We know that global warming is becoming an increasing pressure and issue with the planet that we live on. With annual increases on temperature rises, rising sea waters alongside with biodiversity loss, the world collective needs to act and act quickly! The Worlds Environmental Day is on the 5th June every year. This is run by the united nationals that hopes to improve and drive awareness of the problems of global warming, which in turn will try to encourage people to act accordingly and help save the planet.

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Right! So how can any of us make the change? What can we do to try and help our planet? 
There is plenty that we can do, both domestically and whilst at work. Some of the factors which influence an organisation’s effect on the environment are:

- Work activities
- Products 
- Waste

Work Activities

Your usage of internet has a massive effect with carbon use. So are you able to become carbon neutral? When you leave a room, if the light is switched on, and no one else is in the room then switch it off.  Can you automate processes ensuring that after use the process stops. If you have Air conditioning or central heating is it serviced on a regular basis? This could save money and energy at the same time. Can you save printing on paper; could you e-mail someone or even conference call that person?

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Products

Environmentally responsible products and production processes offer marketing benefits.

Design products and processes to reduce the use of resources. It is often cheaper to buy less material than to waste and dispose of it.

Try to Design products for re-use.

Make products that can be reused, repaired and easily recycled.

Use recycled and recyclable packaging

Did you know that businesses with an annual turnover of £2 million or more that handle more than 50 tonnes of packaging per year are legally required to ‘recover’ and recycle a percentage of their packaging waste?

Use environmentally responsible materials

Avoid using scarce natural resources.

 

Waste

How you deal with your waste makes a massive impact on the environment. Are you disposing of certain waste products correctly? Can you recycle your waste or even re-use it? Do you and your establishment have the correct measures put in place?

You have a legal responsibility to ensure that your waste is handled properly.

The best form of waste management is waste reduction.

The costs of waste disposal have increased significantly over the past few years and this trend will continue.

Explore opportunities for elimination, reduction, re-use, recycling and recovery before disposal.

You must store waste safely and securely.

Store waste in suitable containers which are clearly labelled and ensure waste cannot escape.

Store normal and hazardous waste separately. For example, fluorescent tubes are hazardous waste and should not go in the normal bin.

You must ensure that the person collecting and disposing of your waste does so properly.



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Companies across the UK are taking global warming and pollution more seriously and are being responsible and more conscious with how they deal with their own waste and trying to keep a safer environment that we live and work in. Environmental safety is now being standardised for companies and this can be recognised by gaining an ISO 14001 standard.