You would have to be living with your eyes closed to not realise that taking environmental responsibility is more than a little bit important in today’s world. And it’s not just about us recycling or planting some wild flowers in our gardens. We need to be committing to major changes both in business and beyond. ‘Environmentally responsible’ might seem a nebulous term but basically refers to the actions being taken by individuals and organisations to ensure that the things they’re doing and planning are sustainable and will have a minimal negative impact on the environment.
And if you’re more motivated by green cash than green credentials then you’ll want to know that environmental responsibility is not just about ‘doing the right thing’. In business, demonstrating your genuine environmental values is becoming increasingly crucial. Consumers are demanding more sustainable products and services than ever before. Businesses that fail to meet these demands are at real risk losing customers to competitors that prioritise sustainability in their activities. The fact is, people kind of like having a planet to live on and are willing to put their money where their mouth is.
But I’m not an eco-type business, we hear you cry. But just because you don’t see any obvious connections between what you do and the environment doesn’t mean there aren’t ways you can show your commitment. Creating and sharing a carbon reduction plan is a great (and easy) activity to get you started. You can take a hard look at your day to day practices and habits and look for places to change.
Easy wins
Money Matters – Ethical Banking is a hot topic at the moment. As some of the historically biggest investors in fossil fuel and other less than socially minded areas… Banks are cleaning up their acts but you still have choices. Bank Green has a handy list to see options but you can also check yours directly.
Check your web – People forget how much carbon is created by digital data storage so finding out how green your web hosting is can be pretty powerful? There’s a few websites out there that can check quickly and easily for you and give you some options for better. Try the Green Web Foundation.
Offset your carbon – We use Ecologi to offset the carbon for the office space and the businesses based here. By signing up to a monthly membership we have removed hundreds of tonnes of carbon from the environment. It doesn’t need anything from us except intention and commitment.
Printing – an easy win because it’s a really toxic process full of chemicals and waste. But there are some great sustainable printers out there with much better practices to help reduce your negative impact.
Waste – You can also look at your waste habits and where it goes next. We use Suez who help us collect our rubbish in a better way and make sure as much of it is recycled as possible.
Cleaning – What chemicals are you pushing into the waterways and what about single use products? There are some brilliant eco cleaning chemicals available now and they don’t cost much more than their toxic cousins. Compostable bin bags and getting rid of the floor wipes are two more easy swaps that build up to a big difference.
Companies that are environmentally responsible are often viewed more favourably by investors too. Investors are increasingly looking for investments that align with their environmental and social values for the same reasons as everyone else! In addition, being environmentally responsible can lead to significant cost savings in the long run. Research is showing that companies who prioritise sustainability often find ways to reduce waste and become more efficient overall. It’s all about mindset…
Beyond business, environmental responsibility is essential for the future of our planet. Human activity has caused significant damage to the environment, from environmental changes, oceanic to pollution and deforestation. By taking responsibility for our actions and making sustainable choices, we can help mitigate these negative impacts and protect the planet for future generations. ThinqTanq is working towards the ambitious aim of being a carbon negative business. If you want to find out more about how we’re doing that you can check out the website here
Taking environmental responsibility is essential for the health of our planet and the well-being of future generations of humans. Whether in business or in our personal lives, we all have to take responsibility for our actions and make sustainable choices to help protect the environment.
The fact is as a species and a culture we need to change. And people want us to change. So why not be the solution and the best option all at once. As the (very accurate) cliche says, there’s no planet B.