Archive for May, 2008

Results of Best Green Companies

May 20, 2008 · Filed under Carbon Dioxide emissions, Companies going green, carbon footprint · Tagged , , , , ,

As promised here are the results of the Sunday Times Best Green Companies. The results took into account corporate policies and practices and improvements in environmental performances.  There was also an employee questionnaire that looked at how much employees were involved in decision making and what their attitude was to green issues.  This is interesting because the more involved staff are the more likely they are going to comply and even take ideas home with them.  All in all this has to be good for the environment.

So here is the list:

  • J C Atkinson and Son (Manufacturing)
  • Carillion (Construction)
  • Co-operative Financial Services (Financial Services)
  • Pureprint Group (Printing and Publishing)
  • Skanska UK (Construction)
  • HBOS (Financial Services)
  • Loughborough Student’s Union (Education)
  • Saint-Gobain Glass UK (Manufacturing)
  • MCM Architecture (Architects)
  • The National Magazine Company (Media)
It’s great to see such a range in companies, both in size and area they serve.  More information including a break down into small, mid and big companies can be found by visiting www.timesonline.co.uk/bestgreencompanies
The companies above are also based all over the country so the initiative to go green isn’t just restricted to big cities but is nationwide.  Interestingly there is even a Student’s Union in the top ten!  This means that universities are joining the fight to help the environment.  Hopefully this means that graduates will take this ethos with them when they join companies and may even take green issues into consideration when choosing who to work for.
All in all the Best Green Companies is great for the environment and shows just how much green issues are in the spotlight.  Long may it continue.

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Can green cars be sexy?

May 15, 2008 · Filed under CO2 emissions, Companies going green, carbon footprint, reduce carbon footprint · Tagged , , , , ,

This is the question that the Eden Project is trying to answer at it’s Sexy Green Car show on the 23rd-31st May.  I had a look at the site and to be honest I wasn’t finding the cars all that sexy, but then again I’m not the worlds biggest car fan!

The list of cars ranged from Citroen, Ford, Fiat, Honda and surprisingly Lotus!  The Lotus was the one that caught my eye as you don’t expect a sports car to be green.  So what exactly are it’s green credentials?

The Lotus Exige 270E Tri-fuel runs on a mixture of gasoline, bioethanol and methanol.  The company is hoping to introduce the use of sustainable synthetic alcohols as fuels within 15-20 years.  It’s maximum speed is 158mph which is pretty fast.  The all important CO2 output is 100g/km running on E85 bioethanol or zero emissions on sustainable synthetic methanol.  This is less than the Citroen C1 which has emissions of 109g/km.  Well done Lotus!

So what does the car look like?  Well as you can see it doesn’t look any different from a regular Lotus.

Lotus Exige 270E Tri-fuel

  If you like your cars checkout the Eden Project’s Sexy Green Cars website  www.sgcs.edenproject.com
Let us know what you think about these sexy green cars.  We’ll also be taking a look at how you drive to reduce your carbon emissions whilst out and about on the roads.  Let’s face it with petrol prices going through the roof we could all do with advice on how to save on petrol consumption.

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The end of bottled water in restaurants?

May 15, 2008 · Filed under CO2 emissions, Companies going green, carbon footprint, reduce carbon footprint · Tagged , , ,

We all know that drinking bottled water increases our carbon footprint.  Anyone who wants to try and become carbon neutral should drink tap water but what can we do when we go to restaurants or other public places?

Thankfully Greencare H2O are here to bring an ethical and green solution that is also stylish.  The company produce watercooling and filtering systems to turn average tap water into a tasty drink.  The interesting point about this company is that once the restaurant has it’s water it can put it into a branded bottle which they can then charge the customer for or give it away free.

Greencare H2O have seen their profits rocket over the last year which is great news for the environment.  It also shows that restaurants and other public places are taking environmental issues seriously and trying to reduce their carbon footprints.  Manchester United have got involved and installed the Greencare h2o system.  Trendy restaurant WaterHouse in Shoreditch, London have also installed the system and ask for a £1 donation of you have the water.

