Doing our part for the planet

No company or individual is exempt from making what difference they can in the fight against climate change. The events of the past 2 years have made the whole world aware of just how serious our impact on the environment is.

With COP26 well underway and climate change on everyone's mind we wanted to take a moment to reassure our customers of the efforts we're making to offset our environmental impact, as well as to suggest some ways that you as an individual might be able to make a difference.

We have recently been the proud supplier of equipment needed for an environmental expedition across one of the world’s newest deserts, the Aralkum in Kazakhstan. The scientists who took part in this expedition are preparing to speak about their journey and findings at COP26 in Scotland, where representatives of Ross Handling are looking forward to meeting them in person and hearing all about the adventure. To find out more about the expedition and the equipment we provided for it, read the post at the bottom of this article.

Below are 5 ways Ross Handling is working to offset its carbon footprint, as well as 5 ways you can make a difference!

What we’re doing right now

Ross Handling recycles 100% of our cardboard packaging, and our products are shipped out in boxes that are either reused or made from recycled materials. So if you ever wonder why our boxes aren’t branded, it's because we don't buy new ones!

Our official courier partners, DPD and Fedex, both use fully recyclable packaging that is made from recycled materials. You can see more about their recycling policies by clicking the links below.
DPD
Fedex

We have recently made a donation to the World Land Trust in an effort to compensate for our company’s carbon footprint. This charity is committed to replanting trees at protected sites all over the world, as well as permanently protecting woodland areas from deforestation. This donation allows them to buy and plant these trees using local workforces.

Our donation in November allowed the World Land Trust to plant trees across Borneo, Brazil, Kenya and India to replace those lost by deforestation.

Future plans

We are currently in the process of installing charge points outside our trade counter that will be available to use for free by any of our customers that drive electric vehicles. We are also looking to undertake an ISO 14001 certification, so that we can reassure our customers and partners that we are performing to a high, internationally recognised standard for environmental protection.

What can you do?

You might think there’s nothing one single person can do to make any noticeable difference to climate change, but you’d be wrong. Whilst one person changing the way they live won’t undo the damage that’s been done, everyone working together to make those same changes can make a very real impact

Below are five ways you can easily start to make a difference to your carbon footprint.

1. Buy great clothes

The clothing sector is the second biggest industrial polluter in the world after the oil industry, contributing 10% of all carbon emissions and cutting down 70 million trees each year to produce cheap fabrics. Ironically, a large portion of the oil produced each year is used to make polyester.

Buying higher quality clothes that you can wear more often and keep for longer can help to massively reduce carbon emissions, since one item of “fast fashion” clothing can produce over 400% more carbon emissions than a higher quality item.

So, basically, you can feel guilt-free when buying more expensive clothes!

2. Be the token vegan in your friendship group

Livestock accounts for about 51% of all greenhouse gas emissions worldwide. This is more than all exhaust emissions combined, and is predicted to increase to 80% by 2050 if things continue as they are. Meat and dairy is also responsible for 91% of all Amazon deforestation.

Someone eating a vegan diet saves 1,100 gallons of water, 20kg of grain,30 square feet of forested land and 9kg of CO2 per day.

If a vegan lifestyle seems a bit too full on as a first step, other things can also make a difference. These include eating white meat instead of red meat, shopping locally and seasonally, and reducing your food waste by eating leftovers.

3. Stop with the plastic

300 million tonnes of plastic are produced each year globally. This is estimated to contribute to 17% of the global carbon budget by 2050 unless something changes.

Reducing the amount of disposable plastic you use is one of the easiest impacts you can make to your carbon footprint. Simply reuse food containers and shopping bags, carry a reusable water bottle with you, buy a bamboo toothbrush or stop using disposable straws. Avoiding unnecessarily packaged foods or buying loose food from local shops can also make a difference.

4. Get some fresh air

Transportation contributes 13% of all greenhouse gas emissions. Giving up your car is far easier said than done, sadly, but there are things you can do to make travelling more green:

• Don’t nip round the corner to the shops in the car, take a walk instead
• Switch off your ignition while in traffic or while you’re waiting for someone
• Use public transport where possible
• Try car sharing to work or on the school run

5. Use green energy "before it's cool"

Most energy suppliers these days offer some sort of green energy tariff. Some companies offer a mix of renewable and non-renewable energy sources, but obviously using one that supplies 100% renewable energy is far more beneficial to the environment.

These schemes are usually slightly more expensive than regular tariffs at the moment, but more people investing in them will prompt more investment in the technology, which in turn will drive down the prices of renewable energy. Unfortunately, it has to start somewhere, but you could be making a difference before it becomes the mainstream thing to do!