Save water or else!
October 14, 2009 by administrator
Save water or else - the message from Envirowise!
The warning comes from sustainability experts Envirowise and follows research which found that 70% of sustainability specialists consider the threat of dwindling water supplies to be equal to the impact of carbon emissions, while 54% believe the world will run out of water before it runs out of fuel.
It is predicted that UK groundwater will begin to decrease by 2025, with the overall amount of water available in English and Welsh rivers reducing by 15% by 2050. Some areas in the South East already have less available water per person than Spain and Morocco.
Even businesses based in regions with higher water availability could feel the effect through their supply chains, while many companies could face changes to licenses granted to allow water abstraction as a result of the Water Act 2003.
Envirowise water specialist Claire Sweeney said: “Water is set to become one of the most dramatically affected resources as the impact of climate change takes hold, but many businesses are not aware of the steps they can take to mitigate against this risk.
“Food and drink companies should explore practical steps including water saving devices and water recovery and reuse technology such as membrane filtration systems, which enable a large proportion of wastewater to be reused for processes such as heating, cooling and cleaning. This can result in major cost savings through lower mains water and disposal charges, as well as an enhanced environmental reputation with customers and investors.
“Taking such action now could not only pay enormous dividends in future years, it can also lead to short-term benefits. In fact, recent Envirowise research revealed that UK companies could be missing out on combined savings of up to £10 million per day by failing to make changes in this area.”
From: http://www.feastnet.net/NewsViews/tabid/197/newsid840/427/Default.aspx
East of England businesses are sitting on untapped cost savings of about 1.2 million per day
July 31, 2009 by administrator
Local businesses are collectively missing out on combined cost savings of as much as £1.2 millio
n per day by ignoring the potential of water efficiency, say sustainable business experts Envirowise.
In a recent survey 70% of East of England businesses said they are not currently measuring or monitoring their water consumption at all and a huge 93% do not have any water reduction targets in place.
However, these businesses could reduce their water bills by as much as a third if they were to take steps to manage their water use more effectively, says Simon Best, Envirowise Regional Manager for the East of England:
“With more than 1 billion cubic metres of water being used across the region every year, there is significant potential for businesses to save money and reduce their environmental impact by taking action on water efficiency,” advises Simon. “That is why we are encouraging local organisations to join Rippleffect, a national initiative offering online advice and support to cut water waste and costs.”
Businesses signing up to Rippleffect - www.envirowise.gov.uk/rippleffect - before 14 September will receive free support from Envirowise to better understand their water use, identify simple water saving steps and then measure the cost savings they have made.
“The Rippleffect programme is delivered in three online modules over a six-month period, helping businesses to benchmark their water use and set targets for improvement,” continues Simon.
“We were surprised to see that more than half of the businesses surveyed in the region did not believe it was possible to reduce their water bill at all by improving water efficiency. This is clearly a missed opportunity and one that offers valuable cost saving potential, as well as reputational benefits for companies taking action and demonstrating a commitment to the environment too.”
More than 500 UK businesses registered for the Rippleffect in 2008. New features for 2009 include:
- Access to sector-specific modules for hotel & catering, meat & poultry processing and fruit & vegetable processing
- Access to water efficiency advice in areas such as rainwater harvesting, vehicle washing and boiler & cooling tower operation.
Participants could also receive a certificate in recognition of their achievements.
East of England businesses interested in taking part in Rippleffect should visit www.envirowise.gov.uk/rippleffect or call the Envirowise Advice Line on 0800 585 794.
Low-carbon: making it a high priority for East of England businesses
July 20, 2009 by administrator
Resource Efficiency - Bizmapeast
A programme from the East of England Development Agency (EEDA) will help businesses across the region to make bottom line savings by introducing ‘quick wins’ such as the re-use of materials and checking water leaks.
A £2.1 million business support scheme, Resource Efficiency East (REE), will provide small and medium-sized businesses with free advice on making financial savings through more efficient management of water, energy and materials.
The agency has granted £1.5 million to REE, with £600,000 from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) which is managed in the region by EEDA.
Kate Haigh, Senior Executive on Sustainable Development at EEDA said:
“A typical business can save £1,000 a year for every employee by introducing ‘quick wins’ such as the re-use of waste materials and regular checking for water leaks.
