Aloe Vera Face Scrub

1. Sustainable Ingredients:

• Aloe Vera: Aloe Vera is a highly sustainable plant due to its low water requirements, rapid growth, and minimal need for chemical inputs such as pesticides and fertilizers. Aloe Vera is often grown in arid regions where other crops may struggle, making it an eco-friendly choice for skincare products.
• Exfoliants: If natural exfoliants like crushed apricot seeds, walnut shells, or sugar are used instead of microplastics, the product avoids contributing to plastic pollution in waterways. These natural exfoliants are biodegradable and environmentally friendly.

2. Eco-Friendly Farming Practices:

• Sustainable farming practices, such as organic farming, are often employed in the cultivation of Aloe Vera and other natural ingredients. Organic farming avoids synthetic chemicals, reducing soil degradation, and promoting biodiversity, which contributes to a lower environmental impact.

3. Minimal Processing:

• Aloe Vera gel is extracted with minimal processing, which helps maintain the integrity of the plant’s nutrients and reduces the energy required for processing. This minimal processing contributes to a lower carbon footprint compared to synthetic or heavily processed ingredients.

4. Packaging Considerations:

• If the product uses recyclable, biodegradable, or reusable packaging, this also significantly lowers its carbon footprint. Packaging is a major contributor to the environmental impact of personal care products, and eco-friendly packaging solutions help reduce waste and energy consumption.

5. Local Sourcing:

• Sourcing Aloe Vera and other ingredients locally can reduce transportation emissions, which is a significant part of a product's carbon footprint. When ingredients are transported over long distances, the carbon emissions associated with their transportation increase. Local sourcing minimizes this impact.

6. Renewable Energy Use:

• If the manufacturing process utilizes renewable energy sources like solar or wind power, the overall carbon footprint of the product is significantly reduced. Companies that prioritize renewable energy in their production processes contribute less to greenhouse gas emissions.

Scientific Justification:

• Carbon Sequestration by Aloe Vera: Aloe Vera plants have the ability to sequester carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, which can offset some of the carbon emissions associated with their cultivation and processing.
• Life Cycle Assessment (LCA): LCA studies on natural skincare products often show lower environmental impacts compared to synthetic alternatives due to the reduced energy requirements and the absence of harmful chemicals. Aloe Vera, being a low-impact crop, further enhances the sustainability profile of such products.

1. Raw Material Extraction and Cultivation

• Aloe Vera Cultivation:
  • Carbon Sequestration: Aloe Vera plants sequester carbon, but energy inputs for irrigation, harvesting, and processing must be considered.
  • Energy Use: Minimal, especially if the cultivation is organic (no synthetic fertilizers/pesticides).
• Exfoliants (e.g., apricot seeds, walnut shells):
  • Cultivation: Similar considerations as Aloe Vera, focusing on energy for growth and harvesting.
  • Processing: Crushing and grinding are low-energy processes.
• Other Ingredients:
  • Carrier oils or preservatives (if any): These may have a higher carbon footprint depending on extraction and processing methods.

2. Manufacturing

• Processing of Aloe Vera Gel:
  • Energy Use: Generally low, but processing plants may use energy for extraction, stabilization, and packaging.
• Blending and Mixing:
  • Energy Use: Mechanical mixing typically consumes low amounts of energy.

3. Packaging

• Material:
  • Plastic (if used): Approximately 6 kg CO₂e per kg of plastic produced.
  • Glass or Biodegradable: Glass has a higher footprint per kg (around 0.9-2.0 kg CO₂e per kg) but may be offset by recyclability. Biodegradable packaging may have a lower impact.
• Production:
  • Energy Use: Depends on the type of packaging, but generally involves energy for molding, filling, and labeling.

4. Transportation

• Distribution of Raw Materials:
  • Local vs. Imported: Transportation emissions vary greatly. For example, shipping by sea emits about 0.02 kg CO₂e per ton-kilometer, while air freight can be as high as 2.0 kg CO₂e per ton-kilometer.
• Distribution to Retailers:
  • Truck Transport: Typically around 0.1-0.2 kg CO₂e per ton-kilometer.

5. Usage

• Consumer Use:
  • Water for Rinsing: Minimal impact, but should be considered.

6. End-of-Life

• Packaging Disposal:
  • Recycling: Lower carbon footprint if packaging is recycled.
  • Landfill: Higher carbon footprint due to methane emissions from biodegradation.

Estimation Approach

• Aloe Vera Extraction and Processing: 0.1 kg CO₂e per unit.
• Natural Exfoliants Processing: 0.05 kg CO₂e per unit.
• Manufacturing Energy: 0.2 kg CO₂e per unit.
• Packaging (Plastic, 50g): 0.3 kg CO₂e per unit.
• Transportation: 0.1 kg CO₂e per unit (local sourcing assumed).

Total Carbon Footprint Per Unit

• Sum of All Stages:
  • $0.1+0.05+0.2+0.3+0.1=0.75$ kg CO₂e per unit of product.

References & Supporting Studies:

1. Aloe Vera Cultivation and Sustainability: A study published in the Journal of Medicinal Plants Research highlighted the low water and nutrient requirements of Aloe Vera, making it a sustainable crop for arid regions .
2. Environmental Impact of Natural Exfoliants: Research comparing the environmental impacts of natural versus synthetic exfoliants has shown that natural exfoliants have a significantly lower environmental impact, particularly in terms of biodegradability and marine pollution .
3. Packaging Sustainability: Studies in the Journal of Cleaner Production emphasize the importance of sustainable packaging in reducing the carbon footprint of cosmetic products. Packaging innovations like biodegradable plastics and recycled materials are critical in this regard .