Become a Sustainability Champion in Your Organization
22nd of April is Earth Day around the world. Unfortunately, in most recent years, celebrating Earth Day has turned into a bittersweet occasion given how alarmingly fast climate change is unfolding.
According to a UN-backed report, the past eight years were the eight warmest on record and we’re far from reaching the international climate goals set to avoid catastrophic climate events. The report suggests that we need radical shifts across every sector of the economy and society to reverse or at least slow down climate change.
This all implies that for us to continue living happily on this wonderful planet, urgent action needs to be taken.
Moving away from fossil fuels and investing in renewable energy and carbon capture technologies seem to be the most effective way to reverse some of the dire consequences created by climate change, but the key question you may have is:
What can I do about climate change?
Feeling powerless and pessimistic about the future does not take us very far. The good news is that we’re all part of bigger organisations that can influence the shifts in the economy that we need to see.
Here are some tips for you to become a sustainability champion in your organisation:
1) Ask about your organisation’s sustainability strategy:
If all organisations had a sustainability strategy, so much could be achieved in a short time. Does your organisation measure its carbon footprint? Does it have any carbon reduction plans? If not, encourage key stakeholders to take action around this issue. As an apprentice, you may feel like you don’t have much influence but by asking some of these fundamental questions, you can initiate a ripple effect that can have an impact on your organisation.
2) Reduce the use of disposables in your workplace:
By reducing our waste, we can alleviate the harm caused to habitats (especially oceans). See if you can move away from single-use plastics and utensils and instead switch to reusable ones in your workplace. Make sure that your office has recycling bins and make use of them as needed. Reduce your reliance on paper and try using digital alternatives instead- if that’s not possible, use 100% recycled paper.
3) Use a greener form of transportation for your commute:
To reduce your carbon footprint, you can try to cycle or walk to your office. If this is not possible, you can use a form of public transportation. Many companies nowadays offer Cycle to work schemes, which encourage employees to use a greener option for commuting. If it’s an option, working from home also helps to reduce your carbon footprint.
4) Make sustainable food choices:
According to WWF, “Food accounts for 70% of global biodiversity loss and around a third of global emissions”. By reducing our meat consumption and avoiding food that contains palm oil other than the RSPO-certified ones, we can make a change with our everyday choices.
5) Educate, talk, and discuss:
Chat with your colleagues about the impact of climate change and how you can take action to make a positive change. By sharing your concerns, views, and knowledge, you can influence others to live more sustainably.
To avoid the bleak future forecasted by climate scientists, we need to take collaborative action, and there’s no better way to take this action than through the organisations that we belong to. This is our planet, it’s our home and we need to take care of it the way it deserves to be taken care of!
Happy Earth Day everybody! Here’s to days when we can celebrate this day without a sense of alarming urgency but with a sense of appreciation and awe.
This article was written by the Multiverse Community Team.