COP26 is happening but all is not well

This week sees the beginning of COP26 in Glasgow: a conference of world leaders, environmentalists and scientists seeking to forge a global response to tackle climate change. The conference has already seen attention by way of protests by groups like Insulate Britain, Ocean Rebellion and UK Student Climate Network , with some environmental campaigners calling for the conference to be cancelled altogether.

Unfortunately in the run up to what should be a seminal and collective affair, recent leaks have revealed some nations’ efforts to play down the need to move away from fossil fuels in an attempt to delay and lessen the urgency of moving to greener alternatives. The UK government themselves have rolled out a Net Zero strategy which only 41% of companies are set to achieve by 2050. At this stage, we can only hope that bolder and more stringent policies are conceived, permitting unwilling nations less wiggle room to deny and delay the inevitable.   

.

We’re working on our own Net Zero and long term sustainability strategy, but to save you hearing about what we will do, here’s some things we are doing:

Working to eliminate plastic from our product range.

• We’ve been hard at work redesigning our product range to eliminate downstream plastic entirely. We had actually set a target of “plastic-free by 2022”, but fell slightly short in the process of selecting the kinds of materials that would adequately replace the remaining plastic, while maintaining the integrity and usability of our products. We are now, gladly, on track for “plastic free in 2022”, more on that soon.

Planning a solar installation to power Haeckels Home in Margate.

• Our new manufacturing space has a roof that most solar panel enthusiasts could only dream of. We’re finalising plans for a 30.24 kW solar array to make the most of the Margate sunshine. In the meantime, we’ve switched to 100% renewable tariffs to make sure all the energy we use is from renewable sources.

Beginning a water testing programme in Margate to be able to monitor and communicate water pollution.

• As climate change increases the strain on our waterways, we have invested in microbial water quality testing based on the ISO standards for membrane filtration used by the Environment Agency in accordance with bathing water regulations. We will be monitoring the quality of water in Margate and communicating that to local stakeholders, including the Environment Agency and the community.

Closed loop recycling.

• Our return and recycle scheme allows us to re-use and if not recycle containers brought or sent back to us by our customers. We also offer a 15% discount to incentivise those that do. We’re in the process of exploring some very exciting packaging alternatives so watch this space!

Localising our downstream supply chain.

• In the last 12 months we have been particularly focused on sourcing our ingredients and packaging from as close to the making space in Margate as possible. With the intent of reducing the miles travelled for all components. Most notably the Shell – our natural deodorant. All of the raw elements (the aluminium case + the deodorant stick) are sourced and made within 2 miles of the making space. The localisation of our supply chain will be an ongoing project, and part of all future sourcing conversations. 

Collaborative Efforts

Our collective impact on our environment can not be underestimated, and beyond the realms of COP26, we work everyday to reduce our impact whilst we grow as much as possible. We are also always championing others to do the same. Therefore, we would love to hear about what you are doing to improve your impact, whether you’re an individual or a company. The future is collaborative and collective, and the same applies to how we all approach sustainability and the ubiquitous issue we face in climate change.

Helpful Reading:

What is COP26 – Cheat Sheet

The New Scientist – COP26

Why are activists calling for Cop26 to be cancelled?

Half of UK organisations will miss 2050 net zero target without urgent action on carbon reduction

.

References/Credits:

COP26

Green Peace