Starbucks Is Working on Reducing Its Dairy Production Emissions

We love celebrating companies that are taking small steps toward a more sustainable future. While these big corporations aren't anywhere near perfect, it's our job as conscious consumers to let them know when they're making a difference—and, of course, when they can do better.

This month, there have been eco moves across many different industries. We're looking at the first fully-automated vegan food factory, Colgate's move into eco-friendly oral care products, and Starbucks' plans to reduce its carbon emissions from dairy production. Even celebrities are promoting sustainability by backing an alternative form of eco-friendly banking.

Let's encourage these companies to keep moving in the right direction. Because when they make eco-friendly changes, others will follow.

6 Companies Making Eco-Friendly Changes

1. Starbucks

Starbucks has been a leader in bringing dairy-free milk (including Oatly, one of the most popular oat milk brands!), into mainstream cafes. But now, it's looking to make its dairy production more sustainable, too.

Starbucks announced a partnership with Arla Foods to reduce its carbon emissions from dairy production. The beverage chain has a big goal: cutting emissions in half by 2030. Data shows around 22% of Starbucks' overall emissions come from dairy, so if the popular coffee chain wants to reduce its emissions, making changes in dairy production is a great place to start.

Starbucks' partnership with Arla Foods aims to create a detailed blueprint on how to best produce ethical, low-emission dairy. Currently, milk from Arla Foods has about half the carbon emissions of its competitors, according to Food Navigator.

2. Nissan

Move over, Tesla—Nissan is making moves in the electric car industry. Nissan just announced it's planning to invest a whopping $17 billion over the next five years into electric car production and better batteries to support the vehicles.

But that's not all: The announcement also promised Nissan will be reducing overall carbon emissions at the factory level, and a team of over 3,000 engineers will be hired to lead the charge.

This isn't the first time Nissan has announced eco-friendly changes. Just a few months ago, the company launched a new way to produce batteries for electric vehicles, which will make them easier to recycle and process.

3. Growthwell Foods

Growthwell Foods is making plant-based eating even easier in Southeast Asia. Located in Singapore, Growthwell Foods has announced the region's first-ever fully automated vegan meat factory.

According to the company's LinkedIn, the factory will handle manufacturing, production, and the freezing of both vegan meat and plant-based seafood. Because this facility is the first of its kind, it will operate as a sort of pilot project. Meaning if it goes well, other companies will likely follow suit.

The facility is expected to produce 4,000 metric tons of plant-based foods every year, with clean ingredients like algae and legumes already being tested. This could lead to a huge boost in Singapore's economy by allowing them to create their own foods domestically, instead of importing them. Doing so is also a great way to reduce carbon emissions.

4. Colgate

Colgate is one of the most popular oral care brands. First, it released its Bamboo Charcoal Toothbrush, which features a bamboo handle. Now, a recycled plastic option is making headlines.

Colgate India recently launched the RecyClean Toothbrush, which features a handle made from recycled plastic and plant-derived bristles. While it's not yet available in the U.S., here's to hoping it enters the market soon. (And that non-recycled plastic toothbrushes get the same sustainable makeover!)

5. Herbal Essences

Starting January 2022, new haircare products from Herbal Essences will be made using a special newly-discovered type of resin, allowing the bottles to be more easily recycled.

Right now, a big problem with haircare products is that the bottles they come in are made from a specific type of plastic some cities can't properly recycle in their facilities. However, Herbal Essences says bottles made using this type of resin will be easier to recycle without compromising quality.

Herbal Essences says this is just one will it will be working toward its goal of reducing virgin plastics by 50% by 2025.

6. Aspiration

While this news didn't break in November, it's still worth mentioning. In August, Aspiration announced it has not only doubled its users to more than five million but also landed a $2.3 billion deal to go public.

The financial tech company, which is backed by celebrities like Drake and Leonardo DiCaprio, appeals to conscious consumers through its promises to plant trees and never financially back fossil fuels, unlike many other popular banks. In the past 12 months alone, Aspiration has planted 35 million trees thanks to its members' support.