We’re keen on green at Birch
Over the last few years our green economy has been a hot topic quite literally. In 2020, we’ve already seen wildfire rip its way across our globe destroying forests and wildlife.
Our news is saturated with reports of devastation caused by flooding, and each summer the UK are seeing temperatures rise. As a result of this, more businesses are assessing their carbon footprint and actively making big changes to the way they approach their ‘eco-friendly’ ethos.
We print vast amounts of products on a wide range of materials and deliver these to our customers every day so you may be wondering how a company like Birch could be eco-friendly at all. The team at Birch are proud of our approach to the green economy and have implemented many changes to help reduce our carbon footprint.
Our products
Let’s start with the paper we print on. 100% of our paper is sourced from sustainable forests and it goes without saying that we use vast amounts of ink. We source and use vegetable ink on approximately 75% of our orders which is much better for the environment than using chemically created synthetic inks. Vegetable inks are made from vegetable oil or soybeans which are sustainably farmed, helping to reduce the amount of carbon dioxide in the air.
Birch also focuses on using FSC accredited suppliers. FSC stands for the Forest Steward Council who are an independent, not-for-profit organisation dedicated to promoting the responsible management of the world’s forests. We’re keen to ensure our paper supply has been harvested in a responsible manner from sustainable forests, so we’re always on the lookout for FSC accredited suppliers to partner with.
Our dedication to focusing on our green credentials doesn’t end there, we’re also aligned with paper suppliers who are part of the Carbon Capture programme from the Woodland Trust. The Carbon Capture programme is a method of mitigating carbon dioxide emissions and provides a reduced carbon solution for organisations throughout the supplier lifestyle.
Reducing our energy usage onsite
In 2014 we worked with Biowood Recycling Limited to install a Biomass boiler which heats our 27,000sq ft factory/warehouse and offices using wood pellets. Our Biomass boiler reduces our CO2 emissions by around 48,000kg per year which is a significant move towards reducing our carbon footprint. The wood pellets are made from virgin wood which ensures that no harmful emissions are released into our atmosphere when they’re burnt.
Our offices have also been installed with LED lighting which are 80% more efficient than traditional lighting such as fluorescent and incandescent lights. 95% of the energy in LEDS is converted into light and only 5% wasted as heat. More heat energy is preserved which reduces the demand from power plants and decreases the amount of greenhouse gas emissions. As we head into longer brighter days, we’re also keen to focus on using natural light to brighten up our offices! The less electricity we use the better for all.
We pride ourselves on our end to end service and make sure that items are packaged well to ensure they are delivered to customers with zero damage. The majority of our products are boxed in double walled corrugate, and where applicable a selection are packaged in 100% compostable bags which has really helped to reduce the amount of non-recyclable waste that adds to harmful landfill emissions. We’re also proud to supply some of our clients with environmentally friendly products in a bid to reduce the amount of plastic waste they generate. We work with NOCN Group who are now using ‘re-usable’ mugs instead of plastic cups and last year Motus Commercials made the green decision to remove the use of single-use plastic cups in favour of re-usable water bottles for all their 1500 staff.
Our delivery ethos
Our products are delivered to our customers on numerous deliveries each day which generates a significant amount of carbon. We’re proud to work with Logistics couriers DPD who are a ‘green economy’ front runner in this field. DPD adopt a Total Zero Initiative which aims to ensure that every parcel sent via its network will be carbon neutral. For more information about this wonderful Initiative click here: www.dpd.co.uk/pdf/DPD_-_Delivering%20a%20zero%20emission%20future.pdf
DPD are also the first logistics company to have an all-electric depot, running all electric vehicles in Westminster and Shoreditch. At their conference last month, they launched their green website: www.green.dpd.co.uk, which gives some impressive information on how they plan to become the UK’s most sustainable delivery company. We’re proud to be both a supplier to them and to partner with them for many of our deliveries.
