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Winchester Action for Climate Change Presents to Wired Wessex

Posted: Sunday 29th Mar 2009

What is climate change and what does it have to do with small businesses? Plenty!

Richard Boothman of Winchester Action on Climate Change (WinACC), presented persuasive information to a group of 22 gathered at the Wired Wessex Monthly Networking Event, last Thursday at the Slug and Lettuce, Winchester. He began by explaining that we are releasing CO2 and other greenhouse gases into the atmosphere at a high rate, as well as damaging the carbon sinks in the oceans and tropical forests. The result is more extreme weather, hotter summers and wetter winters, sea levels rising and mass extinctions as species struggle to adapt.

It’s scary, but how does it relate to small businesses and what can we do about it? Well, firstly, Richard believes that we have a moral duty to clean up the environment that future generations will inherit. We created this mess in many ways and we have a duty to fix it. Secondly, there are many advantages to creating green policies right from the start of a business: a healthier work environment, happier employees, lower operating costs, and a way to differentiate your company from others.

Richard is a part time volunteer at WinACC and he knows all about small business. He developed, grew and sold a business and is now building his own consultancy/training company. He received his degree in Environmental Studies and now lectures on the subject at the Open University. He knows that small businesses can have a big impact on reducing our carbon footprint. Small businesses can make changes more easily than larger companies, set trends, and green policies made in the workplace can trickle down to employees’ personal lives.

There are also many possibilities for new start-ups to take advantage of our need to reduce emssions…producing recycled products, opportunities to upgrade existing housing and commercial buildings, developing products and services for teleworking professionals, and improving the efficiency of logistics, to name a few.

Richard encourages small businesses to join WinACC. They’ll help you estimate your carbon footprint and then give you real ways in which to reduce it! For more information, please go to their website: www.WinACC.org.uk

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