“Not only does resource efficiency make excellent financial sense, but it also has knock-on environmental benefits, reducing the use of our natural resources and carbon emissions.
“It is also good for business as customers are placing a greater emphasis on suppliers to reduce their environmental impact and prove their green credentials, as well as offering value for money.”
Specialist advisors from the REE team will work with businesses to offer commercially-orientated advice on how to implement appropriate changes. An on-site review can identify areas for resource savings by systematically examining the use of energy, water and materials. This will identify opportunities to reduce their use in key areas such as electricity consumption, power usage, heating and cooling, waste reduction and water conservation. Importantly, REE will also offer support on implementing the measures that can save businesses money.
Simon Chiva, of REE, said that businesses accounted for 18% of the region’s CO2 emissions: “The Resource Efficiency East project can help businesses use resources more effectively and efficiently, driving down costs and improving profitability. By encouraging businesses to reduce resource use and save money, we can also have a positive impact on reducing the region’s carbon emissions.”
For more information visit www.resourceefficiencyeast.org.uk
Other information about improving and growing your business through resource efficiency can be found on the environment line of EEDA’s Business Map - www.bizmapeast.co.uk.
Taken from: http://www.eeda.org.uk/4202.asp
New guide could cut waste costs by as much as 40% for builders
June 30, 2009 by administrator
Small builders working in challenging economic conditions could unlock valuable cost benefits by using a new waste-saving guide from sustainable business experts Envirowise.
The free guide, available online at www.envirowise.gov.uk/EN922 outlines a step-by-step review process that can help businesses identify the main causes of waste around their site and save up to 40% on waste disposal costs.
With as much as 89.6 million tonnes of construction waste generated across England alone each year1, the cost saving potential for the UK runs into millions of pounds.
Savings can be made by making simple low-cost or no-cost changes such as segregating waste at source. For example, by reducing waste by 20% a businesses can cut waste disposal costs by 40% and waste to landfill by 60%. With annual landfill tax rises confirmed until 2013, there is clearly a need for businesses to take action.
Envirowise Construction Specialist, Chris Hodgson, said: “The Federation of Master Builder’s latest State of Trade survey shows that economic conditions for small builders in the UK continue to be very challenging2. However, reducing waste costs is a straightforward, effective way to help improve the bottom-line and this new guide demonstrates how to secure significant cost savings with little or no up front investment required.
“Running a resource efficient business can also help builders to better manage their potential liabilities, reducing their exposure to costly fines from improper waste management processes, as well as ensuring they are well placed to make the most of the recovery when it comes.”
For more general advice regarding resource efficiency in construction builders can visit www.envirowise.gov.uk/construction or call the Envirowise Advice Line on 0800 585 794.
Footnotes
1. Defra - Estimated re-use, recycling and disposal of hard construction & demolition and excavation waste by region in 2005
2. FMB State of Trade Survey 2009 Q1
New tool could help businesses in the East cut their water consumption
April 28, 2009 by administrator
Reports are predicting that water is set to become an increasingly scarce and expensive resource1 but this is has not stopped UK businesses using enough of it every year to fill 2.6 million Olympic-sized swimming pools.2 Now sustainable business experts Envirowise are warning companies that they cou
ld be pouring money down the drain.
Businesses could save thousands of pounds every year by adopting simple, low cost initiatives to reduce water consumption from Envirowise.
To help businesses introduce water saving measures Envirowise has launched a new step-by-step online tool that helps companies identify where and how water is used and treated, the costs involved and practical ways to reduce and re-use it. The tool also helps organisations keep control of costs and future proof against rises and supply shortages.
In 2008 Envirowise ran Rippleffect, a free initiative designed to help businesses tackle water use. The scheme attracted around 500 businesses, it is hoped that many more will benefit from water savings by using the new tool.
“Whilst many of us consider water to be a cheap and endless resource, the reality is that we are using and wasting far too much, and this is placing extra pressure on existing supplies as well as impacting on the bottom line” said Simon Best, East of England regional manager for Envirowise.
“It is crucial that people are aware of the serious and complex issues around water supply and use and we hope the new Water Efficiency Tool from Envirowise will help businesses address these challenges in the most effective way.”
