Ways businesses can reduce their carbon footprint and curb global warming are a universal hot topic and should be high up on the agendas of all companies. ‘Carbon footprint’ refers to all the greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide, water vapour, nitrous oxide and methane, that a business releases into the atmosphere through its operations.
All companies, from small office setups to huge factories, have a carbon footprint. It is anything from paper waste and fleet emissions to energy consumption and more. The amount of greenhouse gases emitted determines the size of a company’s carbon footprint. Large or small, all businesses should make diligent efforts to reduce their carbon footprint.
Thanks to initiatives such as Simpler Recycling, it has never been easier for businesses to limit their greenhouse gas emissions. Developed and rolled out by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA), these regulations aim to improve the UK’s recycling rates by making it easier and quicker to recycle.
In this article, we examine the ways companies can reduce their carbon footprints.
1. Understand your carbon footprint
Understanding which activities produce greenhouse gases determines the strategies needed for reducing the carbon footprint in your business. That’s why assessing your company’s carbon footprint is crucial. Consider everything – energy consumption (gas, electricity and water), transport emissions, operations, and waste (everything from disposable food wrappers to toxic waste).
Carbon output is not something you can measure over the span of a day, week, or even a month. To accurately plot your organisation’s carbon footprint, experts recommend that you record and calculate your greenhouse gas emissions over a 12-month period. So, in a nutshell, identify how and by how much your business contributes to global warming.
2. Set carbon reduction targets
Once you have gauged your business’s carbon footprint, you have the necessary information to set your carbon reduction targets. These must be measurable, clear, achievable and ambitious – window dressing or greenwashing as it’s often called, is pointless. Although this seems like a mammoth task, breaking the goals into smaller parts that are manageable and achievable simplifies it considerably.
Step one – gathering the data – is in the bag. This information forms the foundation of your green strategies. Next, examine your industry’s best practices and evaluate how you can customise them for your specific setup. Set realistic carbon reduction goals and implement workable strategies specific to your operations. For example, Shredall SDS Group is a carbon-neutral business. We achieved our carbon-neutral certification by implementing multiple approaches throughout the different levels of our company. Now, let’s look at how companies can reduce their carbon footprint.
3. Reduce energy consumption
Energy usage is one of the biggest culprits when it comes to greenhouse gas emissions. Unless a business is ‘off the grid’ and 100% of its energy generation and consumption comes from renewable resources, then it produces greenhouse gases. The more energy a business uses, the larger its carbon footprint is.
Using less energy not only helps the planet but also saves costs for a healthier bottom line. Here are some actionable, easy ways to curb energy consumption:
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Turn off lights and machinery at the socket when they are not being used.
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Use natural instead of electric lighting where possible.
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Replace light bulbs with energy-efficient options.
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Set thermostats at optimal temperatures, and do not use heating or cooling when it is not necessary.
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Insulate doors and windows to prevent draughts that run up heating or cooling costs.
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Review energy tariffs and amend contracts to suit the needs of your business.
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Consider installing smart meters that accurately measure energy consumption for spot-on billing and flagging problem usage.
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Maintain boilers and turn down the flow rate to ensure optimal climate control without energy wastage.
4. Use renewable energy
Now, let’s explore how businesses can reduce their carbon footprint through the use of renewable energy. This is energy generated via natural sources, such as the sun (solar), wind or water (hydro). Businesses can greatly reduce their carbon footprint by installing solar panels, wind turbines, a hydro plant, or all three. Renewable energy also saves a lot of money in the long run.
If these options are not possible, you can switch to a green energy supplier that generates and distributes green, or renewable energy.
5. Recycle
In this section, we discuss how businesses can reduce their carbon footprint by recycling their waste. The recycling process takes waste materials and transforms them into new products. By doing so, it keeps materials useful and in circulation. Plus, the recycling process uses significantly less energy than producing new materials from scratch, so it not only helps the environment but also saves money.
Remember, unrecycled waste ends up in a landfill. Biodegradable waste, such as paper, cardboard, food, and garden refuse, decomposes without oxygen in landfills. Known as anaerobic decomposition, this process releases methane, which is a lot more potent than carbon dioxide. Services such as paper recycling and cardboard recycling limit the production of landfill-based greenhouse gases and support your green drive.
6. Embrace the circular economy
The circular economy plays a pivotal role in reducing your carbon footprint at work. This approach develops and implements strategies that keep products and the materials used to make them in circulation for as long as possible. It eliminates single-use practices and manufacturing processes to maximise the lifespan of goods and curb environmental impacts. This means that the focus shifts from collecting resources, making a product, and using it once to minimising waste and preserving and reusing resources.
This approach incorporates the four essential Rs: reuse, repair, remanufacture, and recycle. When you implement circular economy strategies, you use less energy, limit waste emissions, and ensure that materials are reused. It also means that less waste ends up in a landfill, which, in turn, reduces the emission of greenhouse gases. The circular economy is a practical way to boost sustainable growth.
