Carbon Down

It's that time of year again when we all take stock and tend to make resolutions, both personal and professional, endeavouring to enrich the year to come.

If you need a helping hand, or are yet to set some goals for 2011, why not try a few of these simple sustainability resolutions:

• Recycle e‐waste ‐ Give your old, disused electrical equipment a new life. E‐waste recycling of office equipment such as old computers, printers and mobile phones ensures it does no end up in landfill. By recycling your old electrical equipment, your business also prevents hazardous material such as lead, mercury, arsenic and cadmium from contaminating the environment. For more information visit www.byteback.com.au.
• Temperature control‐ As weather conditions fluctuate throughout the year, be aware of the effect that heating and cooling has on energy consumption. Air conditioning and heating use a lot of energy, by setting your thermostats to 23 degrees in summer and between 18‐20 degrees in winter, you can save 10% more energy.
• Plastic not so fantastic‐ Single‐use plastic bags have a bad effect on the environment, taking up to 1,000 years to break down in landfill. Take action by providing introduction of reusable bags or simply charging for the use of a plastic bag in order to encourage shoppers to bring their own.
• Choose GreenPower‐ Reduce your impact on the planet and your business by purchasing alternative power sources through GreenPower. Boosting your green credentials can also impact your bottom line and your reputation. For your free cost comparison visit www.choosegreenpower.com.au.
• Green your transport‐ Make an effort this year to cut your transport emissions by offsetting your flights or using public transport. Alternatively, combine your commute with exercise by riding or walking to work and earn your morning coffee! Get inspired by visiting www.bv.com.au/general/ride‐to‐work.
• Efficient equipment‐ When purchasing new equipment for your business, choose the most energy efficient option available. This will reduce both your impact on the environment, along with financial costs. You can also check the efficiency of existing equipment, for example poor seals on old fridges can waste significant amounts of energy and can be easily replaced.
• Source sustainability solutions‐ Find tailored sustainability solutions and connect with likeminded businesses through the Carbon Compass website. No matter what industry your business is in, you'll find a range of hints and tips to reduce your carbon emissions. Visit www.carboncompass.com.au.
• Get creative with your work clothes‐ A wardrobe full of clothes and nothing to wear? Instead of rushing out to fill your closet again, why not get creative with what you have. Challenge yourself not to wear black for a week, or wear only those items that haven't seen the light of day for a while. You'll be amazed at what you find! If the challenge proves too great, then recycle and re‐use by paying your local opportunity shop a visit.
• Cut your food miles‐ Investigate local catering options for events and meetings. As a general rule, sourcing produce locally will reduce your environmental impact, along with supporting the local economy.
• Use a laptop‐ Turn off your desktop and invest in a laptop. Not only do they allow for a more portable office, laptops use up to 80 per cent less energy. Furthermore, you can save even more energy by ensuring all laptops and PCs are shut down at the end of the day. Remind your team to switch off, www.whatcanidorightnow.com.au/activity/switch‐offsignage.
• Delamp your office‐ Delamping your office is an energy and money saving technique you can implement in your business. It requires the use of various types of fluorescent fixtures. Many companies are delamping by taking two lamps out of a four‐lamp fixture and saving 80 to 96 watts per fixture or 64 to 80 watts in the process, depending on the replacement globe.

For information on more easy to implement sustainability actions for your business, simply visit www.whatcanidorightnow.com.au. While you are there, consider signing up to the What can I do right now monthly newsletter, for carbon reducing tips delivered straight to your inbox.