Over the past two years we have taken a focused approach to improving our environmental performance. We have transitioned all our locations to renewable energy suppliers, we have significantly increased our use of environmentally favourable fabrics such as organic cotton and will continue to improve upon this, we have also considerably reduced the amount of packaging we use as well as removing as much plastic as possible. As happy as we are with the progress we have made we know that footprint reduction is only one half of the coin for us. Until we are making products using regenerative practices and using carbon negative methods of manufacturing we will always be taking more than we give back.
So how do we solve this? Carbon offsetting.
Carbon offsetting is the process of capturing carbon through actions indirect to your own activities to balance or store more carbon than you produce. A method that has proved its brilliance throughout human existence in ensuring we have the appropriate levels of oxygen and not too much carbon in the atmosphere (not to mention the biodiversity, ecosystems and land they support), is the presence of our humble leafy friends: trees.
Trees and plants are the lungs of this planet. Throughout their lifecycle they photosynthesize, capturing and storing carbon and in turn releasing oxygen into the atmosphere. The oxygen trees release is a major source of the oxygen we humans consume. Moreover, the carbon they store is crucially diverted from entering our atmosphere and further exacerbating climate change.
Recent updates to the Paris Agreement of tackling climate change have stated that immediate action is needed to prevent temperature rises above the 1.5 degrees that would cause catastrophic effects globally: drought, flooding, food uncertainty and heatwaves. All of which will result in harm to the human species physically, socially, politically and economically. So it’s imperative that individuals, businesses and governments change the way we behave to ensure a prosperous world exists for our children.
Our first venture into the world of carbon offsetting is the planting of 300 trees in partnership with the Woodland Trust. The Woodland Trust have long supported forestation and is largest woodland conservation charity in the United Kingdom.
To illustrate our commitment to reforestation Jon Beaumont (artist) has drawn 300 trees in the windows of our London stores. Each tree drawn represents a tree we have planted. We hope by doing this not only do we reduce our carbon footprint but we build awareness and inspire change amongst individuals and other businesses.
Oliver Spencer team.
PS. One of the easiest ways to reduce your own footprint is to switch to a renewable energy supplier. It’s easy (they do all the work) and costs nothing more than you would usually pay. We recommend Good Energy and Green Energy.