The Sirius effect:

Sirius is always looking for a cleaner, greener way to do things.  The result is always something that makes a difference to the planet, even if there is no difference for the consumer.

Climate change

it’s the biggest crisis that we’re facing as a planet. The year 2019 was the second hottest year on record. The entire continent of Australia seems to be on fire and grasshoppers feed on East Africa.  Polar bears, lacking sea ice, are making their way to towns around the Arctic circle, looking for rest and prey.  Every day, it seems, there is a new story about how climate change is affecting our world.

The news has a way of making bad situations seem even worse, but climate change is actually speeding up:  As the polar ice caps melt, the earth’s ability to reflect solar energy back into the space is diminished; while ice reflects 80% of the solar energy back into space, water absorbs 90% of the solar energy as heat.  Less heat reflection and more heat absorption mean exponentially more warming. This has consequences for life everywhere, as (relatively) hot water can disrupt entire ecosystems, and has potentially drastic consequences for weather.

The question is “What can we do?” Most people want to do their part, however small it may be. Getting rid of plastic bags and taking public transport instead of driving are two things that are simple and uncontroversial. But it can be hard for consumers to make the right decisions.  The supply chains that provide us with everyday goods are complex, and if something is labeled as “sustainable”, it doesn’t necessarily mean that it is.  Parts of a product may be sustainably produced, and mixed with other products that are not.  Is some sustainability better than none? What do you think?  But what if all products could be sustainably produced?

Sirius developed three cleaning products that are entirely plant-based, making them truly sustainable:  Ethoxybrite EFA, which uses bioethanol and sustainably-harvested palm kernel oil;  Ethoxybrite SLES, which also uses bioethanol, naturally-sourced sulfur, and sustainably-harvested palm kernel oil; and the Britens APG products, which are made from sugar and sustainably-harvested palm kernel oil.

The ethoxylene oxide in the Ethoxybrite products is derived from excess sugar cane, and does not affect food production.  In fact, these leftovers are used as a fuel source.  Alternative species of corn, which are not fit for human consumption, are used to create the sugars that make up the backbone of the Britens APG line.

But Sirius is always on the lookout for better ways to do things.  Yes, we are currently using only RSPO-certified palm kernel oil in all of the products that use it, but what if there was a way to skip using crude/virgin palm oil altogether?  What if the answer were right under our noses the whole time?

Stay tuned for next month’s newsletter.

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+31(0)355485898 | info@siriusint.com | http://www.siriusint.com

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