Why the Paint Industry Should 'Go Green' Going green means to live life in a way that is friendly to the environment and the earth as a whole

What it Means to "Go Green'

Nowadays, going green goes beyond the traditional definition of recycling goods; the term "to go green' means much more than just recycling.

Going green means to live life in a way that is friendly to the environment and the earth as a whole. It could also mean contributing towards maintaining the natural ecological balance in the environment, and preserving the planet and its natural systems and resources. Overall, people who go green take steps to minimize the harm that they do to the environment, such as the carbon footprints they leave behind.

Globally, a report from 2014 says that 55% of consumers across 60 countries are willing to pay higher prices for goods from environmentally conscious companies.

Going green means to live life in a way that is friendly to the environment and the earth as a whole. It could also mean contributing towards maintaining the natural ecological balance in the environment, and preserving the planet and its natural systems and resources. Overall, people who go green take steps to minimize the harm that they do to the environment, such as the carbon footprints they leave behind.

Globally, a report from 2014 says that 55% of consumers across 60 countries are willing to pay higher prices for goods from environmentally conscious companies.

The Importance of Going Green

There are multiple reasons to adopt a "go green' attitude:

• Environmental Issues

Environmental concerns are the most predominant among all the issues we face today; toxins have leached out of industry facilities and factories into water supplies such as streams, rivers and oceans. As a result, marine and aquatic life have. Seafood and fresh water fish are nowadays deemed too dangerous to eat due to having accumulated levels of mercury and other deadly chemicals.

• Pesticides

Pesticides used to kill insects on vegetables and fruits tend to persist even after vegetables and fruits have been harvested. These harsh chemicals, when consumed, have long-lasting detrimental effects on humans, especially children. Much of the residue of these pesticides seep into the food, past the outer skin, and remain in the inner fruit which is consumed by humans. Although the legal allowance of pesticides used in the growing of foods is still considered to be "safe" for human consumption, continued exposure to pesticides could lead to serious health problems in human beings.

• Energy Reasons

The use of oil by industrialized nations is responsible for a large portion of the air, water and food pollution in the world. Alternative energy that is renewable, sustainable and has little to zero harmful side-effects is called "green energy". This includes such resources as biomass, fuel cells, hydro, solar, wind, tidal waves and thermal forms of harnessing the earth's natural elements.

• Paint Products

The paint manufacturing industry also has the scope to adopt an eco-friendly approach to its products. Currently, the industry has developed many chemicals to enhance various properties of the product, such as shelf life, colour, and texture, to name a few. The constituents of conventional paints may include formaldehyde, heavy metals and other substances known as volatile organic compounds, or VOCs for short. VOCs are emitted while painting, and up to 5 years after the brushes used to paint themwith have dried.

Once these substances enter the air we inhale, they can gain entry into our lungs and create a toxic effect on our bodies.

The Benefits — Short and Long-term — of Going Green

• Stop Small Waste from Adding Up Over Time

The main realization that makes even smaller companies go green is that small amounts of waste progressively build up. Therefore, wasting less will eventually have huge savings. Businesses realize that turning off a computer instead of leaving it on standby leads to substantial savings on their electricity bills.

• Save Money by Going Digital

Printing documents costs a lot of money in ink and paper. Although that cost may seem small initially, it quickly adds up, particularly regarding ink. Moreover, it causes substantial damage to the environment, since paper is made from trees — a lot of them. However, most of the documents circulated in a business can be delivered in digital form instead of paper.

• Go Green without Demolishing Your Budget

It is possible to become eco-friendly without spending a lot of money. For starters, you can start changing things from the inside, by adopting green policies, such as recycling. Find ways to engage your staff so that they get involved with your green policies.

Many companies start their green initiatives without trying to engage their average worker, resulting in less than optimal outcomes.

At the onset of global warming and drastic climate changes, there arises an urgent need for people to adopt a "green' way of living, from both an individual as well as a business point of view.