GeneralPest Control | 8 min. reading time

Sustainability

Written by: Daniel Schröer

WHAT IS SUSTAINABILITY?

Sustainability goals can look different. Primarily, it means using as few resources as possible for one's endeavor. Sustainability means taking stock of all ecologically relevant processes that affect the product or service in the value chain.

A small example: do you know the MatchBox® aluminum cars from your childhood? They were virtually "indestructible" and generations to come are still playing with them today. Is that sustainable? Yes! Aluminum is not the healthiest or most ecological material per se, but this long service life contributes significantly to sustainability. Another example: a manufacturer of orange juice has a new marketing strategy, advertises sustainability and its new sustainability goals. On the basis of this, you buy twice as much orange juice in plastic bottles as you would otherwise. Now the manufacturer's sales skyrocket, but the sustainability aspect is not met. One of the reasons for this is that the number of plastic bottles required and other resources needed for production, such as electricity and gas, are skyrocketing. What can be done about this in terms of sustainability? Well, it would be more sustainable, more ecological and also tastier to press the orange juice yourself.

WHAT DOES SUSTAINABILITY MEAN?

Sustainability means critically questioning whether a product or service, or the implementation and production of it, is still justified in today's world.

Many of us have a job in order to earn the maximum possible. In exchange for payment we give our time and knowledge. Only a small percentage of us pursue employment in order to create value for the world and future generations. Many workers are employed by the largest companies in the world. Among them industrial giants like Bayer, Coca Cola, VW, Samsung and the like. This supports these long-established companies and ensures that they can continue to operate successfully. This is nothing bad and completely legitimate. However, most of these large corporations have one thing in common: they know how to earn money and do so sustainably. A keyword which fits well at this point is "breaking point". By now it is well known that after a certain device lifetime, parts break or stop working so that the consumer has to buy something new - not a sustainable development. Alternatively, the respective lobby or interest group, equipped with a lot of money from the corporations, takes care of convincing consumers that a certain product or service is still best and that one should not switch to alternatives. There are numerous examples of this thesis. Among others Monsanto, the dairy industry or the pesticide industry of pest control. There are numerous studies that prove that the best way to keep mice away, for example in the supermarket, is with traps and sealing measures. A very effective, sustainable and ecologically good solution. These measures cause one-time slightly higher costs and are often not implemented, because in reverse and after this simple problem solving no more monthly sales can be generated - not a very sustainable development.

AN EXAMPLE: ECOLOGICAL SUSTAINABILITY

You have a mouse in the supermarket and it reproduces. Every week poison is laid out, much helps after all and so money can be made with it again and again. Nevertheless, the mice prefer to eat chips or chocolate and hardly take the laid bait. The pest controller continues with this strategy, pointing out that every now and then mice are found dead. Instead of this outdated strategy, it would already help to locate the weak points and gaps and seal the supermarket. This way, mice can't get in or hide. Simple, quick-to-implement, and environmentally sound solutions can include steel wool, sanitation, caulking, door brushing, merchandise control, or cleanup. A Nebraska study shows that as few as 85% of pest problems can be eliminated through cleanup and sanitation. Anyone who has ever found a mouse in a crowded kitchen or neglected attic can relate.

So if the pest controller takes the environment, sustainability and his work seriously, he conscientiously and extensively advises the supermarket. He shows him that he can only achieve his sustainability goals if he cleans up, seals up or cleans up. He also shows him that instead of numerous poison baits, he only needs to set a few traps. As soon as the trap shows an infestation after these measures, for example by visual inspection, by beep sensors or IoT monitoring, the problem must then be corrected. It is then necessary to move on to control measures: trapping the mice in the area, possibly setting more traps, and working with hygiene measures and sealing.

An anonymous major industrial customer has done just that. For its stores, it removed 96% of its boxes and changed visits from weekly intervals to four to eight visits per year. A very sustainable and environmentally good development, in that now his employees or the digital traps have indicated the infestation. Lo and behold, the pest rate beyond 100 days has dropped by 55%. This is sustainability by definition: to completely rethink a process or a product - without always looking at the money - to be courageous and to change the world a little bit, as Apple founder Steve Jobs already taught us.

ECONOMIC SUSTAINABILITY

Ecology Sustainability and economy Sustainability goals are not always concurrent or work hand-in-hand. The heads of many large companies have a different Agenda 2030 for sustainable development. Their Agenda 2030 for sustainable development says, above all, that they achieve their bonus and royalty targets. Of course, it can be assumed that they also believe in the product or service. They will also be aware of the relevance for sustainable development and sustainability goals. However, people like to be blinded and believe the sustainability story of the company, for the sake of money, without questioning. The federal government, by the way, does not have an easier time of it, since it is virtually a large democratic company. It's just as hard for the federal government, because politicians in the federal government are fighting to keep their jobs. Of course, at some point you started because you wanted to make the world, your country, or your company greener, more democratic, or economically stronger. Nevertheless, many in the federal government lose sight of the essentials due to economic or pecuniary goals (i.e.: money). People tend to become comfortable and to adapt.

