How much damage could 0.5 degrees have on our planet?

7 Aug, 2019

Temperatures recorded today are compared to those in 1850-1890, a time before greenhouses gases, and in the past 22 years we have seen 20 of the hottest years recorded (World Meteorological Organization).  Over this period temperatures have increased by 1C and whilst this might not seem extreme, an increase to 1.5C (just 0.5C more), will have a major effect on our planet.  We will see a rise in heatwaves and sea levels, putting our homes, wildlife and habitats at risk of flooding, famine and drought.  If we were to hit 2C, we would see the end of coral reefs and 40% of the Amazon rainforest.

If we continue to act as we do today, temperatures could rise by 3-5C by the end of the Century.  Scientists have given us just 11 years to essentially halve our greenhouse gas emissions and the longer we leave it, the harder it is going to be.

So what can your business do to help save our planet?

Know your Carbon Footprint

In order to make change, you first need to know what your impact is.  The Carbon Trust, provide a Benchmarking Tool to help you measure your Carbon Footprint.  Alternatively, we can provide consultancy, helping you to identify where you are now and where you need to be in line with the ISO 14001 Environmental management standard.

Once you know where you are, you can then look to reduce your carbon footprint, whether that’s with some simple, minor changes, or a large scale commitment.  Some ideas include:

Switch your Vehicles

26% of Britain’s greenhouse gas emissions comes from our vehicles.  Consider switching them to electric or hybrid.

Switch to Renewable Energy

Some of the world’s biggest businesses to include Intel and Apple are now powered by renewable energy.

Reduce Paper Waste

There are a couple of ways you can reduce paper waste internally:

• Implement a printing policy such as printing two-sided and in black and white.
• Send more correspondence, manuals, handbooks etc. via email or make available online.
• Invest in hand driers, avoiding the use of paper towels
• Use recycling boxes within the office

Consider implementing ISO 14001 Environmental Management Standard

The environmental management standard can help you reduce your waste and carbon footprint significantly, therefore lowering your environmental liability.  You can find out more about the standard here.

If you’re interested in ISO 14001 but not sure if it’s right for your business, you can book on to our training course to learn more. The course is suitable for those considering implementation as well as those involved in its day to day running.

If you would like to learn more about reducing you carbon footprint, take a look at the Carbon Trust website where you can find a number of tools and guides.