Here at Envirodigital, we’ve been working to help businesses think of digital solutions that reduce their carbon emissions and spend on energy and travel and increase their sustainable ability. Most cultural and heritage sector businesses don’t fall under under the government’s current legislation (covering around 5000 of Scotland’s biggest public venues) around reducing carbon emissions. But we’ve been encouraging you to make small voluntary changes because we knew the legislation was coming. And some of you have been taking green footsteps on a journey towards smaller carbon/waste and water footprints.

The Scottish Government announced last month regulations which will build further on its Climate Change Act and its target of reducing carbon emissions by 42 per cent by 2020. The (International) Committee on Climate Change has confirmed that the 42 per cent target represents an appropriate contribution to global emissions reductions in 2020 and would put Scotland on the path to meeting the target of an 80 per cent reduction by 2050. Progress on the target will be mapped by a series of annual targets, with the first batch, covering the period 2010-2022, having to be set by June 1 this year.

Stewart Stevenson, Minister for Climate Change in Scotland said:

“We know that legislation alone won’t deliver the targets. It needs to be translated into real changes in everyday actions: by businesses; the public sector; voluntary and community groups and individuals. Better public understanding is essential if people are to be motivated to act. The Scottish Government, its agencies and its non-government partners will need to work together to explain what’s needed and to incentivise action”.

{Source http://www.scotland.gov.uk/News/Releases/2010/04/21150827]

So the funders and bodies that run our sector are now being brought into the Holyrood fold to help the government achieve its targets. And that means they will need to set their own targets and that targets will be passed on to you [probably fairly soon]! So the driver for your business to change becomes less about corporate social responsibility (which we think is GREAT btw – well done everyone who’s made positive changes anyway), and more about lining up with legislation.

What does your organisation know about its current output levels, and do you have ideas for how you could reduce your business’ outputs? We’ve got some great ideas for services you can use at Envirodigital, and they all use digital technologies, which means you can count the benefits they’re bringing in.

Check out the services we can offer, and think about what might be your first green footstep:

could webcasting help you reduce travel to a training event? See our Envirodigital webcasting examples.

could cloud computing help you use less energy in the office? Or, if you can’t afford a new set-up, could a tiny device like Eco-button help? Lucy Conway of Island Going Green, Eigg says, “since I started using it last September I’ve saved £13 in electricity and 27kg of CO2″.

could you use websites like freecycle to ensure that things you are throwing out (old office equipment, theatre or exhibition sets) could get reused?

could you recycle more computer consumables like ink cartridges and paper?

These tiny green steps are all that’s needed to start the journey towards a lower carbon footprint. We can also give you really handy advice of how to find more help and assistance! Contact Envirodigital for more information.