ABCD खबर

Roshan Sapkota

11^th May, 2023, From our heads to our feet, from shampoos to skin care, we use all sorts of natural organic products in our daily lives. In these recent years, they are becoming increasingly popular among women and popular among men as well. These products have taken the market by storm as people are boycotting these natural level products over other conventional products thinking that it is much safer and healthier for their body and environment and less harmful to animals. But there is a complex and disturbing reality about these so-called “natural” products, as we closely examine these products and their associated supply chains.

When people hear the word “natural”, they frequently think about something that is healthy, secure, and right for the surroundings. The word “natural” means that a product is free from artificial or harmful chemicals to human body and is extracted from natural resources such as plants or minerals. People tend to see these natural products being healthier, more secure and they get the feeling of contributing for the better surroundings. But the reality is quite different. Despite its beautiful branding and marketing of these natural products, they are not usually as natural and secure as people think about it. The labeling of the word, “natural” is itself not restricted and they regularly lead to greenwashing, as many companies use this labeling even though they frequently use such artificial components or chemical substances. This often results in a fake perception of them being healthier and more secure which they might not be. Just the labeling of a product as “natural” doesn’t imply that its absolutely free from synthesized chemical substances. In fact, most of them contains potentially dangerous substances which can result in health issues, consisting of hormonal disruption, allergies, infections and cancer as well.

We got common ingredients like lavender and tree oils which are used in natural care products, but they can have side effects as they can cause hormonal imbalance. Other ingredients like synthetic fragrances are mostly made with petroleum by-products that are harmful to your body causing health issues. Similarly, we got other ingredients like SLS (Sodium lauryl sulfate), propylene glycol and Triclosan which are often found in skincare products, usually have adverse effects on our skin such as irritation, allergies and other skin problems.

The production of natural products isn’t quite safer for the environment either. The cultivation of the natural ingredients often leads to negative impact on the environment. For example, the mass production of palm-oil is one of the leading causes for deforestation and habitat destruction. Likewise, the mass production of cocoa and soy is found for illegal activities such as child labor, slavery and displacement of many indigenous people. Even the transportation and packing of these natural products is affecting the environment adversely. The carbon emission from the trucks and planes that transport these natural ingredients are one of the leading causes for the global warming and green-house effect. Also, the excessive use of plastics and other non-recyclable materials for the packaging is leading for environmental pollution.

The production process itself is causing social problems in the environment due to its high demand of these natural products. This leads to a high demand for raw materials which causes the risk for exploitation of vulnerable vegetation where the labor and environmental regulations are not strict and severe. That’s why, they tend to follow same manufacturing processes as conventional products by using petroleum by-products and other harmful chemicals. Due to its high demand, they are mostly expensive and majority of the people get in a pinch to buy these products. But people buy it anyway despite being costly because the branding and marketing is often there for greenwashing customers.

Despite having these problems in natural products, there are actually good sides of it. Since their main goal is to keep our body healthy and safe while keeping the environment safe, many companies is being concerned about the issues and trying to fix it by adopting sustainable and reasonable practices. They are looking for raw materials that are easy to cultivate with minimal damages to the environment. They are looking for alternative packaging methods that are eco-friendly by using recyclable and biodegradable materials. Many companies are starting to clearly label all the ingredients and sourcing process for the transparency. Also, companies are being held accountable for the social and environmental impacts by their products. If people become more aware about these issues and act accordingly, we can definitely make a better future for everyone with healthy, safe body and good environment to live in.