JAY Partners Oy

One hundred percent bio-based, totally plastics free, made completely from renewable resources.

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These slogans are typically used for various sustainable products available today. I have often encountered companies that are developing some novel products who state that their product must be 100% made from fossil free raw materials - nothing less will do.

 

This is understandable as 100% renewable sounds at least 100% better than product made from 50% renewable materials. If we continue to consume as much materials as we are doing today, we know that it is impossible to replace all fossil plastics or fuels with bio-based substitutes as there simply isn’t enough sustainable raw materials for that.

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Setting the bar high for sustainability targets is needed and something we all should pursue professionally and personally but a touch of realism wouldn’t hurt. If a doctor says to me that you should reduce your meat eating and instead eat more vegetables and plant protein, I find the advice much easier to accept and follow than if the same doctor says that you must become a vegetarian.

 

When we are told that to stop the climate change, we need to stop driving a car, flying in a plane or eating meat, it sounds impossible, we just can’t imagine a life without these. I have heard that when a person buys a plug-in hybrid car, it quickly becomes a habit to try minimise the use of gasoline by driving as economically as possible and planning the daily logistics in a way there is time to recharge the car battery during the day.

 

I believe we should all be motivated to reduce our consumption and personal carbon, water, land and other footprints. This is not going to happen by setting targets we can’t relate at all with. To me a competition who reduces gasoline, meat and plastics consumption the most sounds much better. Replacing unsustainable materials and products is the ultimate goal I agree, but let’s start the journey by reducing the consumption first.

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Jaakko Jokinen