environmental issues Flashcards
adv of being environmentally friendly
-The organisation plays a part in looking after the environment that will hopefully sustain their activities for the future
-Having a positive effect in the environment will ensure the organisation gains a positive reputation
-Awards can be granted for being ‘environmentally friendly’ which can be used for promotional purposes
-Renewable energies save costs in the long run as fuels such as oil, petrol or gas don’t need to be paid for
disadvantages of being environmentally friendly
-Investment in environmentally friendly measures will be expensive in the short term (eg. installing solar panels)
-New procedures may have to be adapted to be more environmentally friendly, which can take time
-Most environmentally friendly procedures rely on the natural environment, which may not be sufficient (eg. Lack of wind, solar energy)
describe the term carbon footprint
This refers to the impact that using fossil fuels, such as oil and gas, has on the environment.
examples of ways a business can reduce their carbon footprint
-using alternative sources of ‘renewable’ energy, such as solar and wind, for example to power premises.
-using low emissions vehicles or EVs (electric vehicles) for deliveries and company cars.
-using altogether more environmentally friendly methods of distribution
what is meant by the term sustainable
refers to ensuring that the raw materials used by a business activity are not being depleted.
As well as respecting the natural environment and gaining a good reputation, this will ensure that businesses can source raw materials in the future.
examples of businesses being sustainable
-replanting raw materials that are used in production (eg. trees)
-reusing or recycling materials to be used in production
-sustainable resources,(eg. sustainable fishing limits the amount of fish that can be caught in an area to allow the fish to breed and naturally replenish.
-utilising renewable energies.
why should businesses reduce their waste
Reducing waste helps the environment but is also a legal responsibility to store, transport and dispose of waste without harming the environment.
how do businesses ensure they are disposing of waste properly
Segregate waste appropriately
Store waste appropriately
Transport waste appropriately
what are the ways that packaging could be environmentally friendly
-being reusable. This means the packaging can be used again in its current format (eg. ‘bags for life’ or Barr’s glass bottles being re-filled and sold again)
-being recyclable. This means the packaging can be recycled easily into something else, saving the use of fresh raw materials (eg. Lush recycle their plastic containers into scarves)
-being biodegradable. This means used packaging can break down more easily (eg. many businesses are now replacing plastic straws with paper ones, which gives them good PR)
