Issue 167 | Whisky Magazine 51
Production Sustainable Distilling
magazine reported on a surge in
reports of stress, guilt and feelings of
depression (not to be confused with
clinical depression or anxiety) relating
to the environment in both developing
nations, where climate change is
often felt more acutely, and developed
countries, where the spectre of what’s
to come looms large.
Regardless of where they live,
many people generally report feeling
frustrated and powerless to enact
meaningful ecological change in
their own lives and wider society.
Unfortunately, this problem is
exacerbated by one of the more
insidious types of climate change
ǣβ
from the macro to the micro level. This
narrative is, quite successfully, being
driven by vested interests that tell us
responsibility lies solely, or at least
largely, with individuals rather than
Ȃβ
in the face of evidence that shows
71% of all greenhouse gas emissions
originate with just 100 companies.
Of course, there’s still something to
be said for protesting with one’s wallet
and it has never been more important
that we choose carefully which products
we buy and the brands we support.
However, while change on a personal
level is important and to be encouraged,
it’s industry-level progress and
governmental policy change that will
really make a difference to the planet
and its inhabitants in the long run.
Although a bottle of Scotch is one of
the more environmentally guilt-free
βǡ
doesn’t mean all whisky is ‘green’ or
that whisky drinkers should sit back
and give distillers a free pass when it
comes to their impact on our shared
planet. After all, the industry is still
largely driven by volume and greater
volume of product means greater
resource use and environmental impact.
All along the supply chain, distillers
have serious challenges to tackle: from
reducing road miles to demanding more
stringent environmental standards in
grain production; tackling packaging
weight and waste, to reducing water
use and improving heat conservation.
There’s also wood to consider. Many
brands are famous for telling all who
will listen how much money they
spend on casks each year, while being
uncharacteristically quiet about the
measures they take to ensure that the
timber destined to become a stave is
sourced from responsibly managed and
sustainable forests.
Over the past decade, it is evident
that environmentalism has steadily
moved up the whisky industry’s list of
key concerns, as consumers have come
Although a bottle of Scotch is
one of the more environmentally
guilt-free products one might
¿QGLQWKHKRPHWKDWGRHVQ¶W
PHDQDOOZKLVN\LVμJUHHQ¶
050 - 055 - Sustainability-WM 167 .indd 51 09 / 04 / 2020 09 : 11