Last year we questioned if there was any hope for the environment, we got to know the sustainable consumer, and we set ourselves some pretty bold goals to reduce our impact on the planet.
We looked to our waste creation, our energy usage, and the culture within our team, seeking to create a work environment that means we tread lightly on our natural environment. We used behaviour change tactics to nudge our team in the right direction, such as changing our office set-up, providing feedback, and keeping the environment front and centre in our minds.
We had some pretty cool results. We reduced our waste going to landfill to almost zero, decreased our daily energy usage by 14% and introduced some sustainable practices such as sourcing second-hand materials, and hosting environmentally-conscious team events.
So what are we going to do this year? We want to take our efforts further, to the community that surrounds us. Take this as our public declaration for where we want to be by the end of the financial year.
Waste
We will send zero waste to landfill, and reduce how much we send to recycling.
Australia’s recycling system is choking, and as much as we want our things to find a second life, there’s nowhere for them to go. We will aim to avoid recyclable take away containers by taking reusable ones with us to our favourite cafes; join the growing movement of Australians who are using a glass milk bottle system; and use less paper.
Currently, we send tissues, napkins, and ciggie butts to landfill, because they can’t be recycled. We’re going to explore how we can avoid these nasties, or where else we can send them.
Energy
We will reduce our energy usage by a further 10% each day.
This summer, whenever we can, we’ve been using trusty fans instead of the powerful A/C. This has brought our energy usage down significantly, and we hope to keep up this trend as we move into winter. We’re bringing in blankets, and sealing any draughts, to create a cozy office that’s insulated from the chill.
Culture
We will influence our community.
This year, we want to extend our environmentally friendly office culture to our community. We’re lobbying our favourite cafes to drop single-use plastics, inviting our neighbours to our environmental documentary nights, and taking the tips and tricks that we learn at the office home to our families and friends.
From our work with our environmentally-driven clients, to our team Week in Wildlife viewing – we talk a lot about the environment at Ellis Jones. But walking the talk is important to us, just as is the preservation of our natural environment. We look forward to reducing our footprint further this year.
