#Japan #Osaka #carbon footprint #BOTANIST #plant diversity

Celebrating a Decade of Botanical Living with BOTANIST

October 2023 marks a significant milestone for the botanical lifestyle brand BOTANIST, managed by I-ne Co., Ltd., based in Osaka. As part of their ten-year celebration leading up to 2025, the brand has launched videos aimed at educating consumers about the Carbon Footprint (CFP) and the importance of plant diversity, coinciding with SDGs Week at the end of September.

Understanding Carbon Footprint

The concept of the Carbon Footprint refers to the total greenhouse gas emissions, particularly in terms of carbon dioxide (CO₂), associated with a product throughout its lifecycle, from material sourcing to disposal. Notably, BOTANIST has developed content to visualize these emissions, which helps identify key areas for reduction and encourages consumers to opt for low-carbon products. This transparency is essential for achieving carbon neutrality.

Since its inception, the guiding philosophy of BOTANIST has been to live harmoniously with plants, promoting a sustainable environment where humans and nature can thrive together. Their commitment includes using eco-friendly biomaterials for packaging and investing in reforestation projects.

Understanding the CFP of products empowers consumers to make environmentally conscious decisions, thereby contributing to CO₂ reductions. Thus, BOTANIST produced educational videos and a dedicated website to enhance awareness of carbon footprints among consumers. The video compares the CO₂ emissions associated with a standard bottle of their shampoo and its refill. It found that refills generate less CO₂ overall, highlighting how most emissions occurred during usage at home, accounting for 90% of the total. This realization reinforces the significance of small actions, like reducing shower temperature or shortening usage time, as steps towards environmental sustainability.

For more detailed information on this initiative, visit their website.

The Necessity of Plant Diversity

Furthermore, the BOTANIST Foundation supports environmental conservation through grants to initiatives like the C.W. Nicol Afan Forest Foundation in Nagano Prefecture. Afan Forest is renowned for its diverse flora and fauna. In their video, they interview Wataru Osawa, the foundation's secretary, emphasizing the significance of plant diversity in Japan’s forest ecosystem, and how losing this diversity would threaten human survival.

The Benefits of Forest Bathing

Additionally, forest bathing is highlighted in discussions with Tsunenori Kawanishi, a certified forest medical trainer. The therapeutic effects of being in nature are backed by scientific evidence, stating that elements such as phytoncides, 1/f fluctuation motions, and high-frequency sounds contribute positively to human health. The revitalizing atmosphere of the forest is vital for alleviating stress in our fast-paced lives, making it an essential sanctuary for modern individuals.

For further insights, check out their journal article.

Commitment to Sustainability

BOTANIST actively engages in various sustainable initiatives.

Product Initiatives

• - Utilizing eco-friendly packaging and materials.
• - Approximately 20 million biomass PET products made from plant-based ingredients sold, alongside 30 million refill products made from recycled PET, expected to reach those numbers by 2025.
• - To minimize waste, they have opened BOTANIST Factory outlets, collectively selling around 1 million units by 2022.

Community Collaborations

In partnership with the more trees organization, BOTANIST supports projects that focus on creating diverse forests, contributing to SDG 15 for land preservation.

For more details on BOTANIST's sustainability efforts, visit their sustainability site.

BOTANIST symbolizes the harmony between humanity and nature, embodying a movement towards simpler, more deliberate living. Born from the recognition that true richness lies in our relationship with nature, the brand continues its vital role in advocating for ecological responsibility.

For more information, visit their official website or follow them on Instagram and X.