How are you getting on with the #ThinkingGreen activities we have been sharing once a month – to support the optical world in being more sustainable?
With many of the activities in this campaign, the aim is to lower your carbon footprint: that’s the total carbon dioxide released due to your business’s activities. Everything you do to reduce your power use or switch to sustainable suppliers will contribute to lowering this.
Why is this important? Too much carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere is not good for the planet or other living creatures. Too much CO2 in the atmospheric bubble that surrounds the earth traps the heat from the sun, raising temperatures. If humanity cannot reduce its CO2 output, the planet faces an uncertain future.
Activities for January
The first thing to do is calculate your business’s current carbon footprint. There are a number of online calculators available, and companies that will work with you to determine your footprint.
Once you know how much carbon dioxide your business generates, you can purchase off-setting credits to neutralise any remaining emissions. It may be impossible to avoid all carbon emissions, but these schemes compensate for your emissions by funding an equivalent carbon dioxide saving elsewhere, investing in forestry projects or schemes to develop sustainable energy.
Carbon offsetting is only part of the solution and must be used in combination with reducing your carbon footprint.
Stay in touch
What’s your carbon footprint, and how are you planning to reduce it? Let us know on social media and help inspire others. Use the hashtag #thinkinggreen and we’ll reshare it. Making great progress? Why not submit a case study about your journey to sustainability?
And remember to pick at least one activity to work on this month, and watch out for another article next month with more inspiring sustainable ideas.
This article includes some of the tips that you can get after you complete the ABDO Sustainability Self-Assessment Tool. If you haven’t yet done the questionnaire, it is a great place to start your journey to a more sustainable practice. You can also opt in to get tips to your inbox each week.