green grovelands

Grovelands is proud to be green!

Our intention is to achieve a zero net release of carbon emissions by limiting our energy usage where possible and balancing our remaining emissions with the purchase of carbon offsets.

These are some of the things we’re doing to be greener:

Office equipment and facilities

• The electricity in our office is provided by LoCO2 and comes from 100% renewable sources.
• We switch off our monitors at breaks away from our desks and shut down our computers at the end of each day.
• At the end of each day we also switch off all other electrical appliances, e.g. printers, shredder, toaster and kettle.
• We use the eco-friendly cleaning company Green Mop. Proud winners of the Sussex Eco Award, Green Mop only uses natural anti-bacterial cleaning products and embraces ethical values when employing staff and travelling to sites.
• In our kitchen we use eco-friendly dishwasher tablets & rinse aid and drink fair trade tea and coffee.
• Our dishwasher is always set to the Economy cycle and is only set off when it’s full.
• Our office refurbishment has been carried out using eco-friendly paints by Farrow & Ball.
• When we move offices (which we’ve done 3 times so far) we’ve used eco-friendly movers, Ecomoves.

Office stationery and recycling

• We recycle everything we can – from paper, cardboard and plastics to glass, cans and toner cartridges – via Brighton Paper Round (previously Magpie Commercial).
• We use a Nespresso coffee machine, recycling all our coffee capsules. Through a programme called Ecolaboration, Nespresso aim to build sustainability in coffee farming.
• All our company stationery, including envelopes, is printed on recycled paper.
• We’re aiming for a completely paperless office, but when documents have to be printed they’re done so on recycled paper.
• Office supplies, e.g. stationery, are ordered in bulk to cut down deliveries and therefore reduce carbon emissions.

Transport

• All staff members who live in the Brighton and Hove area are encouraged to walk to work or use public transport and those who live in the suburbs are encouraged to car-pool. We have also recently introduced a cycle-to-work scheme.
• Any CO2 tonnage used by us that can’t be eradicated (e.g. air and rail travel) will be offset through Carbon Footprint. We have already purchased offsets for 2011 through their South America Maya Nut Tree Programme. This offsets emissions through reforestation and at the same time alleviates poverty by providing local villages with jobs, food security and habitation for wildlife.

Read more about the Maya Nut Tree Programme

Read the latest update report on the Maya Nut Tree Programme (May 2011)

Business & IT

• We are keen supporters and a registered business of 10:10, an international campaign to cut carbon emissions within schools, businesses and organisations by 10% over a year. Watch this space to see if we can achieve this by October 2011!
• Our preferred internet search engine is Ecosia, who donate at least 80% of their income to support WWF’s work in the Amazon.
• Our website is hosted on a 100% wind powered server.