EXHAUSTED DRIVING SUSTAINABILITY IN BUSINESS Autumn 2013
Cows vs Cars Are cows CO2 emissions really more damaging to the planet than from cars?
5
sustainable gadgets to help reduce costs
Students
– owning a vehicle? Limits to sharing?
Pick up your groceries from a Park and Ride
EDITOR’S NOTE
S
ummer’s over and you may feel slightly deflated, but no worries, because when you’re in this exciting, challenging and continuously evolving industry we’ve got plenty to talk about on the sustainability front as we delve into Autumn. So, here’s our latest edition of Exhausted; something we hope you actually want to pick up with your morning coffee.
leaders in the field with ‘A unique insight into sustainable thinking’ and ‘Learning from peers’ articles (page 4). And discover how to ‘Pick up your groceries from a Park and Ride’ (page 8)! Or if you need a little pick-me-up for yourself this Autumn head to our ‘Exhausted after summer’ article (page 5) where we give you a list of upcoming events for inspiration. Please feel free to contact me and let me know what you think or what you would like covered in the next issue!
This issue is full of useful news and information to help you on the road to sustainability. We’ve tried to avoid the waffle and stuffiness you find elsewhere.
Happy reading! Jemma Editor
jemma@liftshare.com
Find out just ‘What you can share in the sharing economy’ (page 3). Learn from
CONTENTS Just what can you share in the sharing economy?
3 A unique insight into sustainable thinking
Exhausted after Summer – an injection of inspiration for Autumn
5
Should students be encouraged not to take their cars to university?
4 Learning from peers
4 DRIVING SUSTAINABILITY IN BUSINESS
3
Putting UK cycling on track
6-7
Pick up your groceries from a Park and Ride
2
The rise of collaborative consumption
9
10
Five sustainable gadgets you don’t want to miss
11 Liftshare Week
Does ‘green’ mean sacrificing profit?
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Are cow emissions really more damaging to the planet than CO2 emissions from cars?
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12
share
Just what
can you in the sharing economy? One of the most successful sharing services in the UK, Liftshare, was born out of a personal predicament: when the Christmas holidays came round in 1996, Ali Clabburn – a young student at Bristol University – realised he didn’t have enough money for the train fare back to Norfolk. Convinced there must be students driving in a similar direction, he pinned a message on a student notice board, asking if anyone could give him a lift. The following day, he returned to find three offers of a ride home. The idea of Liftshare was born... Today over 540,000 people have joined liftshare.com – an internationally-recognised social enterprise. Without mass producing anything, Liftshare created a whole new way for people to travel and save money. Since then this networked economy has grown, nowadays you can share anything – so we thought we’d share our top 8...
[ 5 ] HOMES Couchsurfing.org - connects travellers with a global network of people willing to share their homes, making travel a truly social experience. Find a place to stay or share your home and hometown with travellers – either way, Couchsurfing.org could work for you.
[ 1 ] PARKING SPACES
[ 6 ] GARDENING
Parkatmyhouse.com - confronting the reality of car use and promoting spaceefficient parking by tapping into a readily available but unexploited resource. As the world’s largest online parking marketplace, Parkatmyhouse.com connects home and business owners who would like to earn money from renting their space with drivers in need of a convenient, safe and cost-effective place to park.
Landshare.com – bringing together those who have land to share with those who need land for cultivating home grown food. If you want to grow your own fruit and veg, but don’t have anywhere to do it or if you have a spare bit of land you’re prepared to share, this one’s for you!
[ 2 ] STORAGE Sharemystorage.com - a social marketplace that brings together two different groups of people; those who have spare space and those who need spare space for storage.
Today over 540,000 “people have joined liftshare.com ”
Just think of all the garages, attics, spare
[ 7 ] MONEY
bedrooms, basements, barns and perhaps even beach huts that are lying dormant in your area, right now. Sharemystorage.com helps put them to use in a way that’s good for everybody.
LendingClub.com - an online financial community that brings together creditworthy borrowers and savvy investors so both can benefit financially. They replace the high cost and complexity of bank lending with a faster, smarter way to borrow and invest.
[ 3 ] PETS Borrowmydoggy.com – matching doggy owners with local borrowers across the UK for walkies, playdays, sleepovers and happy holidays. Whether you need a little help taking care of your canine friend because you’re busy or you would love to have a doggy but don’t have the right lifestyle – this service can work for you.
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[ 4 ] CARS Liftshare.com – matching individuals going the same way in the UK. Whether it’s a daily commute or a one-off journey, Liftshare allows individuals to benefit from the convenience of the car, whilst reducing the costs and alleviating the associated problems of congestion and pollution. Whether you’re giving a lift or seeking a lift there’s an 83% chance you’ll find a match for any journey you enter!
