Turning up the heat?
Currently, the UK is experiencing a cool summer compared to last year’s heatwave.
Most noses can detect that there are markedly less barbecues being fired up at the weekends than last year. Sadly, climate change doesn’t necessarily mean we will get more barbecue friendly weather in the UK. Climate change could well reinforce the traditional British weather, producing more rain, lower temperatures, and unpredictable weather.
However, that’s not the case for Southern Europe.
The jet stream, that normally sweeps through the sky north of Scotland and brings us our wet weather, has been pushed by forces unseen much further south into Northern Europe, enclosing the high African temperatures from drifting north and deflecting them into Southern Europe, causing temperatures to soar unbearably high is some places.
What this limited lesson in meteorology leads to is more concern about climate change and environmental sustainability, a subject that is now becoming very dominant in the business world.
So How Can Your Company Turn Up The Heat On Sustainability?
Here are just a few suggestions that we have come across that may give you an idea.
Renewable Energy Adoption
Businesses can switch to renewable energy sources, such as solar or wind, to power their facilities and reduce their dependence on fossil fuels, thus lowering greenhouse gas emissions.
Waste Reduction and Recycling
Companies can adopt waste reduction strategies and establish recycling programs to minimise the amount of waste sent to landfills. This might involve using recycled materials in their products or packaging.
Sustainable Packaging
Businesses can design their product packaging to be more environmentally friendly, using biodegradable or compostable materials, reducing excessive packaging, or encouraging reusable packaging solutions.
Sustainable Supply Chain
Companies can work with suppliers that adhere to sustainable practices, reducing the environmental impact of the entire supply chain. This might include sourcing materials responsibly and prioritising suppliers with strong environmental policies.
Employee Engagement
Encouraging and involving employees in sustainability efforts can lead to innovative ideas and increased commitment to eco-friendly practices. This could include promoting eco-conscious commuting or implementing energy-saving measures in the workplace.
Lifecycle Assessment
Conducting a lifecycle assessment of products helps identify opportunities to reduce environmental impacts throughout the product's entire life, from raw material extraction to disposal.
Environmental Certifications and Labels
Seeking third-party certifications, like Fair Trade, or Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), can demonstrate a commitment to environmental sustainability to customers.
Energy Efficiency
Implementing energy-efficient technologies and practices, such as LED lighting, smart Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) systems, and optimising energy consumption in manufacturing processes, can significantly reduce energy waste and operating costs.
Water Conservation
Implementing water-saving technologies and practices, such as low-flow fixtures, water recycling systems, and responsible water use in manufacturing can help conserve water resources.
Carbon Offsetting
Some businesses invest in carbon offset projects to compensate for their carbon emissions. This involves supporting activities that reduce or remove greenhouse gases from the atmosphere, such as reforestation or renewable energy projects.
Green Building Design
Constructing or retrofitting buildings with green building standards in mind, such as BREAM (UK) https://bregroup.com/products/breeam/ or LEED (USA) https://www.usgbc.org/leedcertification, can lead to energy-efficient, eco-friendly structures with lower carbon footprints.
Investment in Green Technologies
Businesses can invest in and support the development of green technologies that have a positive impact on the environment, such as electric vehicles, hydrogen fuel cells, clean energy solutions, and sustainable agriculture practices.
Closed-Loop Systems
Embracing circular economy principles, businesses can design products and services that promote reuse, refurbishment, and recycling, reducing waste and conserving resources.
These are just a few examples of the many ways we have come across that businesses can incorporate environment sustainability into their operations.
None of these are necessarily endorsed by us but could create a spark that fires up your neurons, (but not your barbecue), into thinking more about how your company could turn up the heat to turn down the temperature.
If you want to know more about the Jet Stream the UK Met Office has some excellent content here.