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Climate change is one of today’s challenges that needs an answer from all sides. To halt the global temperature rise below 1.5°C, we need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by half by 2030 and cut them to zero by 2050. This is what the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) scientists indicate in their latest report. Therefore, there is no doubt that apart from systemic solutions and actions taken by individuals, business participation is essential in our efforts.
Taking pro-ecological action is not only good for the planet but also for business itself. Raising awareness of the availability of such solutions and putting them into practice often helps reduce operating costs, e.g., energy or resource consumption. Additionally, it usually translates to better access to funding offers and greater interest from potential investors.
Finally, it also means greater confidence of eco-conscious consumers. Provided, of course, that the eco-friendly measures taken are genuine and not just designed to make a good impression. Nobody will buy greenwashing anymore!
Since caring for the environment is a marathon, not a sprint, the first steps can be taken by setting up an eco-friendly office.
Green office from the foundations up
The first point to consider is to check the standard of the building in which the office is located. Before choosing the office’s location, it is worth learning more about ecological certificates for construction. These are used to assess the selected materials and technology and prevent issues related to the exploitation of the facility. These include problems related to the heating system, solutions for reducing energy consumption, as well as procedures related to building maintenance.
A pro-ecological solution will also be equipping the office with energy-saving equipment. Their list will vary depending on how big the office is and what tasks the employees perform. Pay attention to energy labels. Checking and comparing them before buying equipment will help you save energy and funds. It is worth remembering to compare the same types of devices.
Saving paper is also a standard of an ecological office. Print only what is necessary. Archives of essential emails, booking confirmations, train tickets for business trips – all this can be successfully stored on a computer. In case you really need to print, use both sides.
It is also worth introducing solutions which will support pro-ecological attitudes among employees. One of the simplest solutions is to introduce a waste segregation system (remember about the so-called hazardous waste!). First of all, provide containers for used batteries or electro-waste. Proper disposal of e-waste will allow for the recovery of valuable raw materials for further processing and prevent unfriendly substances from entering the environment.
TerGo will help you create a green office
These solutions are a good start that you can implement even at a meager cost. Each of them supports the reduction of CO2 emissions and sustainable resource management. Entrepreneurs concerned about incurring significant financial expenses for measures that may prove ineffective or unnecessary can benefit from TerGo’s support. Our experts are members of the International Society of Sustainability Professionals (ISSP) and certified Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) standard reporters.
A sustainability report can be the starting point for a new environmental action plan. It allows you to calculate the carbon emissions associated with your business accurately. Being aware of these is the first step to implementing solutions that will help reduce them. The TerGo team can help assess and reduce the carbon footprint from all three scopes:
◦ Scope 1 covers direct emissions, i.e. emissions from an organization’s own or controlled sources.
◦ Scope 2 covers indirect emissions, which result from the use of imported electricity, heat or cooling. In this case, the emissions occur at the point of generation of these utilities.
◦ Scope 3 includes all other indirect emissions that arise in the company’s value chain. Scope 3 includes those emissions that the company does not directly control.
It is important to remember that currently, it’s impossible to reduce carbon emissions to zero. Every activity, even eating, involves a certain amount of greenhouse gas emissions. So it all comes down to reducing unnecessary emissions and choosing alternative solutions. That is, those that produce less CO2.
What to do with emissions that you can no longer reduce? Offset them! Carbon offsets are designed precisely for this purpose. In short, offsetting is a mechanism that neutralizes one’s greenhouse gas emissions by paying for the equivalent of emissions reduced in another part of the world, for example, through wind farms replacing coal-fired power plants. TerGo offers up to two types of carbon offsets: TERs, which users of the TerGo mobile app will create, and VERs, which are earned through the activities of our agroforestry project in Belize.
Want to know more? Ask about a plan for companies. We will find a suitable solution for the planet and your business. Together we can do more!
