Business carbon footprint : 10 ways to reduce it

A business’ carbon footprint is the quantity of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions that were produced as a result of its operations. It’s easy to assume that it simply counts your energy usages, but the calculation is a lot more complicated than that. In actual fact, it includes everything from the buildings you use, the processes (and people) within them, the number of miles people drive to get to work, to the forests being cut down to make the paper for your printers. Everything has an impact on the planet.

Here are 10 ways to help reduce your business’ carbon footprint:

Switch to electric vehicles

EV’s (electric vehicles) are kinder to the planet than diesel and petrol cars, the new generation of EV cars and electric vans now boasts an impressive range and payloads. Did you know that Government grants now cover workplace charging and offer discounts to buy them?
In addition to the financial savings, there are also other potential benefits of switching to electric to consider. Many large cities are planning their own congestion or exclusion zones to improve air quality, choosing an EV as your company car will help support these initiatives.

Cut back on single-use plastics

Plastics do more than just polluting our oceans, they’re a massive contributor to climate change. Therefore, cutting down on your consumption of single-use plastics can help to reduce your business’ carbon footprint. For some businesses it will require a packaging rethink, other businesses may need to use reusable glasses and cups and replace plastic water bottles with jugs.

Cut your travel budget

There were only a handful of benefits to come out of the pandemic, one of which was the revelation of how unnecessary and time-consuming business travel can be. Did you know that flying makes up around 5% of global warming impact and continues to grow, so cutting back on this is essential! Instead of flying out to see your customer, why not do a zoom/teams call? (other providers are available) To make further reductions, you could consider turning off the camera. A study from Purdue University found voice-only calls can cut the carbon impact of an online conference call by 96%.

Manage temperatures effectively

HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) all burn through lots of energy and are the biggest energy consumers for offices and large commercial buildings. Using thermostats can help to ensure your HVAC runs only when they’re needed to. Don’t forget good old mother nature – planting trees creates cooling shade while opening windows can yield a natural breeze.

Solar power

Solar PV systems & solar thermal is improving all the time and mixed with battery storage it can make a great investment if you have the space to implement this technology. Aside from saving money and decreasing your reliance on the national grid, solar panels can help customer perceptions of your business by showing you’re committed to taking climate action.

Recycle

Why not appoint an environmental champion who can support your staff and raise awareness on recycling? Clearly labelled bins are a must in the workplace, and you can incorporate recycling into other areas of your business too, you could buy refurbished laptops or up-cycled office furniture.

Switch to 100% renewable electricity

Taking the leap towards renewable energy is a must in cutting your carbon footprint. Leading utility providers are now moving to 100% renewable sources, including wind and solar power. When procuring, make sure you’re making the green choice.

Make the office commute greener

68% of British workers used a car to commute to work in 2019. If you’re working hours or office location don’t fit with public transport you could setup a lift-share scheme to help your staff to carpool (saving them money & reducing your carbon footprint at the same time). Cycle-to-work schemes, loans for bikes and salary sacrifice schemes can all help team members health, bank balance and save the planet.

Go paperless

The paper industry has a massive impact on our planet, from air and water pollution to deforestation – destroying habitats. You can cut back on paper usage by opting for digital documents for your advertising instead of printed brochures and leaflets, minimise printing and look at using e-signatures for documents. Recycled paper is a must in printers and bathrooms alike.

Make your canteen go green

Did you know the UK wastes a staggering 50 million uneaten chickens and 100 million pints of milk each year? Meat and dairy account for 14.5% of global greenhouse gas emissions (GHG). Make sure you’ve got plant-based options in the canteen and try to avoid getting in ingredients that need to be shipped or flown in. To reduce your food waste, look at streamlining your menu, save leftovers etc.

How we can help

We can help your business reach net zero, putting together your net zero strategy and we’ll work with you to help you reach your goals. We can help you install and efficiently manage your BEMS and on top of that, we can tell you what you’re using and where – regarding your energy consumption or we can install metering to assist with more granular visibility. For more information get in touch: info@thermaticenergy.theauditlab.com

About Thermatic Energy Services

We work with end-user clients to help them achieve their energy management targets. Our main focus is giving our customers visibility to their systems and data to allow them to make actionable decisions to reduce their energy consumption, improve their building operation and achieve their sustainability targets.