The waste industry has made enormous strides in recent times when it comes to sustainability. Reducing the environmental impact of all kinds of rubbish goes a long way toward creating a healthier environment for humans, animals, and plant life. There are a number of ways that this can be done, one being carbon-neutral projects.
Rubbish contributes greatly to carbon emissions and greenhouse gases. In many cases, this is unavoidable, as there will always be some amount of waste that is placed in landfills, at least for the foreseeable future. However, there are ways to offset this and contribute to reducing carbon emissions.
At Sydney City Rubbish, we’re incredibly proud to be able to offer carbon neutral rubbish removal services for our clients, thanks to our partnership with Carbon Neutral. When our clients elect to offset each tonne of waste they produce, trees are planted to contribute to eliminating carbon emissions, ensuring our services remain firmly carbon neutral.
In this article, we’ll take a look at what carbon neutral rubbish removal is, different ways companies can provide it, and how we’re working towards a better future.
What does carbon neutral mean?
The term ‘carbon neutral’ means achieving a balance between the amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions produced and the amount removed from the atmosphere. In other words, for every unit of CO2 emitted, the same amount is either prevented from being produced or is offset by activities that remove CO2 from the atmosphere. These activities can include planting trees or investing in renewable energy projects.
How does a business become carbon neutral?
To become carbon neutral, a business usually needs to become involved in an initiative led by a third party, or organise their own program. The actual process of becoming carbon neutral does depend on the industry and the business itself. However, the process followed usually looks like this:
- Measuring the existing emissions that are produced – in this case, by the amount of waste removed.
- Reducing emissions, which goes hand in hand with recycling and repurposing waste, already a core part of Sydney City Rubbish’s sustainability policy.
- Offset emissions through a third party program, which is a new development for our company, and one we’re incredibly excited about.
It’s essential to discuss the process with an industry expert to ensure that you are participating in a certified, effective offset program.
Sustainable practices in the waste management industry
There are a number of ways to ensure that waste management is more sustainable. These include actions that can be taken by people at all stages of the process, from consumers to rubbish removal companies and waste facilities.
Recycling and repurposing waste
One of the most impactful practices for sustainability is ensuring that waste is either recycled or repurposed. This ensures that various types of rubbish do not end up in landfill. If waste is recycled or reused effectively it will greatly reduce the amount of items that do become waste, and produce emissions as they break down or decompose.
At Sydney City Rubbish, we’re dedicated to sustainable outcomes for every piece of waste we remove from homes and businesses in Sydney. That means we always do our best to work with recycling facilities or find a new home for old furniture, appliances, electronics, and more. This contributes greatly to a more environmentally friendly waste management process.
Energy efficiency
Being energy efficient is another way that waste management companies can be more environmentally friendly. It’s important to play your part in reducing the use of electricity throughout the waste management process. That also includes using quality equipment and machinery, helping to reduce energy consumption and emissions.
Alternative fuels
The type of fuel that your vehicle uses, and the vehicle itself, can have a significant impact on your business’s efforts to be more environmentally friendly. Switching to fuels such as biodiesel or compressed natural gas (CNG) for rubbish removal vehicles can also lower carbon emissions. HEPA filters on vehicles can also remove harmful particles from the air.
Investing in renewable energy
Renewable energy is an excellent way to cut down on carbon emissions. Businesses of all sizes can contribute to investment in renewables through third-party companies. This helps to balance out the emissions produced by business activities, and helps provide additional investment for an incredibly important and growing industry in Australia.
Planting trees
Planting trees is a great way to offset greenhouse gas emissions. This is one activity that many businesses are involved in, either directly or indirectly through a third-party company. The more healthy trees that are planted, the better the outlook for the environment going forward, and the more carbon dioxide that will be turned into priceless oxygen.
Sydney City Rubbish’s commitment to carbon neutrality
Throughout our years in business, we’ve been exploring new ways to have a more positive impact on the environment, both in Australia and the wider world. We always look for the most environmentally friendly outcome for all the waste we remove from both businesses and households in Sydney. When you hire us, you’re always in good hands.
Get a free rubbish removal quote today. We’d love to hear from you!
