Green business - What's your excuse? [BT broadband office]

Green business - What's your excuse?

Posted 7 February 2008 at 8:57AM by Hannah Gilchrist in Hints and tips

The results from the latest study into green business management reveal that many small businesses will struggle to achieve carbon footprint targets because they have no consistent way of measuring their impact on the environment. But can businesses really claim to be so naïve when it comes to measuring their carbon emissions?

Over the past few years, finding out new ways to turn businesses green has been a hot topic for most companies across the UK, so are these revelations simply a further excuse to delay green plans?

Since the EU and UK revealed regulations and campaigns demanding more environmentally aware business processes, UK firms have either jumped on board or hidden behind excuses.

Isn't it about time everyone started facing up to their environmental responsibilities?

Why not join our "ethical and green" community?

Tags: bt, bt broadbandoffice, environment, green, social responsibility

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Comments

1. At February 8, 2008 2:54 AM, George wrote:

Going Green is easy and exciting but this subject can turn people off. With EU energy regulations and office rental space being more sensitive to energy efficiency measures its high time business took another look at this. Many businesses do not realise they may have already gone a little green without realising it. My company provides impartial specialist advice on how to get your building to make a better green footprint - and we practice what we preach! It suprises clients just how easily this can be done - its just a matter of knowing how. The important thing is to get impartial advice because various product suppliers offer an energy service that just happens to recommend their products, which makes you wonder how accurate these things are. The only way to get a really accurate picture is to have an energy survey undertaken - and its findings may save you seroius money year on year. Some companies appoint a sustainable manager to help get further green improvements from travelling, waste control, office practices and so on. By all doing our bit we also make the business more efficient and effective.

2. At February 8, 2008 9:19 AM, Paul Tulip wrote:

Yet again, the 'Thought Police' have imposed their unproven views on the climate to ensure that we pay more and more money to 'jump on a climate change bandwaggon idiots' and to make us feel guilty so we pay more taxes (Who benefits from this--not the environment!)To quote Jeremy Clarkson 'News reports always say global warming scientists "have found that...." This makes it a fact. Some major corporations are quoted that they "claim that...." which makes it seem like a lie-Subtle but it works' The whole thing makes my blood boil. Anybody who goes against this 'Proven' wisdom is claimed to be a liar, yet there is never any real proof defined. Now BT is promoting the myth. What a pity.

3. At February 8, 2008 2:57 PM, Ian Betteridge wrote:

That's the first time I've seen Jeremy Clarkson quoted as a climate expert. I thought he just knew a bit about cars, but I'm glad to hear that he also has a PhD in climate science!

As a climate change skeptic friend of mine said a while ago: "I don't think that the case for climate change being caused by man is proven. However, I do know that it's unwise to continue a century-long uncontrolled experiment in pumping large quantities of CO2 into the atmosphere, just to see if the theory is wrong."

4. At February 8, 2008 3:21 PM, Eddie's Spirit wrote:

What myth? You're either pretty stupid or just completely burying your head in the sand if think global warming doesn't exist. Or perhaps if you just keep denying it you can keep doing nothing about it with a clear conscience. Either way it's fairly pathetic. The fact is, carbon emissions DO damage the ozone layer, and big holes in the ozone layer DO cause climate change.

Still though, if you still don't (or won't) believe it and make your company greener for the environments's sake, consider doing it for your own gains - eg. making your business greener will lead to lower energy costs which lead to more money on your pocket. Also, whether you want to believe the "myth" or not, the pact is the vast majority of consumers today do, so if you want to appeal to an increasingly ecologically minded public, have good green credentials is a pretty good way to do it.

Personally, I know that if I had the choice between two similarly priced products and one was made by an ecologically sound company and the other was produced by renowned eco-terrorists, I know which one I would buy. But maybe I'm just nice like that.

5. At February 8, 2008 4:15 PM, Waj wrote:

Not only that, Ian, but it's unresourceful.

I don't think there's any reason to waste anything and it's only sensible to aim towards efficiency in everything that we consume. However, I think this message is shrouded by the nonscience of "global warming".

It has been shown that CO2 levels increase as the temperature increases; there is no proof at all for the inverse.

In fact, temperature naturally goes up and down over periods of centuries--and has been doing so for millenia, when not a single car nor chimney existed. Only a quick look at geology proves this.

6. At February 11, 2008 2:15 AM, George wrote:

OK Paul,if I showed you how to save £300 (and maybe more)from your energy bill each year are you saying you would not take up the advice? If you did save that amount then you would have been seen by the govt as having gone a little green. Its about common sense and not wasting energy or money. Yes there is still a debate with some over the cause/effect issues, but do we really want to risk our future by simply ignoring what is happening - for our childrens (and their childrens)sake I hope not?

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