2 Years into the Decisive Decade; What Progress Have We Made?
The 2020s have become known as the ‘decisive decade’ for climate action. The vast majority of climate scientists believe that keeping warming under 1.5 degrees will help limit the worst effects. However, if we are to do this, we need to start taking action now. So, with 2021 wrapping up in only a few […]
Weekly Tip 40 – Drink Sustainably
With the festive season upon us, drinks often start flowing more freely. In fact, over the 12 days of Christmas, the average Brit will get through 18 pints of beer, three bottles of wine, one bottle of spirits and four glasses of fortified wine – or 137 units of alcohol. While many will be aware […]
Know the Details of your Supply Chain
For most companies, the vast majority of their greenhouse gas emissions are in their supply chains. In fact, a McKinsey report on sustainability shows that the supply chains of consumer-packaged goods account for more than 90% of their environmental damage, including 80% of emissions. For companies that do invest in sustainable and transparent […]
Weekly Tip 39 – Feed Your Pet Sustainably
All humans have a carbon footprint, but have you ever thought about the carbon footprint of your pet? Over the pandemic, while most people were stuck at home, U.K. pet ownership grew to a record 59% of households. Unsurprisingly, cats and dogs were the most popular, with an estimated 24m of them across the […]
Is Cryptocurrency Harming Our Planet?
Since the introduction of Bitcoin in 2009, the use of cryptocurrencies has exploded and people are investing in them at a higher rate than ever. There’s an issue, though. The environmental impact of most cryptocurrencies is just too big to ignore. Environmental activists have been talking about this issue for years, but nobody has […]
How Can an App Help Us Fight Climate Change?
Most people in the U.K. want to live a more sustainable life. However, it’s often seen as expensive or difficult, and sometimes people just simply do not know how. Thankfully, there may be help on the way. London Councils, the body that represents all London boroughs, is looking at developing a version of the […]
A Net Zero Framework for Business
Here at Play it Green we want every business to have the tools to reduce their footprint and make a more positive impact on the world. That’s why we’re making our Net Zero Framework freely available to download now when you sign up as a Play It Green member (in 3 simple steps, at no cost to you). […]
Weekly Tip 38 – Ditch Wrapping Paper
The festive season is upon us, and Christmas, the most celebrated holiday in the U.K., is just around the corner. It is a time we can all enjoy ourselves in the company of our family and friends. Yet, it is also the season we eat the most food, spend the most money, and create […]
Ecoegg is Making Laundry ‘Cleaner’ with Play it Green
Ecoegg, an environmentally friendly laundry company, has doubled down on their sustainability efforts and created a Climate Impact Workforce through Play It Green. Ecoegg will now plant enough trees every month to more than rebalance the carbon footprint of its staff’s personal lives and all their work-related travel. A tenth of all Play It […]
Earth’s Black Box and Other Sustainability News
Earth’s ‘Black Box’ Will Record Our Effects on the Planet If an aeroplane crashes, the records kept in its black box can be used to find out what happened and help others avoid the same fate. Now, Earth has one too. Made in collaboration with University of Tasmania researchers and artistic collective The Glue […]
Casicare Care for People and the Planet
Casicare, a Manchester-based care organisation, has created a Climate Impact Workforce with Play it Green to support Manchester’s drive to net zero. Casicare will now plant enough trees every month with Play it Green to more than rebalance the carbon footprint of its staff personal lives and all their work-related travel. Since a […]
Embrace Hybrid or Remote Working
Remote working could have a huge impact on a company’s environmental footprint. In 2014, a report from the Carbon Trust found that increasing the numbers of U.K. employees working from home could not only save over 3 million tonnes of carbon a year, but also cut costs by £3 billion for U.K. employers. […]
Weekly Tip 37 – Change Your Toilet Roll
As I’m sure all of our Play it Green members know, there are literally millions of different ways to lead a more sustainable life. Yet, one area of waste that often gets overlooked is, well, your own bodily waste. Toilet paper is a global multibillion-dollar industry, and it’s anything but environmentally friendly. The first and […]
Is Your Bank Ethical?
by David MacDonald Generally, we use banks for three main reasons: 1. A current account – generally free 2. Savings accounts – bank pays you interest on your deposits 3. Borrowing, such as a mortgage – you pay interest on the money borrowed When considering which bank or building society to […]
What is Greenwashing (and How Can You Avoid It)?
