The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the world’s authority on climate change, recently released its report for the 2020 decade and it has a clear message: There is an urgency to take more ambitious action to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions—and only if we act now will we secure a liveable, sustainable future for all.
Log in to view the full article
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the world’s authority on climate change, recently released its report for the 2020 decade and it has a clear message: There is an urgency to take more ambitious action to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions—and only if we act now will we secure a liveable, sustainable future for all.
We often read about our carbon emissions and how that translates into our carbon footprint, or that of a business or product. But, do you know how a carbon footprint is measured, and what it means for our spa and wellness businesses?
Measuring a Carbon Footprint
A carbon footprint is a practical measure of the impact that certain activities have on the environment and on climate change. It also relates to the generation of greenhouse gases that insulate our planet and prevent heat from escaping into the outer atmosphere, thereby gradually heating the surface of the planet further.
This increasing surface temperature is causing havoc with global climatic conditions, resulting in ice caps and glaciers melting, increased ocean temperatures, droughts, flooding and other severe weather anomalies. Nowadays, rarely a week goes by without extreme nature events breaking world news.
Greenhouse gases are produced largely by industrial activity, but their prevalence also reflects everyday human activities. Electricity generation through the burning of fossil fuels is one of the biggest culprits, followed closely by exhaust emissions from millions of internal combustion engines in cars, trucks, aircrafts, motor cars—the whole transportation industry.
Other industrial processes that may seem insignificant on a local scale but contribute significantly to greenhouse gas output include manufacturing, agriculture, storage, recycling and waste disposal.
A carbon footprint is expressed in equivalent tons of either carbon dioxide (CO2) or carbon (1000 kg of CO2 equals 270 kg of carbon). This is typically the release in weight of either substance into the atmosphere, having been released from its solid form within the earth.
Related: 5 Easy Steps to Make Your Spa Carbon Neutral
Our Industry’s Contribution
While it is true that most global emissions are attributable to the world’s largest companies, small and medium companies make up roughly 90% of businesses worldwide. There is also a close interconnectedness between large and small entities along the supply chain.
The spa industry is as connected to the agricultural and petroleum industry as any other; therein lies our obligation to do our part.
It is imperative to develop climate change resilience company by company, person by person, by achieving ever diminishing carbon footprints. In the process, individual spa businesses will benefit from proactively leading industry competitors, pre-empting carbon regulation and shifting consumer demands—while potentially avoiding institutional funding restrictions and high staff turnover.
Where to Start?
There are several carbon calculators available that can assist our businesses in determining their carbon footprint. One was developed locally by Food and Trees for Africa, which calculates the CO2 emitted by any business process or travel method, then assigns the number of trees that should be planted to offset that amount of carbon. Trees and plants are wonderful carbon sequesters! As a tree grows, it stores more and more carbon.
A viable reduction target is to decrease emissions by 50% by 2030, and achieve net zero by 2050. A calculation exercise is not, however, a pre-requisite before carbon reduction action can begin. There are plenty of carbon-reducing steps that we can take to start the process right away.
Go local: Support your communities and local practices. When it comes to imported products, remember that the transport and likely additional packaging requirements result in a much larger carbon footprint than those produced and supplied in local areas.
Travel lightly: Cars contribute significantly to global warming. Promote alternative transport methods such as mass transport, walking and cycling with your spa staff and guests. Allocate the most attractive parking bays to electric cars and motorcycles.
Consider your bank: Many banks continue to finance fossil fuel projects, and therefore, continue to fund the perpetuation of the climate crisis. Consider switching to a bank that supports sustainability and offers green loans to those seeking to address climate change.
Buy quality: Good quality products last longer and do not end up as waste. Processing waste is energy demanding and often gives rise to harmful gas emissions.
Offer food in season: Fruits and vegetables that are grown and harvested seasonally not only taste better and cost less than imported foods, but they are generally more nutritious.
Grow your own: Apart from the delight in offering veggies from your spa garden to guests, you can guarantee them that they will eat food produced without industrial processes. Start small with herb seedlings from your local nursery, in pots that the spa chef can keep near the kitchen and expand as confidence grows.
Reduce meat consumption: The production of meat products is energy-, water- and resource-intensive. One sometimes forgets that the process involves the production, manufacturing and processing of animal feeds and their transport to feedlots for consumption; the transportation of animals to abattoirs; and then the processing, packaging and transportation of the meat products to the consumer. These processes also cause a significant amount of waste and pollution, particularly when compared with the production of fruit and vegetables.
Reduce and recycle spa waste: The energy wasted in producing relatively purposeless products that ultimately end in a bin, in addition to the methane given off in landfill sites, are significant contributors to our carbon footprint. Reduce wasted packaging by buying in bulk and avoiding products with excessive packaging. For example, recycling a glass bottle saves 0.5 kg of carbon versus making a brand new one. Composting and recycling where possible can reduce the carbon emitted by disposal of spa waste by 40%.
Charné le Roux, sustainability expert and GSN Planet Board Member, combines her knowledge as a commercial lawyer and green building specialist to develop tools such as the Sustainable Spa Practitioner Course and the GSN Greenspa Calculator. Also the founder and CEO of Greenspa Africa, she currently serves on the Global Wellness Institute’s SDG Initiative.