[ 8 ] CHORES/TASKS Taskpanda.com - is where busy Brits can find friendly reliable, trustworthy people from their neighbourhood to do their tasks. With a community of over 1500 active Pandas looking to earn some extra money, customers are able to get competitive bids in minutes for their tasks.
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Learning
from peers
With more and more noise made around sustainability, there are still some of the big corporate companies that are not embracing sustainable practices – but why would they avoid responsibility?
T
he answer may be the supply chain. For those businesses whose heart of operations rests in the supply chain; with massive volumes of transactions through associated companies and individuals managing and disclosing sustainability issues can be an overwhelming task and as a result some are choosing to bury their heads in the sand. Yet there are some organisations that have stepped up and improved business practices by addressing sustainability in their supply chains. Apple, for example, began to report on sustainability metrics after stakeholder concern arose over its supply chain last year. And since then Apple are seeking more suppliers with sustainable policies.
Large organisations need to realise the opportunities their position affords them, rather than shy away from a little work; as key players in the markets they serve, they have the ability to encourage suppliers to become more transparent on social and environmental issues. The advice – take a leaf from Apple!
Apple, for “example, began to report on sustainability metrics...
”
A
unique T
insight into sustainable thinking
In a recent Green 15 interview with Matt Sexton (Head of Sustainability at B&Q) we looked at interaction with the consumer at a local level. B&Q are one example of how businesses today are seeking to create more ‘vibrant communities’.
hrough B&Q’s Street Club project they offer a forum for discussion, to share information and plan local events, this approach enables people to share skills and resources; taking a positive approach to the planet and society. This type of action is beginning to create a different type of green business that fits more into the ‘sharing’ economy than ever before. Future Green 15 interviews with IBM and Aviva start to delve into this idea and find out if this is the key to sustainability for business in the future. Listen to the full broadcasts at: blog.liftshare.com and give your own opinion/feedback.
EXHAUSTED
x E ed
t s u a h
after Summer – an injection of inspiration for Autumn Oct ‘13 7th – 11th NATIONAL LIFTSHARE WEEK Encouraging people to join the Liftshare network in order to save money cut their carbon footprint and meet likeminded people. Find out more at: www.liftshareweek.com 9th ATOC – INTERCHANGE AND INTEGRATED TRANSPORT CONFERENCE A programme designed to investigate enabling door to door journeys through better connected stations. 10th WESTMINSTER BRIEFING Lowering the cost of energy bills in the UK: competition, consumer engagement and changing energy habits. For more information visit: www.westminsterforumprojects.co.uk/ forums/index.php?fid=westminster_ energy_environment_and_ transport_forum
25th-26th MOONRIDERS HALLOWEEN CYCLE4HUNGER Join hundreds of other riders supporting The Hunger Project for a creepy cycle of the city - gasp as you discover the city in a new light, pedal as you make your way between our frightening pit-stops and enjoy a Halloween celebration with hundreds of other riders! For more information visit: www.thehungerproject.co.uk/ getinvolved/moonridershalloween-cycle/ THROUGHOUT OCTOBER International Walk to School Month – month long awareness raising event where schools across the world join forces to promote walking to school. Find out more at www.livingstreets.org. uk/walk-with-us/walk-to-school
Nov ‘13 Date: To be confirmed NATIONAL COMMUTE SMART WEEK Raising awareness of smarter working practices and how they can help to avoid the misery of commuting in the dark winter months. Find out more at: www.workwiseuk.org/ commutesmartweek/ 18th – 24th UK ROAD SAFETY WEEK An annual community event aimed at inspiring people to promote road safety within their local community. Find out more at: www.roadsafetyweek.org 19th WESTMINSTER BRIEFING Local planning, economic development and the delivery of new major infrastructure in the UK. For more information visit: www. westminsterforumprojects.co.uk/ forums/index.php?fid=westminster_ energy_environment_and_ transport_forum
hundreds “of Join other riders
supporting The Hunger Project for a creppy cycle....
”
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[not]
Should students be encouraged
to take their cars to university?
It’s that time of year again as cars get packed to their limits and young drivers set off to live a life of freedom, away from the prying eyes of parents and the accompanying rules. But with over 1.5 million students moving from home to university this year the age old question of should students take their cars with them is back on the agenda.
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further still... providing free bike locks, inner tubes and puncture repair kits to inspire students to cycle.
