Action we are taking

Until COVID-19 forced us to press pause on our previous company, Accelerated Success, sustainability was something we incorporated into our domestic lives, but integrating it with work was a more difficult proposition.

Working with global organisations, sustainability policies are corporate decisions. Being a very small fish in a huge pond, we could raise awareness with individuals but could not influence policy.

However, what we had control over was investing in IT infrastructure and collaboration software enabling us to do more remote working and reduce journeys to client premises. When travelling to Europe we used the train, something we advocated to clients and which some of them also adopted.

During lock-down, with all of our client contracts on hold, we got stuck into our own net zero journey.

Well, that was the plan. But when it came to navigating the maze that is net zero for micro, small and medium enterprises (SMEs) we found the route had not yet been mapped.

Fortunately, we were volunteering with Zero Carbon Shropshire which was a sustainability apprenticeship on steroids, so this gave us a steer on what to do. Add in some training with the Centre for Alternative Technology (CAT), Institute for Environmental Management & Assessment (IEMA), Permaculture Design and The Carbon Literacy Trust and we were able to learn on the job.

Going through this process we realised if we were struggling, other SMEs probably were too. But SMEs can’t afford to waste time and effort. So the risk is we put-off this overwhelming, confusing task until we have time to work it out. Which is never!

Combining our expertise in fostering change and helping SMEs get started on reducing their carbon footprint we focus on what’s most important to us – helping Shropshire get to net zero emissions by 2030.

As consumers we are powerful.

Buying from local, indepenent shops supports the local economy, as opposed to lining the pockets of big companies and eventually share-holders / billionaires!

Becoming a mindful shopper requires you to educate yourself so you can change your habits. And that isn’t easy! We started with small, modest changes so as not to stress ourselves out.

Our list is a work in progress and it is hard to separate out work and home. This isn’t a set of recommendations: we all need to do our own thing, according to our situation.

Some changes were straight forward, like switching banks. Others took more time, like swapping a weekly supermarket shop for shopping local, or going to a plant based diet.

• Swtiched to an ethical bank for personal and business banking

• 100% real renewable electricity supplier

• Shop local, buy organic, buy fair trade and avoid big brands where we can

• Gradually adopted a plant based diet, except Kev who occassionaly likes a roast chicken

• Energy efficient light bulbs and being a pain in the **** about turning lights off when leaving a room

• Not leaving electrical appliances on stand-by and getting a smart meter

• Saving on oil heating bills by turning radiators off in rooms we aren’t using, also a pain but worth it

• Swaping a washing line and clothes horse to (mostly) replace the tumble dryer

• Growing our own veg and investing in a polytunnel

• Cooking from scratch

• First choice is for ethical and sustainable services and products for business, but not always possible

• Retain mobile handsets and don’t upgrade just because our provider says we ‘should’!

• Being mindful about reducing car journies; planning longers trips to main towns to get what we need so we can avoid an emergency trip

• Not buying stuff - we know we WANT it but do we NEED it?

• Reusing - our garage is full of stuff that gets re-purposed, mainly in the garden

• Rifling neighbours skips for stuff we can reuse

• Using the local Repair Cafes instead of replaicing with new

• Getting a bike, to get fit and use the bike instead of the car. (It’s pretty hilly near us so we’re working on it.)

The garden is Sue’s second home. Until recently it was full of beautiful pollinator rich, herbaceous borders, surrounded by plenty of lawn that requried lots of mowing.

But a Permaculture Design Course changed all that. We still have the herbacious borders but the lawn has been replaced by vegetable beds and vast patches of rough grass that allow nature to do her thing.

Other ways we are restoring nature and using less:

• Capture rain water

• Grow vegetables, salads, soft fruit

• Make compost

• Pesticide free

• Peat free

• Love weeds

• Leave untidy patches for insects and bugs

• Wildflower patches for pollinators

• Love ivy

• Collect leaves for mulch

• Ask neighbours for their waste barkchippings

• Share spare produce with family and neighbours

Now we get to the hard stuff, reducing energy consumption in a 1970’s, oil-heated property, in a semi-rural village.

We have until the end of this decade to transform the way we live, work, eat and consume and we have a lot of work to do, not much time and not a lot of spare cash.

Retrofitting our home is our biggest challenge. We need to remove the oil boiler and replace it with something else.

But first we have to reduce heat loss from the house and protect against over-heating in the summer.

So far we have replaced all the orignal windows and doors with double-glazing and invested in heavy-duty, well lined curtains in a couple of rooms. Eventually we will do this in all rooms.

Although there is cavity wall insulation the house cools quickly once the heating is off.

We are currently working on improving roof in insulation.

To further reduce energy consumption we will insulate internal walls using natural producst, like hemp, and external insulation if needed.

Then we need to look at alternative sources of heating - it may weill be be solar on the roof for water and also some energy generation.

After that we can make a decision on which heating system is right for the house.

As for transport, my dream is for us to get access to reliable, comfortable and affordable public transport. And / or to start a village car club, where we all share a few electric cars instead of indiviudal ownership.

Maybe we could invest in local energy generation. A number of villages have so maybe…who knows?