Many of the measures which we can take as businesses or individuals to address climate change, can have other benefits for us and those around us.
Energy
Reducing our energy consumption and moving to more sustainable sources of energy can bring down our bills both in the short term and long term.
Grants are available from SEMLEP (South East Midlands Local Enterprise Partnership) to help cover the cost of switching to more green energy sources – for example subsidising the cost of LED lightbulbs.
By installing solar panels your business can generate income in the future as excess electricity generated can be sold back to the national grid.
Transport
Many of us are in the habit of jumping in the car for… well… every journey. However many short journeys can easily be made walking, cycling or even scooting now that we have the Voi e-scooters in town. If you save the car trips for longer journeys or those where you need to carry heavy items, you can save money, improve your health and play a part in reducing local traffic congestion and improving air quality.
In the workplace, by encouraging staff to cycle more you can help reduce absenteeism by an estimated 27% according to research by NICE (National Institute for Health Care and Excellence, 2008). Staff who regularly cycle to work are 45% less likely to get cancer (University of Glasgow).
Consumption
Keeping a close eye on spending is essential for any business. It makes sense that reducing your purchasing at work will reduce your costs. This doesn’t necessarily mean buying cheaper – a better quality product can bring you better long term value and reduce the need for replacement sooner. Look out for IT equipment and furniture which is refurbished and offered for sale – this can save your business vast amounts over time, especially if you first consider whether you actually need to buy it.
Food
You may think food is a family matter, but as we start to have more social events and engagements at work where food is on offer again, there is a chance for savings here too. Rather than offering a vegetarian or vegan option as something different, offer this as the main choice. This can help inspire more eco-friendly food habits amongst your staff which can in turn help improve their health.
Planting
Mental well being at work is so important and key for every employer to address. By having more plants around… maybe even a garden on your site for relaxing in at lunch time… your staff can enjoy the mental benefits as well as the air quality filtering effects plants have for local pollution.