© 2016 EMB ECAC All Rights Reserved GREEN ADVOCATE SEPTEMBER 2016 | 4
With such a great number, the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation leaders in the last APEC 2015 Summit called for intensifying efforts for MSMEs in order for them to be competitive in the global market. Along with this movement towards advancement, we should not forget that every activity comes with consequential environmental impacts.
For example, having a restaurant includes operations that directly affects the environment; from food preparations, to serving, to discarding food waste, these activities contribute to environmental disturbance. A restaurant or a small cafe generates a significant amount of food waste, and when these wastes are not properly managed, it could pave way to an environmental hygiene problem. That in itself could affect the restaurant’ s reputation and in turn, the restaurant would lose revenue. Other activities like washing food material, defrosting, cooking, and washing kitchen equipment inside a restaurant generate wastewater – the existence of this situation calls for a need to apply for a discharge permit and comply with the conditions specified in the license. A discharge permit is to be filed by any establishment that has a water pollution source. If you want to make your trade a“ green restaurant”, make sure you implement proper waste reduction measures and impart the same message to their target audience.
Another example is the vehicle repair industry which involves handling of waste chemicals. To ensure environmental compliance, they must register first as a hazardous waste generator and have their waste treated and transported. Keep waste batteries in an upright position to avoid spillage and do not store in places of high temperature to avoid case ruptures.
With all the extra work when it comes to maintenance and environmental permitting, MSMEs often wonder if it’ s going to be worth all the trouble. But before we say no, let’ s think of the reason why we are in the trade that we have chosen. MSMEs rely on the resources that they have to make bank, and it’ s all for saving for the future and the future generations. But any trade wont be able to succeed if it is not sustainable and any non-sustainable trade won’ t be able to get handed down to the next generation.
So is earning money at the expense of the next generation worth it? No. With the advancements of today’ s technology, it is not impossible to be a green advocate and at the same time maintain a beneficial trade for you and the next generation to come.