Small99: Small Business to Net Zero
By Adam Bastock
With 99% of the UK's economy made up of small businesses, you can make a big impact with small changes.
Have a question you want answered? Email me on adam@small99.co.uk !
In this podcast we guide you on your journey to net zero and empower you to be part of the solution to the climate crisis.
Small99: Small Business to Net ZeroJan 05, 2022
Interview: Decarbonising Animation Production with Lewis Darby of YardB Studios (Guildford)
In this episode I sit down with Lewis, a keen advocate for action who has done fantastic work with engaging their supply chain. We discuss the successes and struggles on his Carbon Reduction Journey so far.
What Happens to EV Batteries after they’re dead, and how bad are they for the environment?
There's a lot of concern about electric vehicle batteries and how bad they are for the environment. However, how do they stack up against a petrol car? And what sort of life can you get from one?
In this episode I tackle:
- The Average Lifespan of a EV battery
- Their Carbon Footprint
- How much lithium and cobalt they use
- If they can be recycled
- What happens to them after they're in a car
- How they compare to petrol cars
What Net Zero accreditations are there for Small Businesses?
A common question with an unsatisfactory answer! Basically, measure Scope 1 and 2.
Here are the big 4 I discuss:
B-Corp: https://www.bcorporation.net/en-us/
SBTi: https://sciencebasedtargets.org/resources/legacy/2020/07/SME-Frequently-Asked-Questions_July-2020.pdf
SME Climate Hub x CDP:
https://www.cdp.net/en/articles/companies/smes-equipped-to-join-race-to-net-zero-with-dedicated-climate-disclosure-framework
SECR: https://www.carbontrust.com/news-and-events/insights/secr-explained-streamlined-energy-carbon-reporting-framework-for-uk
Should we Electrify Everything?
https://billmckibben.substack.com/p/the-happiest-number-ive-heard-in
What are the knock on impacts from going "Green?"
The Emotional Challenge of Climate Action: SUVs
Walk around any urban neighbourhood and you’ll see SUVs everywhere. This is despite them being bad for us – from increased emissions to increased road accidents. Yet they’re more popular than ever.
Why is this? And what can we learn from this in motivating more people to take climate action?
In this episode we’ll explore what motivates people and how we can deploy this in selling climate action.
https://small99.co.uk/transport/suvs-a-lesson-in-the-emotional-challenge-of-climate-action/
How much CO2 does a tree absorb?
Trees are great, we all love trees. But how useful are they actually?
In this episode we explore how effective tree planting really is and answer the following:
- How much CO2 does a tree absorb?
- How many trees should I plant?
- What is Carbon Syncing?
- Who do I plant with?
Wholegrain article: https://www.wholegraindigital.com/blog/zero-carbon-synching/
Sources:
All About Trees - Keystone 10 Million Trees Partnership
carbonfootprint.com - UK Tree Planting
How much CO2 does a tree absorb? | Viessmann
How Much CO2 Does A Tree Absorb?
How much carbon does a tree absorb (sequester)? | MoreTrees.eco
Is it Worth Recycling?
In this episode we look at recycling in context: How much does it really make a difference?
- https://www.ft.com/content/c5e0cdf2-aaef-4812-9d8e-f47dbcded55c
- https://www.channel4.com/news/factcheck/is-recycling-worth-it
What is a Carbon Budget?
Thinking of your carbon like a budget is a great way to start being critical of your spend and ensure you're not running an unsustainable business.
I'm still struggling with this topic and how best to explain it, so any feedback welcome!
Why 2030 Net Zero Targets are Bullshit
2030 is 8 years away.
What were you doing 8 years ago? How has your life changed in 8 years?
Small businesses can make change happen in hours, days and weeks. Years is a big delay tactic and simply not appropriate for most of our economy.
60% of small companies today will not exist in 2030. Challenge their Net Zero targets and make sure they take action today!
Where to start in 2022?
Feeling confused and lost with Net Zero in the New Year?
Here's some simple places to get stuck into!
- Start Small - Do anything! If you've got something on your to do list, get stuck in
- Set a Net Zero Target - A target of 2025 is practical for most businesses, and will give you focus to start working on what you need to do to get there. Make sure to communicate it!
- Write an Environmental policy - This is a great way to reflect on progress so far, communicate to customers, and to collect all of your ideas together
- Start Measuring - If you're keen to get an idea of your footprint, sign up with an account-based footprinting tool to get a quick list of areas you can tackle.
What is Climate Delayism?
We're beyond Climate Denial and into a world of Climate Delay.
