How do we lower our carbon footprint?

22 June 2018  |  Carbon Footprint  |  Sean Mallon  |  Leave a comment

The Green Element staff pride ourselves on being forward-thinking environmental consultants that do everything we can to lower our carbon footprint – but if we are being honest, we still have some bad habits we are trying to break. Having a positive effect on the environment can be as easy as making the decision to act.

Here is a look how we try to be more sustainable in our own lives, and how we can improve from within.

• Our staff are agile workers, we don’t have a centralised office to work in, so this cuts down on a whole host of costs, both carbon and monetary. We know this might not be an option for your business, but it always good to think outside the box.
• We are almost completely paperless, we have embraced the growing trends in the tech market to remove the need for paper in the business.
• We use carbon friendly transport alternatives like the tube and the bus whenever we can. Our own MD travels down to London from Edinburgh every week on the sleeper train. We also use Brompton bikes to traverse the city and save some carbon (and money!).
• Reusable coffee cups and refillable water bottles are a must, if you don’t bring one to work, you will be named and shamed!
• Packed lunches and home cooked food removes the need for any plastic packaging… when we remember to bring it with us.
• We have some avid vegans on the staff who are reducing their footprint through their food supply chain. It is estimated that more than 51% of global greenhouse-gas emissions are caused by animal agriculture, so removing that demand will help limit the problem.
• At home, our electricity and gas providers are all sustainably sourced and as renewable as they can be. Obviously not all energy sources are renewable, but we try to support those who have the best sustainable records.
• We support green brands. Your shopping habits can have a massive effect on sustainability, by giving your money to sustainable brands, you are helping them fund positive changes.

All these little actions add to up a big difference and drive positive change. We also have a selection of apps we like to use that help make things that little bit easier. If you are like us, we think you will like them too –

• Olio is a food sharing app that lets shops and organisations get rid of unwanted food and give to you for free.
• Litterati is a community of people who are identifying, mapping and collecting the world’s litter.
• Refill is an app that helps you find places near you to refill your water bottle. It is like google maps, but for free water sources.
• Learn how to help your local eco-system with the ‘Great British Bee Count’ app. Did you know that bees respond better to blue and purple plants? Neither did we.

These kinds of apps make the issue a lot more fun and engaging for people. It gives a real sense of community. One person can have a positive effect on sustainability, one community can drive change, and one organisation can be leaders in this global issue.

This year Green Element was voted ‘the best for the world’ by B-Corp for our commitment to the environment. This is an amazing achievement that we are really honoured to be given, and we can do this while occasionally forgetting our reusable mugs, or using single-use plastic, imagine what you could do for your organisation.

Contact us today and let us help you improve your environmental standing.