Whether small or big, businesses can impact how they operate to cut the company’s carbon footprint and make an impression. These organizations can make many changes to the way they manage to do this. Here are some checklists that can help this process to reduce the carbon company footprint and overall impact.
Increase the Office Lighting Efficiency
It can make a big difference to change lighting across a building to more energy-efficient options like LED. It also has long-lasting impacts with a quick win. Where possible, companies must ensure that they use natural light when adequate. They can light many offices artificially unnecessarily and can save energy with natural light. Natural light can also improve sleep and prevent health risks associated with artificial lighting, including elevated stress response.
Reduces Road Travel Emissions
Businesses can install a telematics system like GPS tracking to enable data collection to help analyze their fleet’s usage and make them more efficient if they have their fleet. Telematics data analysis could inform criteria for further leasing or purchase decisions. Getting more fuel-efficient or optionally fuelled vehicles like electric vehicles or alternative fuel tends to be ideal. They can subsidize the new low-emission vehicles through government grants. The government also provides a subsidy for those installing charge points at home regarding the cost of EVs.
It will be effective for businesses to engage a reputable energy service provider who can carry out different reviews to help the company make their fleet more efficient and greener. They can get these reviews at no cost for more private and public sector organizations. Eco-driving technique training drivers can also save fuel and reduce emissions. This case entails teaching drivers how to drive with more anticipation of road conditions and more consideration of fuel economy.
Reduce Emissions from Air Travel
Companies and organizations are increasingly opting for less travel for business by using popular software programs like Skype or Zoom. Businesses can also reduce emissions from air travel by considering traveling by train. However, they may need to investigate the travel class that the airline uses if they must use air travel. Using the 2019 Defra carbon Factors for a long haul flight, they can expect 0.60 kg CO2e emissions per passenger-km for first-class travel. 0.15kg CO2e for the economy, and 0.43 kg CO2e for business class. The calculation is the amount of space a seat takes on the planet.
This case implies that a one-way flight from New York JFK airport to London Heathrow will have a carbon footprint per person of 921kg CO2e for economy class, business class will be 2671kg CO2e, and 3684kg CO2e for the first class. There will be a reduction in comfort with a switch from business to the economy for those taking several trips a year and a significant difference in the associated emissions.
Switching to Renewable Energy
With Renewable Energy Guarantees of Origin, there is an assurance that the origin of the energy supplied to businesses is 100 percent renewably sourced. Therefore, companies can use the GHG Protocol market-based calculation technique to figure out their carbon footprint, focusing on the fuel mix of their electricity supplies.