If Covid-19 has taught us anything, it is a newfound appreciation for the outdoors. Being confined to our homes has given us time to reflect on how much we miss open spaces such as national parks.

National parks across the UK protect approximately 10% of England, 20% of Wales and 8% of Scotland. Scattered around the country, these parks were founded in 1949 as part of the National Parks and Access to Countryside Act in order to protect unique landscapes. However, in order for the parks to protect their landscapes, we must protect the parks. And one way we can do this is to adopt as many sustainable practices as possible.

With the 2050 net zero carbon emissions target on the horizon, businesses must steer towards becoming carbon neutral. The 15 national parks around the UK are home to 327,000 people and 25,220 businesses.

This National Parks Fortnight, we take a look at what businesses can do to become greener and in turn protect our national parks.

Conduct regular energy audits

Having regular energy and water audits allow businesses to identify where they are using the most energy, and where it is being wasted. By reducing these wasteful areas they can become more efficient and environmentally friendly.

At Monarch, our experienced team of auditors and procurement specialists are on hand to help your business become greener. An energy audit assesses how much energy is being used in each sector of the business. This includes factors such as lighting, heating, water usage, air conditioning and electrical devices.

Encourage clean transportation

While lockdowns have caused a certain amount of chaos across all sectors, many businesses have been able to recover productivity by working from home. Working remotely means less travelling for workers, and in turn benefits for both the workers and the environment.

However, as restrictions begin to lift, many businesses are reintroducing office work into everyday life. This means encouraging workers to use greener transportation to get to work. Carpooling, public transport, cycling and walking can help businesses further lower their carbon footprint and expenses.

Schemes such as ESOS, take energy used on transport into consideration when assessing a business’ consumption. So, for eligible businesses, lowering consumption on transportation is essential.

Switching to low carbon tech

Moving towards a greener future requires upgrades and renovation of current energy installations. Switching to low carbon tech may initially seem expensive and time consuming, but it will save time and money in the long term.

Upgrading equipment, installing smart meters and even switching to LED lighting can save on costs and reduce your carbon footprint. Transitioning to low carbon tech can allow businesses to adapt smoothly to the changing energy landscape.

As the world of energy develops, a larger focus must be put on renewable energy sources. Aside from reducing our reliance on fossil fuels, renewables also create jobs and help to stimulate the economy.

Go paperless

With the help of today’s technology, going paperless is an easy and cost efficient business solution. Reducing paper usage cut down on supply costs will also make a massive impact on your business’ waste efficiency.

Businesses can start to put this in place by encouraging workers to print less, and rely more on digital devices. As well as making all important documentation accessible via the business’ servers.

Educating workers on the environment and sustainability

While we continue to protect these spaces to the best of our ability, it is important that we understand why. Visiting these national parks allows people to recognise the eco-systems around them.

National restrictions have meant that many people have not been able to visit these spaces over the past year. But, several national parks have created online tours to keep people engaging with their landscapes. As restrictions start to lift, now is the perfect time to get out and appreciate the spaces that we have, and learn how to protect them.

While we start to return to these open spaces, it is important that we are conscious of our physical impact on the environment. Throwing away litter, recycling where possible, and reducing plastic consumption are vital precautions in preserving national parks.

Incentives are also a great way to encourage people to take care of the environment around them. Rewards may further motivate workers to become greener. Such as an extra day off or gift voucher for recycling, biking to work or thinking of green initiatives for the office.

How can Monarch help?

At Monarch, we are dedicated to helping businesses towards a greener future. We care about a more sustainable future, for the benefit of our national parks, and the future of our communities. We rely on our environment as much as it relies on us, so we must do all we can to protect it.

Drawing on our 30+ years of experience and diverse list of services, we are able to identify energy and cost saving areas easily.

For a business to become more sustainable, they must first identify areas in which they could save on consumption and costs. After conducting an audit, our team are able to procure a contract tailored to their specific energy needs.

Get in touch today to hear more about how we can assist you on your sustainability journey.