Here everyone should question himself and consciously make a decision for himself. Do I do my job only because of the money? Or do I do it because it fulfills me and I want to contribute something to sustainability and a secure future for my children or grandchildren?

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT FOR OUR PLANET EARTH

Employed bosses or owners and shareholders who have become rich often lose touch with the company. They drop out, become philanthropists, art collectors or the like. Few entrepreneurs do not attach much importance to goods and status. This way of looking at things can be very inspiring. Because if you see capital as an opportunity, you can do great things and support sustainable development. "Give a person power and you experience their true character". As crazy as leaders like Elon Musk are, they are also crazy for dedicating large portions of their wealth to protect and optimize the future of humanity. That's sustainability: not financing the next super yacht, but considering whether the money can be used for sustainability of the environment and nature on our planet.

Jobs and their monetary incentive systems, such as bonuses and incentives, ensure that CEOs often see the money first, rather than the incredible opportunities they might have if sustainability were more important to them. Often in these contexts, sustainable development prevails in the wrong direction, as well as a mismatch of great talent with the wrong motivation. Not that we are allowed to judge what is wrong and right at all. However, since this article is about sustainability, it could be correct that - in terms of sustainability - it is more "wrong" than it is "right". Feel free to write us your opinion about sustainability in the comments!

SUSTAINABILITY STOCK EXCHANGE

Fortunately, there is hope regarding sustainability: For 2023, the EU has decided that the new EU Taxonomy Regulation will by decree steer sustainability for large investors in the direction of ESG, Sustainability Environment, Social and Governance. In German: The rich pension funds of this world are no longer allowed to choose completely freely and independently where they invest so that their money is potentially increased. No, they have to make sure that they invest the money primarily in ESG companies; that is, companies that care about sustainability and can prove it with hard facts.

Almost any company today can quickly get itself certified as a carbon neutral company. For example, by making certain compensation payments to support climate protection projects elsewhere. In principle, this is a good idea, but it is often difficult to understand. Nevertheless: Large companies pay so many millions, which can be invested elsewhere. For example, in reforestation or marine conservation. Doesn't that sound great? Yes! But of course it must not then happen that these companies - by buying or trading CO2 certificates or GreenCards - suddenly become ESG compliant. True sustainability means that these companies must also disrupt their own business. Sustainability means asking yourself: Is what I am doing sustainable?

An entrepreneur we can't name today (one of the oldest family-owned companies in the world) once presented in a private congress that he had researched how long and if his company will still be relevant in 20 years. The result: No, it is not. His solution to this: continue to maintain everything as long as possible without doing any damage. At the same time, use the means and opportunities to achieve new sustainability goals with sustainability. For example, start a new business or acquire shares in green start-ups or medium-sized companies and support them with liquid funds. The realization that one's own business, i.e. the family's cash machine, is no longer sustainable and viable for the future is a hard and very honest realization. Most people like to look the other way because, to be honest, it's convenient. But convenience and the approach of continuing to do everything as before has never changed the world.

SUSTAINABILITY DEFINITION

Is it even necessary or useful to "change the world"? Spoiler: Yes. Industrialization has brought positive things to many of us. For example, warmth, prosperity, healthcare systems, and security . We humans have adapted and evolved, our environment and our living conditions. So today, a large part of the population enjoys the benefits that industrialization has brought. We can be proud of that. But: the attitudes of "it's always been this way" and "we're not going to change that" did not contribute to this. It was the "crazies." The ones who thought they could invent a light bulb, an automobile, a pharmaceutical, a vaccine, a chemical, or machines and technology.

Sustainability means to think crazy and to question, detached from motives and above all from money and security. Sustainable development means daring to do something, to dare and to think differently. As Steve Jobs said back then: "Only those who are crazy enough to believe they can change the world are the ones who change it in the end".

Our thesis is: We have to change the world. With Futura, we will change the pest control industry and with it a 30 billion industry. From 99% application of chemistry to the use of 99% Internet of Things, SAAS and DATA pre-cognition, combined with meaningful IPM pest prevention methods. Why? Because we can, and thus contribute to the sustainability of our planet by massively reducing poisons in the environment (which according to outdoor studies hit pests in only 20% and non-target animals like birds and foxes in 80% - read more in our blog post "Rodenticides against rats and mice"). Because we can sustainably reduce the carbon footprint of our industry by eliminating daily car trips from customer to customer through the solutions we offer. Because we will bring in IoT devices and solutions that perform controls automatically. With this, we will manage the sustainable development of pest control and make the world just a little bit better, but a tangible and relevant bit for us.

Everyone deals with pests. For example, millions of tons of unused food are destroyed by pests every year and need to be disposed of. We control pests effectively and wisely with tech solutions, managing human health, as well as food protection. Nevertheless, we make sure that these animals get a respectful treatment.