There are 4 key areas you need to look out for and not fall into the trap of:
- Redirection of Responsibility
- Policy Perfectionism
- Surrender
- Technological Optimism
In this episode we explore some of the common manifestations this delayism takes, so you can call it out and be aware of it in your decision making.
Sources:
How discourses of Delay slow climate action - Carbon Brief
Should you ditch your old petrol car for a new electric one?
Short answer, yes.
It surprised me how quickly electric vehicles undo the historical emissions of existing ICE vehicles.
Sources:
What is the Redirection of Responsibility?: Avocados and Beef Burgers
Bit of a rant this one, but before you point at someone else being bad, make sure you have fully considered the figures of your decisions!
Yes, Avocados are a high consumption crop, but just because something else is bad doesn't mean you aren't responsible for your own actions. Once again we see a lack of context and understanding of the figures lead to climate inaction.
Litres of Water per Kilo
- Avocado: 1,280
- Beef: 15,451
Carbon Emissions per Kilo
- Avocado: 2.5kg
- Beef: 60kg
- UK Beef: 22kg
Sources and Further reading:
- Is grass-fed beef good or bad for the climate?
- Interactive: What is the climate impact of eating meat and dairy?
- Environmental impacts of food production
- More or Less - COP26 Breakfast
- Claims against meat fail to consider bigger picture - Sustainable Food Trust
- How much water does it really take to produce a beef burger?
What does COP26 mean for your business?
After a few weeks of reflection it's time to look at what it all actually means for you.
http://small99.co.uk/join
Was COP26 worth it?
Well, that was an intense 2 weeks. Was it all worth it, or a waste of time?
Further reading and listening below:
- COP26 Achieved more than expected, but less than hoped - Financial Times
- COP26 Glasgow: Ready to go further: Outrage and Optimism
- The Good, the bad and the ugly. What did COP26 achieve? New Statesman
- After the failure of Cop26, there’s only one last hope for our survival - George Monbiot
- COP26: Key outcomes agreed at the UN climate talks in Glasgow
And for my comments around the climate impact of COP26:
Scotland emitted 41,600,000 Tonnes of CO2e in 2018.
Of this, 14,800,000 Tonnes were from Transport.
10,000,000 of this, was from road transport. Divided by 365, this figure is around 27,500 Tonnes of CO2e per day.
What's the Impact of a Zoom Call?
Should young people dial back on social media and on zoom calls to save the planet?
https://trafficscotland.org/carboncalculator/
Can You Make A Difference?
With COP26 in full swing, are you powerless, or powerful?
The '3.5% rule': How a small minority can change the world
World's wealthiest 'at heart of climate problem'
A few frequent flyers 'dominate air travel'
Small businesses behind a third of the UK’s emissions, but lag in net zero fight
Announcing the Small99 Community!
Join the Community and be personally guided to Net Zero
https://community.small99.co.uk/
Does it matter that people are flying into COP26?
People are often complaining that the environmental cost of COP26 sits against what it's trying to achieve. I wanted to explore this a bit further and put some figures against it to understand what the impacts really are in terms of numbers.
What is Net Zero?
I should probably define what Net Zero is! Here's what to expect in the next few years.
Are Electric Vehicles the Answer?
One of the common hesitancies is around electric vehicles and their environmental impact. In this episode I discuss some of the issues around thinking of EV vs Petrol vehicles and how this may be leading to climate delayism.
Is Net Zero an Opportunity?
I discuss some of the reasons why net zero is an opportunity, not a cost.
What is Greenhushing?
Greenhushing article with links to reports
How to Write a Sustainability Policy
Net Zero vs Zero Carbon vs Carbon Neutral
What is the difference?
What is CO2e, and why should you care about it?
Greenhouse gases (GHGs) keep the planet warm by trapping solar energy that would otherwise radiate through the atmosphere back out to space.
In 2020 through burning fossil fuels the UK emitted 414.1 million tonnes / CO2e into the atmosphere.
As human activity continually increases the level of atmospheric greenhouse gases, we are exacerbating the warming of global average temperatures — resulting in what’s commonly known as global warming.
What isn’t common knowledge is how we measure the carbon footprint of GHGs.
To do this, climate scientists convert the amounts of individual GHGs to a CO2e equivalent.
In this article, we will explain what CO2e is and how it’s used to understand the atmospheric warming that GHGs create.
Carbon Offsetting: What is it, and should you do it?
Carbon offset schemes have become hugely popular in the past few years, with more and more technological solutions appearing. This has naturally led to a bit of confusion, and it’s hard to know which is the one to go for.
This article will outline a few arguments and issues around carbon offsetting, bust some myths and give you some recommended schemes to join.