Science Week - We're Going Green

Brightwater

• climate change
• scienceweek2019
• Sustainability
• going green

Now in its 24th year, Science Week (10th to 17th November) aims to engage everyone with all kinds of science. This year is focusing on climate action, seeking to help people understand climate change and what we can do to make a positive impact on it

As individuals and businesses, we need to look at what actions we can take, the impact of those actions and any positive results from that such as reducing waste and ways in which we can change our day to day activities to ensure we’re being as environmentally friendly as we can. At Brightwater, we’ve carried out a major “green” drive this year, reflecting the growing concern that our employees have for the quality of our environment.  

Brightwater’s Go Green Initiative to date:

• Introduction of recycling facilities in our offices
• Removal of all plastic cutlery from our offices
• Switch from using single-use coffee cups to compostable cups in all three offices
• Aim to remove compostable cups altogether by 1 Jan 2020 and switch to reusable coffee cups from then
• Introduction of a dedicated environmental committee to drive Brightwater’s green initiative forward and come up with new ideas that support this
• Encouragement of staff to reduce printing and photocopying needs and the amount of paper used – printing double-sided.
• Support of staff, generally, to look at and reduce the amount of personal waste they generate.

The small step of using reusable cups means that we save on valuable resources (even compostable cups require raw materials and energy to make, transport and dispose of). Our target of 1^st January 2020 to switch to reusable cups means we’re doing our bit for the environment – it also means we’re making economic savings too. Anxious to boost their green credentials (and to avoid a proposed latte tax) most of the big coffee chains are offering discounts to encourage consumers to bring their own reusable cups.

 One other initiative we’ve taken is to run our business with cloud technology. Cloud computing is becoming the norm for businesses but it’s important to remember that it’s not just a buzz word. It’s an integral part of a green IT approach that addresses resource efficiency, Cloud technology not only saves space, it also cuts down on hardware and manufacturing including the emissions and cardboard packaging that goes along with both.

 It’s important for us as a business to play our part in making a positive impact on climate change. All of what we’ve done so far are simple yet effective steps to reduce our ecological footprint. We know that sustainability shouldn’t be a one-time thing so we’re making it part of our culture.