To use the Water Efficiency Tool visit www.envirowise.gov.uk/water
Envirowise offers a range of support, guides and factsheets for businesses interested in becoming more water efficient. For more information visit the Envirowise website: www.envirowise.gov.uk or call the Advice Line on 0800 585 794.
Sources
1 UN calculations, The Times, 22nd January 2009
2 Review of Water Use in Industry and Commerce: Envirowise N.B. statistics referenced exclude utilities, agriculture, fish farming, Mfr of coke & petroleum products
From: http://www.envirowise.gov.uk
Waterways provide a flow of renewable energy
March 16, 2009 by John Pickstone
British Waterways has announced an agreement with The Small Hydro Company Ltd to generate 210,000 mega watt hours of renewable energy per annum using the public corporation’s 2,200 mile waterway network. The initiative will:
- invest around c.£120 million of private capital over the next three years;
- develop approximately 25 small-scale hydro electricity schemes generating enough power for c.40,000 homes;
- create 150 construction jobs;
- save an annual 110,000 tonnes of CO2.
Backed by Climate Change Capital’s Ventus Fund, the process of gaining consents for the first five hydro schemes alongside river weirs will begin later this month. The proposals will enhance waterway biodiversity as well as providing improved flood mitigation for local communities.
The partnership with The Small Hydro Company follows British Waterways’ announcement in October 2008, of an agreement with Partnerships for Renewables to bring forward wind turbines on canal-side land over the next five years – with annual capacity to generate 219,000 mega watt hours of renewable energy. Income that British Waterways generates from both initiatives will be reinvested towards maintaining the nation’s historic waterways.
Energy and Climate Change Secretary, Ed Miliband MP said: “By committing to build small hydro power stations and wind turbines, British Waterways is playing an important role in generating renewable energy from the UK’s natural resources. This will help cut carbon emissions and further secure energy supplies. We want even more homes, communities, businesses and public sector organisations to take action and play their part in tackling climate change. The Renewables Obligation already supports renewable electricity generation and from 2010 we’ll be introducing a feed-in tariff which will reward projects like this with guaranteed cash payments.”
Hilary Benn, Environment Secretary said: “Britain’s waterways were the arteries of our economy, providing transport and power. This scheme shows how with ingenuity and innovation they can once again deliver real economic, social, and environmental benefits, especially in tackling and adapting to climate change.”
The Small Hydro Company will now start a programme of community engagement alongside the process of seeking the necessary environmental and planning consents, with the aim of having the first schemes up and running in 2010 to help meet the government’s 2010 hydro renewable targets.
A new pilot service from Resource Efficiency East
January 21, 2009 by Gareth Jones
Could your company benefit from 2 days support from a resource efficiency expert to assist you to become more efficient, contibuting to productivity and long term competitiveness? A new regional programme, Resource Efficiency East, is offering a ‘pilot’ service which provides a resource efficiency site visit to help your company identify areas for improvement and potential savings. The visit will be followed up by a tailored report and an action plan which will make recommendations on how to achieve the identified savings and will provide further guidance and support in implementing those opportunities. The pilot is open to Small to Medium sized Enterprises (SMEs: fewer than 250 staff/turnover under £10million a year) and as a pilot service we are only able to provide the service to the first 25 companies contacting us.
If you are interested in learning more or registering for a site visit please contact Simon Chiva at: Simon Chiva Resource Efficiency East Manager Renewables East Office: +44 (0) 1603 591 415 Mob: +44 (0) 7852 976 185 Email: simonchiva@renewableseast.org.uk
What’s the carbon footprint of your product?
October 30, 2008 by Gareth Jones
Businesses can from today assess the carbon footprint of their goods and services and play a greater part in fighting climate change, thanks to a new standard launched by BSI British Standards, the Carbon Trust and Defra.
The standard - called PAS 2050 - is a consistent way of counting the greenhouse gas emissions embedded in goods and services throughout their entire life cycle - from sourcing raw materials, through to manufacture, distribution, use and disposal.
The aim of the new standard is to help businesses move beyond managing the emissions their own processes create and to look at the opportunities for reducing emissions in the design, making and supplying of products. This will then help businesses make goods or services which are less carbon intensive and ultimately develop new products with lower carbon footprints.
