FACULTY OF ARTS AND HUMANITIES

Environmental issues are known as the practical problems incurred in the planet’s system due to the over-involvement of human beings. The mistreatment by individuals of the Planet Earth is the common reason for environmental issues. These issues do not just harm the earth but are also responsible for impacting every being and every industry one way or the other.  Businesses are also under severe threat due to environmental issues. They are also contributing somehow to the environmental problems such as through an immense competition pressure as in the competitors are using low-cost imports whereas if someone uses high ethical standards then that business will face disadvantages in the face of high costs and low profits.

In the study by Kolk (2016), international businesses were taken into consideration concerning their social responsibilities ranging from ethics to the environment. The journal of world business is used to study the social responsibilities issue, which is highlighted for the last 50 years. The study shows how different formulations of social responsibility with international business works according to the three basic themes which are atmosphere, ethics, and sustainable growth. 

The main issue faced by the world today is pollution caused by various industries and businesses. The air emissions cause a’ significant contribution to the air pollution which is effecting every individual and the whole world as the harmful air is mixed into the lungs of the human being through respiration and also is disastrous for the greenery of the land.

In the study by Fecht et al. (2015), air pollution is studied in association with socioeconomic characteristics of the UK. The city level in England of air pollution is considered with their respective concentrations which are believed to be higher in deprived areas. The two most polluted gases were compared, which is the particulate matter with nitrogen dioxide to assess the core responsibility for air pollution. The results depicted how there is a higher concentration of polluted gases in the deprived areas of England. The inequality in air pollution was a problem from the urban area specially directed from the transport of the city.

Furthermore a book written by Manahan (2017) discusses how industrial ecology is responsible for waste that is hazardous and harmful for the world interlinking it with industrial ecology which is a favourable concept in order to solve the environment-related problems in such a style that is equivalent to the ecological frameworks in nature, modern biology gives a generous expansion to the innovations of environmental science.

Not only pollution is a significant problem incurred by businesses but industries polluting the land with intoxicants is another form of pollution. Land pollution can take on the earth through leakage of fuels and energy resources, contamination of soil, groundwater pollution, etc.

In the study by Harris et al. (2016) environmental impacts of exploration of petroleum and drilling are undertaken. Despite having immense positive effects, there are specific adverse effects as well, such as leakages during transportation or carrying of the oil or petroleum Rupture or spillage of oils. Moreover, direct harm to the ocean bottom is brought about by the grapples used to hold the apparatus used for mining in place. Boring requires the utilization of grease (penetrating mud) and the transfer of drill cuttings onto the seabed at the drill site.

The issue of carbon emission through business activities are labelled as the most harmful ones. The fashion cooperations are more prone to emit carbon than the travel industries and shipping ones too. As buyers overall purchase more garments, the developing business sector for modest things and new styles is negatively affecting the earth. By and large, individuals purchased 60% a higher number of pieces of clothing in 2014. Style creation makes up 10% of mankind’s carbon discharges, evaporates water sources, and dirties waterways and streams.  (Mc-Fall Johnsen, 2019)

As indicated by The Waste and Resources Action Program (WRAP) – philanthropy that works with administrations, establishments, and networks to progress asset productivity leads to £140m worth of attire wastage into landfills every year uprising the land pollution. (Young, 2019)

There are various solutions scribbled down through the businesses to create awareness such as the article by Gabbatiss (2019) illustrates how many officials dig out ways to deal with the deadly uprising pollution such as 12-month policy has been shown by Professor Frank Kelly the owner of environment and health centre of London. Also, the introduction of Single and Double-decker busses enhanced the air value on the routes.

Starbucks, despite already engaging in eco-friendly products, has further planned on eliminating the use of plastics at all, be it in the forms of straw. Once completely actualized, the approach will dispense with 1bn plastic straws every year from making a beeline for landfills and have an impact in sparing the assessed 100,000 warm-blooded creatures who bite the dust every year from ingesting or getting tangled in plastic waste, especially in the sea and on seashores.

(Sampathkumar, 2019)

Natural architects are utilizing their creative minds to tidy up the earth and produce riches from burn through simultaneously. Pollution caused by air, water, and land can be used to create some valuable things apart from just cleaning. These things will be helpful to earthearth, and we will be able to obtain useful products from the waste before thoroughly cleaning the mess through which not only the earth will be benefitted, but human will also have some treasury (Sotenko, 2019)

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Reference list

Fecht, D., Fischer, P., Fortunato, L., Hoek, G., de Hoogh, K., Marra, M., … & Hansell, A. (2015). Associations between air pollution and socioeconomic characteristics, ethnicity and age profile of neighbourhoods in England and the Netherlands. Environmental pollution, 198, 201-210 retrieved from https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0269749114005144

Gabbatiss, J. (2019). Radical solutions to the air pollution crisis from around the world. Retrieved 29 November 2019, from https://www.independent.co.uk/environment/air-pollution-solutions-crisis-radical-world-london-uk-beijing-shanghai-delhi-a8191411.html

Harris, P., Alo, B., Bera, A., Bradshaw, M., Coakley, B., Einar Grosvik, B., … & Singh, A. (2016). Offshore Hydrocarbon industries. The First Global Integrated Marine Assessment. United Nations, New York retrieved from file:///C:/Users/pc10/Downloads/WOACompilation.pdf

Kolk, A. (2016). The social responsibility of international business: From ethics and the environment to CSR and sustainable development. Journal of World Business, 51(1), 23-34 retrieved from https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1090951615000632

Manahan, S. E. (2017). Industrial ecology: environmental chemistry and hazardous waste. Routledge retrieved from https://www.taylorfrancis.com/books/9780203751091

Mc-Fall Johnsen, M. (2019). The fashion industry emits more carbon than international flights and maritime shipping combined. Here are the biggest ways it impacts the planet. Retrieved 29 November 2019, from https://www.businessinsider.com/fast-fashion-environmental-impact-pollution-emissions-waste-water-2019-10

Sampathkumar, M. (2019). Starbucks will stop using plastic straws by 2020. Retrieved 29 November 2019, from https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/starbucks-drinking-straw-plastic-environment-drink-recycle-waste-a8438861.html

Young, S. (2019). A guide to choosing eco-friendly fabrics for your wardrobe. Retrieved 29 November 2019, from https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/fashion/fabrics-environment-fast-fashion-eco-friendly-pollution-waste-polyester-cotton-fur-recycle-a8963921.html

Sotenko, M. (2019). Wealth from waste: How pollution can be turned into something useful. Retrieved 29 November 2019, from https://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/plants-recycling-pollution-waste-renew-climate-change-environment-a8867296.html