It’s not enough to believe in something, we need to lead by example. Like everything at Carbon8, we want to be market leaders in managing our ecological footprint. We do our best to look after our internal and external environments in order to help save this beautiful world of ours for generations to come.
Here are some of the ways we are ensuring our impact is as light as possible.
In-house recycling: The easiest solution for rubbish is landfill waste. But as a business, we’re committed to saving the environment, and that comes with responsibility. We insist that all staff sort waste into recyclable household products, paper products and every scrap of cut-off we produce; landfill waste; and compostable waste.
We keep a compost bin with worms that we feed with coffee grounds, tea bags, fruit scraps and old lettuce. Our worms then do what nature intended. It would be far easier and cheaper to dump all this waste, but that is not the standard we’ve set for ourselves.
We are strict with our recycling policy as we feel that making a difference starts within our four walls. We lead by example and ensure we are actively improving our environment by being conscientious about how we dispose of our waste.
This attitude is infectious. Making recycling part of the daily routine at work creates a healthy attitude to rubbish disposal at home. About 25 people work at Carbon8, and instilling these positive attitudes means there are 25 more environmentally aware households in Sydney.
Solar panels: We made a very big decision in 2016 to cover our rooftop with as many solar panels as possible. We did this to minimise Carbon8’s reliance on grid electricity and to lower our carbon footprint. This has been by far the most expensive part of our eco-friendly endeavour, but we are determined to lead the way in ethical business practices in the printing industry. We know our customers appreciate our efforts.
LED lighting: Last year, we installed 72 LED panels in our office and factory to offset our carbon footprint by minimising our electricity use. Although this was very expensive, we replaced every ceiling light with more energy-efficient units. We decided that as industry leaders we should set an example in all facets of our business, especially those close to our hearts.
Paper: We are also very conscientious about our paper. No old-growth forests have been harmed to make your marketing materials. We only source paper from the major Australian paper merchants, so you can be confident it all comes from managed forests. We also offer 100% recycled coated and uncoated paper options, which means every fibre comes from someone else’s previously read document. As well, nearly all of our paper comes from carbon-neutral manufacturers. This means you can be comfortable in the knowledge that your paper choices are as eco-friendly as possible.