With COP26 in full flow is it time to think about your company carbon footprint more seriously?
The impact on the environment is now clear for all. The planet is getting warmer!
The warming of the Earth happens because the atmosphere traps heat radiating from the world and stops it escaping into space. Certain gases in the atmosphere, called greenhouse gases, block the heat from escaping. One of the biggest problems is carbon dioxide (CO2).
How can you start to reduce CO2 emissions then? I’m sure we are already implementing new strategies and investing in greener technology, but what about offshore imports your bringing into the country?
The amount of CO2 (in grams) emitted per metric ton of freight and per km of transportation.
Globalization makes it easy to send goods around the world. However, the choice of the means of transportation does severely influence the amount of CO2 emitted for the transportation of goods.
Source: Time for Change
From the table above Air Cargo is by far the biggest contributor, but you need those parts urgently, right? Even with Sea freight, the distance they travel is usually over 7500km (I’ll let you do the maths) plus the train / lorry distance’s either end. But that’s not a true picture of CO2 emissions as you should really take into account how the electricity was produced, what happens to the water and any chemicals once the factory has finished with them, plus any recycling arrangements etc…
The best way to reduce all the above CO2 emissions is to not generate them in the first place. If you are able to source your requirements onshore then why not? It might cost you a few more pounds on your balance sheet, but we all know that stopping global warming is going to cost, so push up prices anyway. This way you can prompt your company as greener than your rivals and perhaps win more custom, offsetting those price increases?
Did you know?
The world is now about 1.2C warmer than it was in the 19th Century – and the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere has risen by 50%
