FARMLANDS FOR PLASTICS, TEXTILES, DYES OR FOOD: ARE BIO-BASED MATERIALS REALLY SUSTAINABLE?

摘要

This presentation aims to contribute to an honest dialog on sustainability of oil-based vs bio-based materials in a consumer context that often includes significant "greenwashing" based on misinformation. This consumer context has raised consumers' expectations and has put undue burden on many industries and in particular on the plastic and textile industries. Textile companies have tried to find a niche or "green" appeal in this increasingly competitive market; therefore, some are using labels such as "Sustainable", "Eco-friendly", "Eco-fashions" etc. As a result of high competition and low margin of profit, some companies have adapted practices such as creative marking and creative reporting/labeling that makes the consumer feel good about a "sustainable" choice, while the carbon footprint, or overall environmental impact, of the products or their production processes on the environment is not significantly better, and in some cases is even worse, than the alternative. Therefore, consumers either have false assumptions about the products they purchase, or are receiving conflicting information and are confused. Consumers are not the only ones that are confused; some members of industry have a hard time sorting out information on sustainability and, in turn, making decisions about where to invest their resources to create more sustainable products. This presentation will attempt to shed some light on these issues and raise some serious questions.