Assignment #3b: Economic Advantages by a Leaf Bowl

For Farmers:
Making a bowl using a leaf from areca palm tree, add many benefits to farmers. Recent years are
very tough for farmers since there is less yield and abnormal finances when they go for
conventional crops [1]. Instead of regular crops, if farmers adapt technique to grow areca palm
trees, they can overcome the financial problems. Palm tree can be grown by planting a seed and
since, Canada is the second largest country we can cultivate this crop on huge acres [2]. This crop
doesn’t require huge quantity of pesticides and life span of this tree is around 10 years [3]. Leaves
along with branches are plucked from the early stage itself, so that tree grows bigger. This
procedure continued until it reaches height up to 2.1 meters, and we get lot of leaves [3]. Farmers
sell these leaves to small businesses. In this way they can increase their, profit, business, yield,
savings spent on pesticides, and by paying tax to the government, country’s economy increases.
For Small Businesses:
To make a plastic bowl we need huge and expensive equipment. Whereas to make a leaf bowl we
just need mold equipment. People with small firms collect the leaves and mold them into bowls
by applying heat and pressure [4]. Manufacturing a leaf bowl can be around 1 to 2 dollars and
small businesses sell them around 7 to 8 dollars as a retail product in markets, in this way they
make lot of money and become profitable [5]. With profits they expand the firm and introduce
variety of products that households use like bowls, plates, knives, and spoons [5]. Since leaf bowl
is very cheap, every household person can buy it, instead of plastic bowl which cost them around
12 to 16 dollars. Government collects taxes from these small businesses by 15 %, with this
country’s economy increases [6]. Since three businesses contribute to Canada’s economy, small
businesses alone contribute 44.7% of the total country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) as shown
in the [7, Fig. 1] with employees around 1 to 99 people [7].
For Stakeholders and Solution for SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-Being):
While storing food in plastic bowl it releases microplastics into the food, when we eat it, these
particles go inside human bodies and cause cancer problems [8]. This problem will not arise if we
use leaf bowl, because it does not release microplastics into food, since it made with no chemicals
[9]. Considering this advantage, this product has huge demand in market and many stakeholders
are investing money in making [10].
Solution For SDG 13 (Climate Action):
Leaf bowls are very eco-friendly and biodegradable, they decompose completely within 2 to 3
months, with this there is no point in rising temperatures, unlike plastic materials which increases
surface temperature [11]. To encourage this, Canadian government helping small businesses with
1 million dollars in making of this product to reduce plastic pollution [12].
Fig. 1 Three businesses contributed to Canada’s GDP from 2003 to 2016 [7, Fig. 12]
References:
[1] R. Sturgeon, P. J. Morrissette, “A Qualitative Analysis of Suicide Ideation among Manitoban
Farmers,” Canadian Journal of Counselling and Psychotherapy, vol. 44, no. 2, Mar. 01, 2010.
[Online]. Available: https://journalhosting.ucalgary.ca/index.php/rcc/article/view/59003.
[Accessed: Jul. 17, 2022].

[2] T. K. Broschat, H. Donselman, “Effects of Fruit Maturity, Storage, Presoaking, and Seed
Cleaning on Germination in Three Species of Palms,” Fort Lauderdale Research and Education
Center, vol. 5, Mar. 01, 1987. [Online]. Available:
https://meridian.allenpress.com/jeh/article/5/1/6/80540/Effects-of-Fruit-Maturity-Storage-
Presoaking-and. [Accessed: Jul. 17, 2022].

[3] J. Carroll, “Growing Areca Palm: Care of Areca Palms Indoors,” Jun. 06, 2021. [Online].
Available: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/houseplants/areca-palm/growing-areca-palm-
indoors.htm#:~:text=Areca%20Palm%20Houseplant%20Info&text=of%20growth%20per%20ye
ar%20until,of%20up%20to%2010%20years. [Accessed: Jul. 17, 2022].

[4] “Areca Leaf Dinnerware,” Bio Mart leaves in life. [Online]. Available:
https://www.biomart.ca/areca-leaf-dinnerware-
info#:~:text=How%20it's%20made%3F,wax%20coating%20on%20the%20surface. [Accessed:
Jul. 17, 2022].

[5] “How to make Disposable Areca Palm Leaf Plates,” Farming Reader, Jan. 01, 2021.
[Online]. Available: https://farmingreader.com/how-to-make-disposable-areca-palm-leaf-plates/.
[Accessed: Jul. 17, 2022].

[6] “Corporation Tax Rates,” Government of Canada, May. 12, 2022. [Online]. Available:
https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-
agency/services/tax/businesses/topics/corporations/corporation-tax-rates.html. [Accessed: Jul.
17, 2022].

[7] “Key Small Business Statistics-2020,” Government of Canada, Dec. 10, 2020. [Online].
Available: https://www.ic.gc.ca/eic/site/061.nsf/eng/h_03126.html. [Accessed: Jul. 17, 2022].

[8] A. D. Vethaak, J. Legler, “Microplastics and human health,” Science, vol. 371, issue. 6530,
Feb. 12, 2021. DOI: 10.1126/science. abe5041

[9] “10 Reasons to Use Areca Leaf Plates,” KKN Exports. [Online]. Available:
https://kknexports.com/blog/10-reasons-use-areca-leaf-plates/. [Accessed: Jul. 17, 2022].

[10] B. Chinnappa, R. K. Kumar Patil, G. R. Manjunatha, H. S. Soumya, “Economic Utilisation

of Areca Leaf Sheaths for Rural Livelihood,” Indian Journal of Agricultural Economics, vol. 75,
Jan. 2020. [Online]. Available: https://isaeindia.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/07-Article-
Kiran-Kumar-R-Patil.pdf. [Accessed: Jul. 17, 2022].
[11] “The Benefits of Using Areca Leaf Plates and Bowls,” Gujarat Shopee, Jan. 03, 2020.
[Online]. Available: https://www.gujaratshopee.com/blog-detail/the-benefits-of-using-areca-leaf-
plates-and-bowls-86. [Accessed: Jul. 17, 2022].
[12] “Government of Canada supports small businesses developing innovative solutions to
plastic pollution,” Government of Canada, Jun. 10, 2019. [Online]. Available:
https://pm.gc.ca/en/news/backgrounders/2019/06/10/government-canada-taking-action-reduce-
plastic-pollution. [Accessed: Jul. 17, 2022].