So there we have it.  Yet more good news that industries are making an effort to reduce their carbon footprint.

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Greener Business

May 13, 2008 · Filed under CO2 emissions, Companies going green, carbon footprint, reduce carbon footprint · Tagged , , , ,

Next week the Sunday Times will reveal it’s Best Green Companies.  We’ll be bringing you information about the top companies after they have published their results.  For the moment we’ll look at what it takes to have been included in the short listings.  The team here at Ethical and Green are really pleased that a national newspaper like the Sunday Times is dedicating time and space to green issues.  They are also showing that big companies are taking green issues seriously.

Firstly a businesses environmental management policies, environmental training and internal consultation, energy consumption, waste products and recycling were assessed.  Scores from this section accounted for 70% of the final ranking.

Secondly an employee survey was sent out to get their perspective on how their company was doing.  Responses counted for 30% of the final score.  The survey was a rating scale ranging from ’strongly agree’ to ’strongly disagree’ and included statements such as ‘my boss encourages me to think about energy saving‘ and ‘my workplace is too warm when the weather is cold.’  The survey was devised in conjunction with Bureau Veritas, an international firm of environmental consultants and Munro Global, a data analysis company.

Unfortunately only 88 companies registered for the competition as some where unable to provide the data required.  Also the company did not look at the greenest businesses in the country but how committed a company and it’s employees are to making a difference with the environment. If it were solely a list of the greenest companies, the top would be those focussing on renewable energy and so on therefore making the results somewhat unfair.

It will be very interesting to see which companies have made it on to the list.  We’ll also be looking at innovative ways companies are going green and of there are any tips we can take into our households.  It will also be interesting to see the impact this list will have on businesses not included or who did not enter the competition.  Will more companies apply for next year?  Will the environment and climate change come higher up on companies agenda as a result of such publicity?  Only time will tell….

So, stop by next week for the analysis of The Sunday Times Best Green Companies.

 

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UK carbon footprint growing

May 9, 2008 · Filed under Carbon Dioxide emissions, carbon footprint, reduce carbon footprint · Tagged , , ,

It has been revealed by the Office for National Statistics that the UK’s carbon footprint is growing despite people doing more recycling.

They have found that the number of cars in Britain has increased from 5 million to 27.8 million in ten years!  This is astonishing…..Roll on green cars….Air travel has also increased with there being 54 million passengers than 5 years ago.  The increase is thought to be due to the increase in ‘no-frills’ airlines making air travel accessible to the masses.

 

The good news is that Britons are now recycling 27% of their waste compared to 15% five years ago.  The North West of Britain was the best at recycling with London being the worst. The South East performed worse with car journeys increasing.

 

Friends of the Earth have commented that the British government must do more to turn Britain green.  They recommend ‘tougher energy efficiency standards for products and cars, greater investment in public transport and taxes aimed at making it cheaper and easier to go green.’  Will the government listen?

 

On the back of this report it’s clear that UK residents must do more to reduce their carbon footprint.  Recycling levels are still low and car usage is high.  We’ll keep passing on tips to help become carbon neutral but it’s clear that this message needs to go to the masses and not just a select (but very important) few!

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Nokia’s eco-friendly and green phone

May 1, 2008 · Filed under CO2 emissions, Carbon Dioxide emissions, carbon footprint, reduce carbon footprint · Tagged , , , ,

Recently Nokia revealed it’s Nokia remade phone at the Mobile World Congress.  

In an effort to reduce the environmental impact of making mobile phones, this phone has been made using only recycled material.  This will help reduce our carbon footprint and in an age where environmental issues are making the front pages, we think it could be a massive seller if Nokia decide to mass produce.

At this time Nokia have no plans to put the phone into production but one thing for sure is that Greenpeace would approve of it.  It’s certainly greener than the iPhone!

This is great news for those of us who want to live a more ethical and green life.  At last one of the major distributors of mobile phones is seriously contemplating the effect of mobiles on the environment.  Of course many places now offer recycling of old mobiles but this is a far bigger step.

Let’s hope that Nokia put Remade into mass production. 

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