Branding something as eco-friendly, sustainable, or green does not mean that it always is. ‘Greenwashing’ is a trend that many businesses have participated in, whether knowingly or not. But what exactly is it, and how can it be avoided? The term ‘greenwashing’ was coined in 1986 by Jay Westerveld, an American environmentalist and researcher, after he […]
Member in Focus – Preloved Kilo
For our first-ever Members in Focus, we talked to Steve Lynam, Managing Director of Preloved Kilo, about sustainability in business, the impact of fashion, and their partnership with Play it Green. Can you tell us a bit about Preloved Kilo and how you got started? Preloved Kilo is the U.K.’s leading fully-independent vintage and retro clothing […]
Recognise the Risks
Risks are a necessity of business as they provide the rewards, and managing those risks is a major part of any company. Big corporates will have all risks to their business mapped out in a risk register, while SMEs may rely on their savvy management team or leader to stay ahead of the curve. […]
Weekly Tip 36 – Cut Down on Meat
When was the last time you went an entire day without eating meat? A major study released earlier this year found that global food production is responsible for a third of all greenhouse gas emissions, with meat causing twice the pollution of plant-based foods. Looking at the emissions of 171 crops and 16 […]
Is Education the Best Form of Climate Action?
To solve the climate crisis, every single one of us needs to get involved. Thankfully, there’s hundreds of ways you, personally, can start to take climate action. The first few steps to becoming more climate-aware can even be incredibly small, as simple as recycling your waste or reducing the amount of single-use items you use. […]
The Greenest Cities to Live (and Why)
Cities pose a major problem when it comes to solving the climate crisis. Currently, urban buildings alone account for around 40% of all global carbon emissions. Not only that but those living in cities are also acutely exposed to the effects of climate change. The UN estimates that by 2050, those 1.6 billion […]
Introducing Sustainability Tips for Business
Play it Green is excited to announce the release of sustainability tips for business! All Play it Green members, including every employee signed up through our Climate Impact Workforce programme, currently receives regular tips on how they as an individual can reduce their carbon footprint. However, when compared to businesses as a whole, the role […]
Weekly Tip 35 – Use Your Waste
Household waste can have a negative impact on the environment, wildlife, and public health. A report by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural affairs showed that British households create over 26m tonnes of waste each year. That’s the weight of around 260 large cruise ships. It also means that the average person […]
Is Reforestation the Solution to Climate Change?
Greenhouse gas emissions are the leading cause of climate change but reforestation is increasingly talked about as the solution. Just recently, a huge international pledge was made at COP26 to end and reverse deforestation worldwide by 2030. Reforestation is also at the heart of what we do here at Play it Green, and […]
Sustainable Development Goals: Peace, Justice, and Cooperation
COP26 is over, but the work to solve climate change and other global issues continues on. This week, we look at the final two Sustainable Development Goals; to promote cooperation and create a better society for all of us. Goal 16 specifically looks at promoting peaceful and inclusive societies, providing access to justice […]
Did COP26 Make a Difference?
After two weeks at COP26, followed by several hours of arduous negotiations, the world has come together to produce the Glasgow Climate Pact. The document doesn’t seek to replace the Paris Agreement but instead bolster it, aiming to keep global warming to 1.5C compared to the pre-industrial era. For the first time ever, […]
Weekly Tip 34 – Choose Reusable Coffee Pods
Coffee, interestingly, is the second most traded commodity after crude oil. It has been drunk for thousands of years all around the world, yet the way we consume this beverage has changed a lot. Coffee pods and the machines that go with them have become commonplace in many households since their introduction only […]
COP26: Solving the City Problem
The penultimate day of COP26, and the final day spent on a focused topic, was dedicated to cities, regions, and the built environment. According to UN estimates, urban buildings account for 40% of global carbon emissions every year, and the value chains of cities are attributable to 68% of all global greenhouse gas emissions. […]
COP26: Reducing the Impact of Transport
COP26 may be starting to wind down, but today’s theme was still one of the most highly anticipated; transport. The transition to electric vehicles, in particular, took a front seat, with 32 nations and hundreds of businesses, cities, and regions all signing up to end petrol and diesel vehicle sales by 2040. The […]
Building Climate Resilience
by Nicole Berger I belong to a generation who has grown up knowing that our planet is dying. The grief we feel is one of the many ways eco-anxieties can manifest. Other forms vary from feelings of powerlessness over individual decisions to the fear of your community being displaced and forced to relocate. […]
COP26: Gender, Science and Innovation
Yesterday at COP26 was all about how nations can work together to help the most vulnerable adapt to the effects of climate change (you can read our summary of that here). Today saw even more announcements on how this will be done. An Adaptation Research Alliance (ARA) has been launched, bringing together 90 […]