7. Use sustainable business transport
Sustainable transport also plays a key role in how companies can reduce their carbon footprint. Company fleets running on fuel and employees using fuel-driven vehicles impact the size of a company’s carbon output. There are a few options to overcome this green threat.
Your business can encourage carpooling or public transport for travel to and from work. Cycling is also a viable alternative, especially in cities with cycleways. Electric vehicles (EVs) are another great option. With zero tailpipe emissions, electric vehicles produce only 50g of CO2 per kilometre, making them far more environmentally friendly than their petrol or diesel counterparts. Advances in their designs make it possible for companies to use them for fleets, and motivating employees to use them also creates awareness.
8. Offset your carbon emissions
Carbon offsetting supports a business’s goals to reduce its carbon footprint. It entails initiatives or activities that counter or balance a company’s greenhouse gas emissions. Put simply, carbon offsetting attempts to cancel or reduce the impact a company’s operations have on the environment.
In this way, a company can earn carbon credits through things such as investments in renewable energy projects or reforestation. It can also help a company achieve carbon-neutral status. This happens when an organisation fully ‘cleans’ the carbon slate via carbon offsetting. It is, however, crucial to implement these initiatives as a way to complement and not replace your carbon footprint reduction campaigns.
9. Pursue green certifications
Green certifications solidify a business’s commitment to its green drives and goals. Determine what your company must do to receive certifications and accreditations, such as ISO 14001 certification or PAS 2060 certification, and develop actionable steps to meet your targets. Once awarded, these accreditations provide a foundation or framework that motivates continuous improvement. They drive you to sustain your carbon-neutral status and expand already successful initiatives.
Internationally recognisable and respected, green certifications speak to your company’s mission and measurable actions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. They underpin environmental responsibility and conscientiousness, which boost your brand’s reputation.
10. Localise your supply chain
Geographic supply chain localisation helps to reduce a business’s carbon footprint. This means that companies focus on getting their supplies and services from local providers rather than international suppliers, for example. By doing so, they reduce the travel distance and transport modes, such as long-haul freight or international shipping. Shorter travel distances and fewer transport modes equal fewer carbon emissions.
A localised supply chain curbs geopolitical risks such as natural disasters and cross-border trade disagreements, which can halt or delay operations. It saves money, thanks to shorter travel distances, less logistical red tape and less downtime spent waiting for goods. Localising your supply chain means that you can order smaller batches more frequently to reduce storage space and waste as a result of over-ordering. Plus, it is easier to implement quality control if you get materials or components from a local supplier. All these things add up to improve cost control and profit margins in your business.
11. Get employees involved
One of the most effective ways businesses can reduce their carbon footprint is by spreading the word. Creating green awareness and getting employees on board makes a significant difference to your company’s carbon footprint. Every little action by individual workers adds up to lower the emission of greenhouse gases and save resources such as electricity and water.
When employees are aware of environmental impacts and are committed to eliminating or reducing them, they most likely spread the message and implement these actions at their homes, social clubs, and so on. So, the initiatives at your workplace are like the pebble in the pond that starts a positive ripple effect. These activities include:
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Turning off the lights and equipment when they’re not being used.
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Eliminating unnecessary printing to reduce paper waste.
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Using reusable cups.
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Following recycling procedures, which include the correct separation and collection of recyclable waste.
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Conserving water in the kitchens and bathrooms, and when performing duties that use water.
12. Maintain a steady temperature
Temperature control – heating and cooling work environments – is important for optimal performance. Heating, cooling or air conditioning systems consume a lot of energy and contribute to a company’s carbon footprint. Fluctuations can increase energy usage and also take a toll on the productivity of employees.
Reducing a business’s carbon footprint by implementing energy-smart temperature controls has all-around benefits. Research shows that keeping temperatures between 20 and 23 degrees Celsius creates a comfortable and productive work environment. These sustained levels require less energy and reduce carbon emissions. Remember to also consider thermostat control options for on- and off-duty times to stay on top of your energy consumption.
Reduce your carbon footprint with Shredall SDS Group
In today’s world, few things are as important as protecting the environment. At Shredall SDS Group, we fully understand the importance of reducing your organisation’s carbon footprint. We know how green initiatives link to cost savings, brand reputation, and broader environmental stability and sustainability.
Our commitment to the environment and the success of our green drives are underpinned by the exceptional services we provide to our customers. That is why we recycle 100% of all paper waste, including cardboard. Our recycling services also include textile and electronic recycling. All our commercial recycling services and carbon offsetting initiatives are a testimony of our mission to run an eco-conscious business.
Our aim is to help your business do the same. Get in touch, and we’ll show you how you can reduce your company’s carbon footprint.
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