Environmental Impact of Angels
Our curiosity has piqued given the recent COP26 meetings and the media coverage around environmental issues.
We got to thinking about all the things we use in our business that have an environmental impact.
- Transport: Everything from flights for our recruiters to trains that take Angels to jobs.
- Uniforms: T-shirts, the textiles, dyes, printing, distribution etc.
- Hardware: iPads, computers, hardware all contain precious rare earth metals and minerals.
- IT: Software, servers and technology are powered by conventional sources/mains power.
- Disposables: Masks, printed materials and advertising.
- Energy Overhead: The business and the people we employ use energy for servers, websites, charged iPads and phones.
Even after this rough process we could identify our environmental impact and now better explore ways to address our environmental impact.
Personal Impacts
3 Minute Angels is a service business without any raw materials, office overhead, plant and equipment or heavy industrial processes. Compared to many businesses, it logically has a small environmental impact.
Our biggest impact, is our people. They need to eat, sleep, live in houses etc.
It was shocking to see that according to the Ecological Footprint Network, the personal impact of the author would require 4.6 earth equivalents. In other words, an Angel’s earth overshoot day is 21st March each year.
This is clearly an issue that as a business we at 3 Minute Angels must address. There won’t be anyone wanting massages if there isn’t a planet.
Business Offsets
As a business we can take part in Climate Active. Climate Active is aimed at addressing the carbon footprint of Australian businesses.
The first step in going carbon neutral is for an organisation to calculate the quantity of greenhouse gas emissions that it currently produces. This establishes the carbon account or carbon footprint. A significant benefit of this step in the process is that it provides a business with a better understanding of emissions sources and where reductions can be made.
The second step involves reducing emissions where possible. This often includes changes to operations such as reducing electricity or purchasing it from renewable sources, limiting or avoiding travel, and using certified carbon neutral products and services.
Finally, any emissions that still remain can be eliminated or offset by purchasing carbon credits. A carbon credit is a reduction in emissions generated by a project, such as reforestation or renewable energy, in order to compensate for emissions made elsewhere. Businesses can buy these offsets to effectively cancel out their emissions. Once you have cancelled out your emissions you have reached a state called ‘carbon neutral’ and have ‘net zero emissions’.
Beyond Carbon
Climate Active can help address the Carbon emissions that account for 59% of the personal budget. The remainder (41%) of the impact is on ecosystems, agriculture and biodiversity. These are harder to understand and quantify. There is no Climate Active for biodiversity, ecosystems and agriculture.
Regenerative Agriculture
Regenerative Agriculture is something that has got a lot of press lately.
It seems to 3 Minute Angels that cheer-leading farmers in the Regen Farmers Mutual and supporting the Regen Digital campaign can tangibly address the remaining 41% of our footprint.
What’s your Environmental Impact?
Asking and answering this question is important to 3 Minute Angels.
Is it important to you that your massage supplier is thinking of these questions?
Is the environment and impact your business having on the world important to you?