Summary
Eco-efficiency is a system that allows optimizing the production processes of the company without exceeding the use of natural and energy resources, as well as minimizing damage to the environment and generating economically competitive products in the market, organic production is a type of eco-efficient system since its production mechanism is friendly to the environment as well as benefiting all those involved in the process.
Introduction
Organic production is an eco-efficient manufacturing system that many companies have adopted to adapt to the growing demand for organic products from today’s consumers. Through this essay, it is described how eco-efficiency is related to the production of organic food and the great benefits that generates both the environment and all those involved in the process and even the consumer.
Approach
To improve the productive processes of companies, it is currently necessary to implement an eco-efficiency program, to reduce all those leaks that represent the costs of poor quality, losses, accidents, and waste generated; that together lead the organization in a certain time to go through an economic crisis. For this reason, through this topic, the guidelines that an organization dedicated to the production of organic products must establish, to obtain an eco-efficient model that benefits all those involved and their environment, will be made known, seeking the opportunity to be competitive in the national market. and international.
Development
What is eco-efficiency?
“Eco-efficiency is the environmental strategy of reducing the impact of a product or service by increasing the efficiency of resource use” [ 1 ].
What is business eco-efficiency?
“Eco-efficiency is an administrative philosophy that drives companies to seek environmental improvements, in parallel with economic benefits. It focuses on business opportunities, and enables companies to be more environmentally responsible and profitable” [ 2 ].
What does organic mean and what are organic products?
“Organic is a term that defines the way in which food is grown and processed . ” Organic foods are grown and produced according to standards established by the National Organic Program. Farmers who produce organic food emphasize the use of renewable resources and soil and water conservation. In particular, “ organic food is produced without using most conventional and synthetic pesticides and fertilizers, including sewage, and without adding synthetic ingredients”. Food cannot be labeled organic if it is produced from genetically modified organisms or if it is irradiated. Organic meat, poultry, eggs, and dairy products come from animals that have not received antibiotics or growth hormones. In addition, it must be possible to identify and trace an organic product from its origin to its processing. The coexistence of organic and non-organic substances is not allowed during processing, storage, and transportation [ 3 ].
What is organic agriculture?
“Organic, ecological or biological agriculture is defined as a production system that uses natural inputs [rejects inputs of chemical synthesis (fertilizers, insecticides, pesticides) and genetically modified organisms] through special practices such as compost, green manures, biological control , natural repellents from plants, association and crop rotation, etc.” [ 4 ].
From our perspective, eco-efficiency is a tool that helps companies to improve their production processes; reducing costs and reducing the use of natural resources and the impact on the environment, to achieve the objective of eco-efficiency all areas of the company must be involved, and committed to the implementation of the system and obtain the expected results that are usually overall is reflected in economic benefits, not only for the organization but also for everyone involved. To carry out this system, the following activities must be carried out;
- Minimize the use of natural and energy resources
- Generate less waste (garbage)
- Reduce, reuse, and recycle.
The implementation of these activities is intended to minimize environmental pollution in such a way that we generate an impact on it. And at the same time, it motivates that productive activities have become more competitive with lower prices due to the decrease in resources and the application of ecological designs; making the processes cleaner and cheaper. This allows the company to adapt to the needs of the market. What can be said in summary: “produce more with less”.
Currently, most organizations are choosing to integrate an eco-efficient system into their processes to be competitive in the market and ensure their future in such a way that they do not exhaust the existing resources on the planet, seeking sustainability. As we well know, the market demands are changing, so the company has to adapt to the needs of the consumer, and one of the current demands is organic products.
The increase in organic consumption is because diseases have increased due to the consumption of products made from chemical preservatives or the use of chemical synthesis substances (fertilizers, insecticides, and pesticides) and genetically modified organisms in agriculture and livestock.
The terms eco-efficiency and organic production can be considered synonymous with each other, or even organic products can be defined as an eco-efficient production system derived from agriculture and livestock.
From this background, organic products are the result of the implementation of an eco-efficient system in which the environmental impact of agricultural and livestock practices is much less than the environmental impact that any company that implements eco-efficiency in its production processes can generate.
Organic production is of great benefit not only to the environment but also to the organization dedicated to this type of production, the personnel involved in the production process, and the consumers of organic products.
They have to ask how this type of production benefits all the aforementioned parties. In general, the benefits will be explained to each one of them.
Among the benefits that organic production brings to the environment we have the following:
- The use of chemical products (fertilizers, insecticides, pesticides) is avoided, which prevents the contamination of water (rivers, lakes, streams, and seas), soil, and air. In the special case of pests, the way to combat them in this type of production is through biological control, such as making natural repellents from plants.
- To a certain extent, it seeks to return nutrients to the earth, through the reuse of waste of vegetable and animal origin through compost, green manures, and leaching (degradation of organic matter through worms).
- To prevent soil erosion; use can be made of live barriers (the planting of vegetation) and dead barriers (the use of dead parts of trees and stones).
- Organic practices minimize the use and exploitation of resources to preserve them for future generations so that they can also satisfy their basic needs such as food.
The companies dedicated to the production of organic products have great economic benefits since the production of this class of products does not imply a strong capital investment because everything required for the production process is relatively cheap since most of it is obtained from nature and even of the same products that are generated; as is compost and natural pesticides. Possibly the largest investment made by this type of company is in staff and in obtaining the certification that validates them as organic products. The economic benefits of this type of company are reflected in the sale prices of their products since they are generally very high prices.
The personnel involved in the production of organic products benefit from the fact that fair trade intervenes in the trade of organic products, which aims to improve the quality of life of the worker as well as his entire family. The worker must receive fair pay for his work; The company must offer certain services for both him and his family, such as medical services, medicines, schools, and recreational centers.
Consumers of organic products greatly benefit their health, since this type of product, thanks to its production mechanisms, is free of any chemical substance that can harm human health in the long run, as well as being more nutritious as it has a higher concentration. of vitamins and minerals.
In short, coefficient and organic production go hand in hand since both aim to reduce the environmental impact of human activities (productive processes), which ensures the preservation of natural and energy resources for future generations.
Conclusion
Organic production is an eco-efficient system that all food companies must adopt in their production processes, to reduce the environmental impacts that many organizations are currently causing and thus ensure the preservation of resources for present and future generations.
This type of production greatly benefits human beings, since it reduces environmental pollution and seeks the conservation of natural resources, as well as improves the quality of life of producers by providing them with social and economic benefits, and the consumer by do not harm their health.
References
[ 1 ] Rohrssen, Pablo (February 22, 2012). eco-efficiency. Consulted on October 16, 2015, from: http://xn--diseoysostenibilidad-66b.com/2012/02/ecoeficiencia/
[ 2 ] (2009). Eco-efficiency guide for companies. Consulted on October 16, 2015, from: http://www.minam.gob.pe/calidadambiental/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2013/10/guia_de_ecoeficiencia_para_empresas.pdf
[ 3 ] Clayton, Katherine, et al. Accessed October 16, 2015, from: https://www.extension.purdue.edu/extmedia/FS/FS-14-SW.pdf
[ 4 ] Gómez Cruz, Manuel Ángel et al (February, 2003). Mexico is a supplier of organic products. Consulted on October 16, 2015, from: http://revistas.bancomext.gob.mx/rce/magazines/15/4/RCE.pdf