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DeMontfort “University goes
”
S
ome universities struggle with increasing numbers of cars around campus, creating pressure on parking, more traffic and congestion around the local area - straining relationships with the local community, but is this a reason to remove students independence, access to potential employment/placement opportunities and freedom to get home? There must be another way. And some universities are finding it... Take the University of Cumbria, it employs over 1,180 staff and has over 10,500 students and with a large number of individuals driving alone to the university, pressure on car parks had grown and they were struggling to cope with high volumes of traffic; parking on residential streets around the campus was becoming the norm. In an attempt to combat the parking and environmental issues the university decided to implement a Liftshare carsharing scheme in January last year. Since implementation they have seen a reduction in the demand for parking, resulting in less impact on the surrounding community and strengthened relationships.
personalised travel plans with all modes of transport including walking, cycling, carsharing, public transport and (in some cases Park and Ride). These plans encourage behaviour change, by giving students a comparison of all their travel options, including mode, distance, time, calories burnt, cost (where known) and CO2 emissions.
“
Other universities have invested in schemes to increase the number of students who use alternative methods of transport to get onto campus
”
DeMontfort University goes further still, providing incentives for choosing a particular alternative option. For example they provide free bike locks, inner tubes and puncture repair kits to inspire more students to cycle. Whilst all universities should accommodate students’ cars and give individuals the option, it’s proven that if students are shown the alternatives and given incentives to look for more sustainable travel options wherever possible, traffic, pollution and environmental impact around campuses can be reduced.
Other universities have invested in schemes to increase the number of students who use alternative methods of transport to get onto campus. Oxford, Lancaster and Northampton University for example, whilst each have a Liftshare car-sharing scheme, they have also utilised myPTP; providing
DRIVING SUSTAINABILITY IN BUSINESS
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places “thatProviding people walk
past on a daily route where they can pick up the goods they have bought...
”
So what better time to consider Park and Ride – and if you don’t know where the nearest Park and Ride is for your daily journey, myPTP can help.
...your groceries from a Park and Ride With less time spent in traffic and trying to park, cheaper parking than city centre car parks and the ability to use priority lanes to travel into central areas, the current advantages of Park and Ride speak for themselves, but it’s not going to stop here.
myPTP is the personalised travel planning (PTP) tool powered by Liftshare, which provides a PTP for any journey, including all transport options – yes Park and Ride too - in less than 30 seconds. Organisations can deliver PTPs to staff on a one-to-one basis or via a bulk upload facility. Results for each PTP provide all possible modes of transport for the journey, costs (where known), distance, time, calories burnt, CO2 emissions and route details. So a PTP delivered to your email box and your groceries delivered to your car – who knows what’s next!
S
oon you’ll be able to pick up your weekly shop when you return to your car after work! As part of a £700m investment this year to accelerate multi-channel business, Asda is launching its ‘click-and-collect’ service at chosen Park and Ride sites across the country. If your area is one of the chosen sites, the service will allow you to order online and then pick up your shopping from your Park and Ride.
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DRIVING SUSTAINABILITY IN BUSINESS
Asda say the move is about “opening up more markets for customers to be able to access Asda products.” Providing places that people walk past on a daily route where they can pick up the goods they have bought, so they don’t have to go out of their way. The giant retailer is even developing refrigerated lockers with frozen and fridge compartments for deployment at new ‘click and collect’ locations. And it’s not just Asda, Tesco are looking to follow suit!
If you would like more information about myPTP, please contact Jemma@liftshare.com or call Jemma on 01603 389321
EXHAUSTED
rise
The of collaborative consumption is reality Yesterday around 100,000 people in the UK shared a journey through the Liftshare service. And last night around 40,000 people rented accommodation through the Airbnb service.
T
here’s no hiding from it. The rise of collaborative consumption is a reality – a new era in which people are making the most of spare capacity, utilising the assets from one anther to their advantage – all coordinated through the internet; making it cheaper and easier than ever! Rachel Botsman, the author of ‘What’s mine is yours’, a book on collaborative consumption, believes the consumer peer-to-peer rental market alone is worth $26 billion. And Forbes magazine has estimated total revenues across the sharing and P2P companies could reach $3.5bn by 2014, with growth exceeding 25%.
...the consumer “peer-to-peer market alone is worth $26 billion.
”
In its early stages many shrugged off the model – seeing it only as a niche for the ‘hippies of the world’. But this emerging model is now big and disruptive, so much so it is at a stage where regulators and companies have woken up to it and are beginning to look at the finer detail. This action alone provides a sign of the immense potential to come. Just in case you hadn’t caught up - it is time to start caring about sharing!
Putting
UK
cycling on track
Any project to improve cycling across the country has got to be a winner, but just how far will the money stretch? Cycling campaigners feel £94m is a good start, but say far more money is needed over a prolonged period of time to really spark a cycling revolution. Recent figures released from the DfT on journeys in Britain showed only 2% were by bike. This new funding is hoped to encourage more people of all ages to use their bike for everyday journeys.
