Your Carbon Footprint Is Hidden In Plain Sight

Many businesses face a harsh reality when they start their journey to reduce their carbon footprint. Carbon audits can reveal more hidden emissions than the usual operational and logistical ones ...

The United Kingdom Government has pledged to reach Net Zero by 2050 which puts pressure on businesses across the country to reduce their own carbon footprint. But where are these hidden emissions and how can we mitigate them?

"The first place you may be surprised to find them are your connected devices!"

The Internet of Things is growing all the time. With sensors, security cameras, internet-connected TVs and even smart coffee machines and fridges, you'll understand that the data they produce needs to be stored somewhere, which means data centres grow in size accordingly.

With an estimated 20 billion internet-connected 'things', the electricity usage for data transmission and storage means growing CO2 emissions accounting for around 3% of greenhouse emissions globally.

Although that may be considered a small amount for an individual business, it contributes to massive growth in data transmissions and storage when taken as a global figure. Worldwide data centres are now consuming more electricity than the whole of the United Kingdom combined (416 terawatt-hours compared with the UK's 300 terawatt-hours).

"This figure will only increase over the coming years!"

So, you may now be surprised that something as innocent as your connected security cameras is contributing to your carbon footprint, so where else can you look, what can you find, and how can you mitigate them?

Measuring your business's carbon footprint is considered a form of carbon accounting. Whereas you monitor your finances you can also monitor your emissions. Remember, what gets monitored gets managed so you stand to make significant savings on your carbon footprint if you monitor it.

Don't forget to look at your supply chain too. Apart from physical goods, take a look at the services your business uses as indirect emissions from secondary sources like these can significantly add to your overall carbon footprint too!

Downsizing premises and working from home, installing smart LED lighting across your premises and switching to electric vehicles across your fleet are only the start of reducing your carbon footprint. It's worth having a proper carbon audit to find hidden emissions too.

Like with your connected devices, you may be surprised.

If you feel inspired to find out more about anything I've said here, do call me on 01908 774320 or leave a comment below and I'll be in touch as soon as I can.