Factsheet: Why your law firm should reduce its carbon footprint and the tools and resources to make it happen.

 

The aim of this guide is to be a resource for individuals and/or firms wanting to cut their carbon. We have collated the necessary information and resources to make the case for cutting carbon to your senior leadership team.

Download our LCANZI factsheet here.

A quick guide.

Some low-hanging fruit you can achieve today:

  •  Cut travel to the essential trips. You have already done it during lockdown, so why not make those virtual meetings your new normal. (A flight from Wellington to Auckland releases about 297 kg of carbon dioxide per passenger, which accounts for approximately 4% of the average Kiwi’s entire carbon footprint for the year).

  • Energy saving at the office – change those bulbs to LED and switch off devices and screens and TVs, or install sensors to do it. (Some printers use more energy on standby mode than on).

  • Reduce waste and make it easy to recycle – put the right bins in place and use them, look at compost options. (A typical office worker uses 10,000 pages of paper a year, lawyers often ten times that much).

  • Buy better. Think about the carbon cost of what you procure. (How far has that ream of office paper travelled?)

Making a serious and certified commitment for tomorrow:

  • By engaging organisations such as Ekos for smaller firms (see its certification information and carbon calculator here) and Toitu Envirocare for larger firms (see its certification programmes here).

  • For relatively low cost they will meet with your firm and assess your current missions to formulate a plan for reducing emissions. They can also help you implement it.

  • These programmes provide you with internationally recognised certification.

Further guidance and resources:

That’s your cut-out-and-keep quick guide to get on with it.  Read on for more detail.