
Hi Jullo, we are sorry to hear that you are disappointed, but there are numerous images of the "Mystery pack colour combinations" and as it is a Mystery pack with a saving of $32, is no specific colour that you can order. There are numerous images of the various colour combinations for this product, so it is a "mystery pack" as to what colour you will receive. Please feel free to reach out to us directly to see how we can turn your disappointment into a win, as we are here to assist at any time. Hope this helps.
I love the product, comfy and cool to wear. Special the apron really love it with the design.
Store owner replied:
Hi Phillip, thanks for taking the time to leave your comment - glad that you appreciate the quality of the apron which is made here in Australia. You're absolutely correct, this is lightweight denim as we mention on the website. Although it feels lightweight, these aprons last for many years and are absolutely loved by our chefs and I hope that they'll become a firm favourite of yours too. I'm here to assist with any questions you may have.
Store owner replied:
That's great to know that the aprons are comfortable to wear, thanks Nika, your comment is very much appreciated.
I was excited to order and received my 100% organic cotton chef Jackets and Aprons but was disappointed to find that there is a 2% spandex (Lycra) which takes away from the organic that you promote so strongly. Is there a reason for this and why isn’t it on your website under fabric content.
As far as I know the addition of spandex to your products takes it away from the circular economy as it is a synthetic material and makes the whole garment no recyclable.
I have been a chef for over 30 years and don’t think I have ever come across a chefs Jacket with spandex in it (polyester yes) A good fit should make putting a stretch material unnecessary.
Store owner replied:
Hi Sion, Thank you for your review. You are 100% correct, and I personally take full responsibility for this. We have added the fabric content this morning on all products. I can assure you we don't intend to mislead anyone - it was an oversight when changing the product descriptions recently. The 98% cotton is certified organic cotton. The 2% addition of spandex is woven in as when we worked with chefs to develop the collection, they wanted an element of stretch in the garments to allow the garments to be more tailored but move with the wearer to make them super comfortable. I will also email you directly to assist further.
Love it so light weight and breezy good for working in a fast paced kitchen wile still looking sharp cheer
Store owner replied:
Yay! That's great to hear that you're loving the softness of the fabric. Thanks for letting us know and may you enjoy wearing them for many shifts. xxx
This is probably theee best fitting and comfy jacket I’ve ever owned! I’m going to order a few more in the new year!
Thanks again guys for being so easy about the return due to them not fitting properly!
Thanks
Store owner replied:
You chose well Amanda! So glad he loves the fit and comfort of it. Thanks for letting us know.
Very flattering shirt. My only comment would be that the small is quite small. I’m a straight size 8 and I feel this is more like a size 6.5-7. But I’m still very happy with it.
Store owner replied:
Glad you like the flattering fit of this chef shirt Kaye. Thanks for letting us know about the sizing, we will consider this if we repeat this style in the future.
I have been a professionally trained cook for the past 40 years, so I have come through the traditional whites in a brigade system.
So far one of the best aprons / gear you can see some thought has been put into the design
Very nice
Les
Store owner replied:
Thank YOU Mr Leslie. Sorry you had to wait 40 years to wear "one of the best" but glad you found Cream Collection eventually. Enjoy every moment wearing the gear.
Was a present for my son. He is very happy with it.
Store owner replied:
Thanks Bea for your 5 star review, glad you love the comfort of the chef shirt. Enjoy!
I purchased the white Jo apron. Great quality apron, however the design was slightly different from the other photos of the same apron in different colours. I would prefer the pen pocket to be straight at the top (rather than slanted) and from an aesthetic standpoint I wasn’t fan of the round ring on the neck strap (but that’s probably me being picky)
Store owner replied:
Hi Andrew, Thanks for your 4 star review. I'll contact you about the images as the image of the white apron is as per the image on our website. The reason the pocket opening is slanted is that it is designed for ergonomic reasons, but we understand that every wearer has their personal preferences. Hope you are enjoying the comfort and fit of the apron. Thanks again.
Store owner replied:
Thank you Philipp! What a lovely review you have given, we appreciate it and glad that you are happy with the "insane quality" Thank you again.
