Which Businesses Actually Take Sustainability Seriously?
When a company claims they are ‘green,’ it’s nice to know that they are doing more than merely separating cardboards from plastics in their kitchen.
For noticeable results that promote sustainability, big changes are needed across the board, and many people think that major corporations should be bearing the lion’s share of that work.
That said, there are many businesses out there who already practice what they preach – displaying impressive and ambitious approaches to sustainability.
Nike
A company that regularly boasts about their green operations, Nike aren’t just spending their time creating cool-looking sportswear, but crafting such products with the least impact on the environment.
‘Flyknit’ technology is largely to thank for Nike’s innovate approach to sustainability, as this means that the creation of shoes now results in “60% less waste than traditional cut-and-sew methods.”
As a result, close to 3.5 million pounds of leftover materials have been reduced since 2012.
Furthermore, some interesting statistics show that:
- Over three billion plastic bottles have been turned into recycled polyester for products such as football kits
- To dye fabrics, Nike uses ‘ColorDry’ technology and has saved more than 20 million litres of water
- The Reuse-A-Shoe program has resulted in about 30 million pairs of shoes being recycled
Nike, Inc. President and CEO Mark Parker, has expressed the company’s desire to be a trendsetter with their green efforts: “At Nike, we believe it is not enough to adapt to what the future may bring – we’re creating the future we want to see through sustainable innovation.”
1&1
Since data centres are considered to be one of the biggest culprits when it comes to energy consumption – not just to run them, but to keep them cool – it makes sense that a web hosting company would be at the forefront of renewable energy programs.
By presenting their own green efforts online, 1&1 have built data centres that are considered to be some of the most energy efficient in the world.
Their power supplies result in only 20% heat loss, and a whopping 30,000 tons of CO2 emissions is prevented every year. As well, for their Kansas data centre, 1&1 purchases RECs to offset 100% of the energy usage.
For more information on what a data centre looks like inside, Techradar.com actually visited several of 1&1’s buildings in Germany and documented how they are powered and kept cool.
Ikea
The company’s People & Planet Positive initiative is can be downloaded here, but for a quick recap, Ikea are doing a lot to be eco-friendly.
The company has already placed 550,000 solar panels on hundreds of stores across the world, and energy from 96 wind turbines can be harnessed in seven countries.
In essence, Ikea’s strategy is to produce the same amount of renewable energy as it consumes by the year 2020, as well as obtaining 100% of its wood, paper, and cardboard from sustainable sources.
Additionally, Ikea will also concentrate on creating and redesigning products that are sustainability-focused.
About the Author Staff Writer
Our writers come from all over the world, but one thing unites them - their passion for sustainability.