Simple steps to become more sustainable
Carbon emissions are at the highest point in human history; largely due to industrial action. So the world looks to businesses to reduce emissions and reverse the negative impact made on our environment. In fact, properly accounting for and managing its carbon emissions is one of the most important things a company can do to protect not only the environment, but its own future – and profits.
These emissions are measured through a calculation called “carbon footprint”. While this may seem like a simple concept, it can actually be quite complicated – which is why many business owners in Saudi Arabia and Bahrain prefer to leave the carbon accounting, and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction, to a third party like Staterra.
What is a carbon footprint?
A carbon footprint is essentially the amount of greenhouse gases emitted by an organization, either through the use of energy, or other emissions such as transportation. Typically, a carbon footprint is expressed in terms of tons of CO2-equivalent per year. This is equivalent to about 1 tonne of CO2. The most accurate way to calculate your carbon footprint is to use emissions factors based on international standards.
For example, a person’s carbon footprint is about 5 tonnes of CO2-equivalent per year, but large industrial operations may have a much larger carbon footprint than the average person or household.
Staterra can help you calculate your business’ carbon footprint, and advise you on how you can reduce your company’s carbon footprint to protect the environment and improve your company’s performance and compliance.
How can you reduce your company’s carbon footprint?
Reducing your carbon footprint may be as simple as making some changes to the way you do business.
For example, you can use less paper, switch to energy-efficient light bulbs, or recycle. You can also use less energy and drive fewer miles, by working remotely or encouraging employees to take public transportation instead of driving their own cars to work. There are many ways to minimise your carbon footprint for your business, but it depends on your individual situation.
Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction and accounting
For many businesses, greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction and accounting can seem like a daunting task. Often, this includes measuring, managing and reducing emissions from transportation, energy, industrial processes, as well as manufacturing products and packaging materials.
If your business is considering reducing GHG emissions through voluntary offset projects or entering into an offset purchase agreement, it is important to be knowledgeable about your options for offsetting carbon emissions, and ensuring you are engaging in legitimate practices that will reduce your total carbon footprint. At Staterra, we can help you with our Carbon Accounting and Offsetting Solutions and Greenhouse Gas Inventories and Carbon Strategies.
Before contacting us, you might want to take note of a few tips we’d like to share today, as Energy Efficiency Measures (EEMs) are great ways for businesses to reduce their overall footprint and save money at the same time.
- Install energy-efficient equipment and systems in buildings and industrial facilities; the optimization of production processes to eliminate unnecessary energy use; and the use of more efficient forms of heating, cooling, lighting and other energy sources.
- Efficient use of electricity can also help reduce your business’ energy costs – in many cases by as much as 30% or more.
- With energy prices rising steadily over the past few years, many business owners are realizing that improving energy efficiency is now more cost-effective than ever.
- As demand for energy-efficient technologies and services continues to grow, a number of governments incentive programs have sprung up to encourage more businesses to implement these new technologies.
According to a report released by the Business Council for Sustainable Energy, companies that implement energy efficiency measures typically achieve energy savings of between 5-10% in the first year after implementing an energy efficiency program. These savings then increase over time as companies continue to use these technologies and further improve efficiencies within their operations.
Other studies have shown that investments made towards energy efficiency generate a positive return on investment in less than one year, and will typically pay for themselves within two to three years.
We’ve assisted clients in navigating complex and ever-changing challenges, such when our team in environmental modelling was able to simulate the dispersion of iodine and hydrogen fluoride emissions in the atmosphere, and anticipate their concentration and fate at sensitive locations.
The STATERRA team is fully prepared to meet and exceed your environmental health and safety requirements, quickly. Take a look at our full range of solutions we can provide for your business.