......journeys in “Britain showed on 2% were by bike. ”
With the latest announcement from the DfT of a cash injection of £94m for a number of English cities and national parks to But behaviour change is never as simple as promote cycling, the road ahead ‘build it and they will come’. Tools such as looks good. myPTP will have an important part to play, providing personalised travel plans for individuals, showing all potential modes of travel. The cycling journey alone shows calories burnt, cycle gradients and the best bit ‘no daily cost’!
To use myPTP please login or become a member at www.liftshare.com
Only time will tell what a difference the money will really make, but it’s definitely a positive step (or pedal) in the right direction!
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Are
cow
emissions
The real question is what can we do to contain the future damage of increasing our cattle, which is expected to more than double by 2050, as demand for meat rises. Perhaps the answer is to create future meat in test tubes, like the new stem cell test tube burger – time will tell! Does ‘green’ mean sacrificing profit? Too often, sustainability is viewed as a cost to a business. It’s assumed investing in sustainable technologies and innovating to reduce environmental impact hits the bottom line. This isn’t the case.
...really more damaging to the planet than CO2 emissions from cars? It’s been said cows are the top destroyers of the environment, but can these heafty beasts really be that bad? Blamed for crimes from acid rain to poisoning drinking water you have to wonder how they manage it. Whilst their wind and manure emit more than one third of emissions of methane, which warms the world 20 times faster than carbon dioxide, and they do produce two-thirds of the world’s emissions of ammonia, one of the main causes of acid rain - the majority of the damage isn’t down to cows themselves.
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DRIVING SUSTAINABILITY IN BUSINESS
The actual damage is caused by:
•
Burning fuel to produce fertiliser to grow feed, to produce the meat and to transport it.
•
Clearing vegetation for grazing.
•
Overgrazing.
•
Waste from feedlots and fertilisers used to grow animal feed overnourishes water, causing weeds to choke all other life. And the pesticides, antibiotics and hormones used to treat these weeds get into drinking water.
Sustainability is proven to drive efficiency. If you talk to the likes of Mike Barry at M&S or Bill Eyres at O2, they will tell you, you don’t have to sacrifice profitability to achieve sustainable goals; the two go hand-in-hand. Reaching this vision, however, requires a degree of humility. The companies that are leading the way in sustainable practice have identified that they cannot do it alone. Partnerships and broad collaborations are being implemented to help solve the greatest environmental challenges they face as businesses. Named as ‘critical friends’, collaboration beyond a single organisation keeps sustainability on the right track and allows greater efficiencies that cannot be realised alone. Supply chains are one of these significant groups where working together can result in sustainable efficiencies and savings that cannot be achieved alone; it provides a win-win scenario for all involved. Many organisations are now looking to their supply chains to help both improve profit and sustainability in the future – are you?
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5
sustainable gadgets you don’t want to miss
There is no accepted standard of what makes a “green” gadget, but a gadget that’s geared to helping you reduce carbon emissions and impact on the environment must qualify! And with that in mind, here are our top sustainable gadgets so far...
The Waterpebble
Skinny Player The music gadget that gets its power from your body heat by being attached to your skin! Yes you read that right! Designed for walking or exercising, the Skinny Player lets you listen to music without needing to carry a player or use headphones.
A device that sits in the shower recording the amount of water you use per wash. Using a system of traffic lights it tells you when you’re using more water than average and gradually cuts down the time until the amber or red lights come on. Cutting a shower from 22.5L to 18L uses one third less energy, but you probably wouldn’t even notice.
The Eco Button
The Bedol Water Clock It’s definitely this product’s time to be in the spotlight! OK OK poor pun, but a clock that has the ability to run solely on H2O is worth including. Not only are these clocks environmentally friendly, they also come in a wide variety of shapes, sizes and colours to suit any style. In addition, the clocks are high quality and perfectly accurate. Each clock is beautifully designed and requires no batteries, chemicals or electricity to function. By simply filling these charming Eco-clocks with water, you can enjoy up to six months of hassle free time-telling! And the Bedol water clocks have a built-in memory chip so that even while you are refilling the water in the clock, it is able to continue keeping time.
Cutting a shower “from 22.5L to 18L uses one third less energy...
”
A computer power saving device that aims to reduce your PC power usage. You simply press the eco button when you are away from your desk and your computer is put into the most efficient energy saving mode available called ‘ecomode’. When you return to your PC, it switches back to “on” mode when any key on the keyboard is pressed. The calculated energy savings you’ve made by using the Ecobutton are then displayed on the computer screen. Brilliant!
The Hue Lightbulbs Well it wouldn’t be a proper list without a lightbulb! The Hue bulbs look like ordinary lightbulbs, and screw into light sockets as normal. Inside each bulb, however, is a wireless transmitter that communicates with a hub you plug into the back of your router. Then simply download the app (currently only for iOS) and begin fiddling with the lights in your home. The Hue LED bulbs at maximum brightness are said to offer 80 percent power savings over incandescent 50-watt bulbs.
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