Our commitment
As business owners, both my wife and I are committed to reducing our carbon footprint where we can, and to offsetting it where we cannot, to actively play our small part in the battle against climate change. To do this our electricity provider guarantees that 100% of the electricity we use comes from renewable and traceable sources. They are also a 100% carbon-neutral gas supplier providing 10% green gas, the greener cousin of natural gas, that is cleaner and fossil fuel-free and is backed by Renewable Gas Guarantees of Origin (RGGOs). The remainder of our gas consumption is offset by supporting certified carbon reduction projects ranging from protecting the rainforest to planting trees in the UK. We also own and protect a small established woodland, that we actively manage, to increase the local biodiversity of native insects, birds and animals, as well as gaining the benefit from the carbon it absorbs through natural growth.
For each survey we undertake, we donate £20 from the fee to the Forest of Marston Vale to support their activity. They are a part of the Carbon Neutral Britain carbon offsetting initiative. This amount allows them to plant another tree in the forest for each survey we do, hopefully for the benefit of the local community for decades to come.
We have chosen to support the Forest of Marston Vale because it is a local Trust whose active tree planting campaign enhances woodlands, wildlife and biodiversity in our area, whilst making it easier for more people to spend time in the natural environment and maximise the physical and mental health benefits of their visits.
It has been proven that spending time in nature can have a positive effect on health and well-being, with studies showing links between time spent in forests and lower levels of stress. As we are able to financially support activity that enhances local woodland, making it a bit easier for more people to spend time in the natural environment and experience the physical and mental health benefits of their visits, it feels like the least we can do for our community.
Every day over 27 million traditional business cards are printed and once handed out 90% of these end up in the bin within a week. Even as a small business using minimal business cards, this feels like an outdated system that is far from sustainable. Using a digital business card provides us with a sustainable solution that reduces our waste and non-circular carbon consumption, as well as allowing us to update our contact information without having to dispose of any outdated and unused cards.
Every dollop of support helps.
Sustainability
The importance of leading a sustainable life to improve environmental conditions both locally and globally, and the real difference these actions can make in society, has been well publicised in the media for some time.
Being committed to sustainability primarily means reducing your carbon footprint and the amount of toxins released into the environment through your actions, and when we collectively focus on sustainability, the entire world benefits and gets to live in clean, more healthy living conditions.
In their latest report the WWF state that the average daily personal carbon footprint in the UK is currently 12.9tonnes CO2e annually, which includes travel, home heating, and so on. In another report they indicate that the average daily related carbon footprint is 1.8 tonnes CO2e annually per person (search for ‘WWF diet carbon footprint’ to find 'Food In A Warming World - The Changing Foods On The British Plate').
More specifically to our household, both my wife and I permanently work from home and this increases our domestic energy consumption compared to the average UK household. Our energy supplier indicates that this consumption alone produces 3.9 tonnes CO2e every year. In addition, our combined household vehicle usage produces an estimated 10.6 tonnes CO2e every year, add to this the average diet carbon cost for each person in our household and our total carbon footprint is 19.9 tonnes CO2e annually.