According to a report commissioned by the World Wildlife Fund, Australia has already used approximately two thirds of its ‘carbon budget’ up to 2020.
The concept of a ‘carbon budget’ was devised by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) as a way to quantify the maximum amount of carbon that can be emitted in the next few decades before we no longer have a chance at fighting global warming.
While governments are tasked with the heavy lifting on climate change, businesses big and small should be looking to decrease their carbon footprint.
There are many ways businesses can improve their sustainability rating and reduce their carbon footprint, from using energy efficient light bulbs, offering staff KeepCups to take on coffee runs, or cutting down on paper use.
A survey from Konica Minolta found that one in three businesses admit to unnecessary printing.
Businesses are still printing out 95 per cent of documents, with an average of 19 copies made of each document. Some 65 per cent of these printouts are then binned within a day.
Of course, the benefits of cutting down on printing aren’t just environmental – excess printing can also have a significant effect on your bottom line.
While going completely digital might not be viable for your business, there are ways to get paper under control:
- Set double sided printing as a default
- Use the print preview function to ensure you’re only selecting to print the pages you need
- Train staff about document management
- Involve staff in the process of greening up the office
