Earth Day 2024 – A Call to Action
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This Earth Day, James Staniforth, Founder and Director of Sustainable Business Services, shares the importance of environmental conservation and sustainability for our region.
Earth Day is a reminder of the importance of environmental conservation and sustainability, encouraging us to come together and take action for a healthier planet and brighter future. Through various events, toolkits and initiatives, we aim to raise awareness, inspire change, and foster a deeper connection with nature.
This year’s Earth Day theme is “Planet vs. Plastics“, highlighting the urgent need to address plastic pollution. UK businesses can engage in this initiative by advocating for policies that reduce plastic usage, participating in clean-ups, promoting sustainable practices within their operations and calculating their environmental impact through carbon footprinting to understand the impact plastic has on their business.
We have seen over recent years huge investments in our region in the ‘green’ economy, from renewables to battery plants, from education and training to hydrogen, free ports and electric vehicles. All leading to new, highly skilled opportunities for our workforce and to investment opportunities for businesses.
Alongside the green growth of our region, Earth Day 2024 presents an opportunity for businesses in the Northeast to engage in sustainable business practices to showcase their commitment to environmental stewardship, supporting their suppliers and people and growing their businesses.
This can be achieved by:
- Developing Sustainable Business Practices – This could include reducing waste, improving energy efficiency, and sourcing materials responsibly.
- Community Engagement – Businesses can participate in local Earth Day events, sponsor clean-up projects, or host educational workshops.
- Innovation & Growth – Focusing on sustainability can inspire businesses to innovate, potentially leading to the development of new products and services.
- Green Finance – With the increasing emphasis on sustainability, businesses may find more opportunities for green finance with many available across the region to lower cost and increase efficiency.
Businesses can participate and contribute to the Earth Day events and campaigns this year and beyond, focusing on the need to end plastic pollution.
Did you know that at least 11 million tons of plastic are dumped into our oceans each year?
Here are a few ideas on how you can take action:
Sign The Global Plastics Treaty – this is an opportunity for the United Nations and Governmental Organizations to prove the health of the planet.
Educate Yourself on Plastics – The End Plastic Pollution campaign helps people understand the impacts of plastic pollution on human and ecosystem health and how everyday actions can lessen the problem.
Reject Fast Fashion – Fast fashion has completely revolutionized the apparel industry, but not for the better. Behind every piece of clothing in a store, there is an industry stripping the Earth of its limited resources.
Join The Great Global Cleanup – Clean-ups are a fun and easy way to amplify your impact on Earth Day every day.
Take The Plastic Quiz – See how much you know about the threats that our planet faces from plastic pollution.
At Sustainable Business Services (SBS) we are passionate about businesses, the environment, our people and customers.
Our Vision is to be a leader in sustainable business and support businesses reach net-zero.
We have supported over 100 business over the last 3+ years across a range of industries through the SBS net-Zero program.
The SBS Net-Zero Program is a structured and supported business net-zero program, backed by market leading software, supported by a passionate team of outsourced environmental managers and aligned to internationally recognised standards. The SBS Net-Zero Program support businesses from a range of sectors Measure, Manage & Understand, Target & Report and Improve is Carbon Reduction plan.
We work in partnership with the Business & IP Centre Northeast and there is currently funding available for eligible businesses for 12-hours support to develop your carbon footprint and net-zero roadmap. If you would like to join the list of Northeast businesses taking up the Citylife funded program please fill in the following form to register your interest.
If interested you can join our FREE Sustainable Business Community, a place for businesses to collaborate and support each other on their own journeys to net-zero.
For any new members we will plant a tree.