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Someone cynically once said to me that people can only be environmentally conscious when they can afford to be financially. It sounded like a reasonable argument at the time, although these days I\u2019m less sure. That\u2019s because there now appears to be real momentum for environmental change, despite that fact that we are not currently experiencing a boom in the economy.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Britain recently successfully implemented the 5p plastic bag levy<\/a>, which has contributed to a 90% reduction in their use<\/a>. We\u2019ve literally slashed consumption of single use plastic shopping bags by billions and there\u2019s even talk of introducing the levy in retailers with fewer than 250 employees<\/a>.<\/p>\n Single use plastic straws<\/a> are now in the firing line with bars, restaurants and cafe\u2019s around the world no longer offering them as standard in order to discourage unnecessary plastic waste. Single use plastic lined coffee cups may also soon be targeted with a latte levy<\/a>. Waitrose are committed to removing all single use coffee cups<\/a> from stores this year.\u00a0Pret a Manger<\/a> and Starbucks<\/a> already offer discounts to customers using their own cups (more on cups later).<\/p>\n Changing Habits<\/b><\/p>\n What\u2019s significant about these changes is that people are actively engaging with habit change<\/a>. If you can carry reusable shopping bags in your car, rucksack or handbag then why not carry a spare reusable cup? Changing habits aren\u2019t just limited to reducing plastic consumption they\u2019re also affecting what we consume everything from goods to food to power.<\/p>\n This is exciting for the world as we move to embrace environmentally friendly renewable energy sources like wind<\/a> and solar<\/a>. There\u2019s also been a rise in the number of vegans and vegetarians<\/a>. Netflix hits like Cowspiracy<\/a> and What the Health<\/a> have emphasised the importance of eating less meat in order to save the planet\u2019s resources and reduce CO2 emissions. Viral internet hits like the Story of Stuff<\/a> are affecting the way consumers purchase, with a shift from goods to foods and experiences.<\/p>\n The most important thing to be aware of with these changes is that they are increasing as people get more comfortable with making these small adjustments in their lives.<\/p>\n Ideal World<\/b><\/p>\n I guess in an ideal world we\u2019d completely reduce or offset our carbon footprints<\/a>. Perhaps we\u2019d stop consuming altogether and live more simple lives. We might reduce our number of fashion items like those taking part in Project 333<\/a> or we could even move into a tiny house<\/a> or a van conversion<\/a> to minimise our impact on the planet. We may even decide not to have kids (one fewer child per family is said to save 58 tonnes of CO2 equivalent emissions per year<\/a>).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n These extreme alternatives are also growing in popularity, especially amongst millennials. It\u2019s important that we start to become aware of these shifts so that we can accommodate them in our business models and avoid losing valuable customers.<\/p>\n What can we do?<\/b><\/p>\n As someone who loves to buy and send cards, I personally don\u2019t want to throw the baby out with the bath water. I don\u2019t find Facebook messages and SMS\u2019s nearly as intimate as sending a card (besides, even websites contribute to CO2 consumption<\/a>). I find writing cards with my fountain pen a soulful and profound way of connecting with my fiends and loved ones.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n I\u2019m not just saying that because I publish cards. I genuinely love them and always have done. If you watch The Greeting Card Project<\/a> videos I made on YouTube last year you can see the effect sending more cards has on us. For those that love to send and receive cards they have real meaning and importance.<\/p>\n Having said all of that, the environment is important to us too. How can we reconcile these two seemingly polarised values? How can we reduce the impact we have on the environment and still enjoy doing something we love?<\/p>\n Sources<\/b><\/p>\n The first thing to figure out is what we are buying and where does it come from? For example, are the boards and papers ethically sourced from responsibly managed sources? At Blue Eyed Sun we have been using FSC boards since we first started although we don\u2019t actively promote this on the backs of our cards (partly because we are design snobs and find the logo unsightly on the card backs and partly because administratively burdensome chain of custody requirements). FSC stands for the Forest Stewardship Council<\/a> and is one of several organisations that promote responsible management of the world\u2019s forests. It verifies that cetified cards are not made from rainforests.<\/p>\n We are currently carrying out a company wide audit of all of our material components. Once this is completed we will be able to pinpoint areas for improvement. We\u2019ll also be in a better position to communicate the environmental provenance of our cards to our fans and advise them on how best to recycle them when ready.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Communicating<\/b><\/p>\n It\u2019s all very well doing the right thing, it\u2019s also important to spread the word and let your customers know the facts about your products so that they can make informed decisions. This includes being transparent on your website about where your products are sourced and how best to recycle them.<\/p>\n Having environmental and social responsibility policies that you can share on your website helps with this sort of thing. Once we have all the facts about our sources this will be easier to communicate.<\/p>\n Integrity<\/b><\/p>\n Of course, being environmentally friendly doesn\u2019t just stop with our products. How we run our businesses on a daily basis also affects our environmental impact on the world. Are your lightbulbs still tungsten based for example or have you switched to lower wattage alternatives? Our new production and distribution facility is fully equipped with LED lighting, which saves on electricity consumption.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n We also recycle the majority of our waste at Blue Eyed Sun, which I thought was pretty good until I met Bruce Podmore from Windles<\/a> at a recent GCA National Council<\/a> meeting. His factory recycles over three tonnes of nails from his pallets each year and uses the wood from them to fuel his heating (reducing their bill by a phenomenal 85%).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Not only is Windles actively working to minimise their environmental footprint for the good of the planet, these actions are making good financial sense too. Their frequency controlled fluorescent lighting has reduced power consumption by 85% and saving money in the process. Their staff are more engaged with solutions and improvements. They\u2019ve even won awards for their hard work in this area.<\/p>\n What inspired me most about Windles is how they\u2019ve\u00a0 <\/span>systematically identified areas for improvement throughout their business and are continually working towards reducing their environmental impact. This is the key I think. To start taking some steps. One at a time. Lots of small ones as many big ones as you can manage.<\/p>\n For us, solar panels is the next big investment goal we are working towards to reduce our consumption from the grid. It\u2019ll take time, but long term we will feel proud of making a difference using it.<\/p>\n Working Together<\/b><\/p>\n At the GCA<\/a> we are working hard to try and improve communication of factual information surrounding the use of foils, glitter, recycling and so forth. There\u2019s still so much to be understood and it\u2019s important to share resources, learning and best practice.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n It\u2019s tempting for any business in the industry to use such knowledge to gain competitive advantage over others. To do this is to miss the bigger picture. We all need to work and act together to show how we can minimise our environmental impact on the world. We only have one planet after all.<\/p>\n New Products<\/b><\/p>\n As we continue to work hard to improve the environmental credentials of our greeting cards and the way we work as a business at Blue Eyed Sun, I\u2019m also very excited about a recent exclusive distribution deal we\u2019ve signed for a range of Bamboo Products<\/a>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n BambooCup<\/a> is an environmentally friendly alternative to single use plastic lined coffee cups, 2.5 billion of which go into landfill in the UK each year. Reusable cups are a booming category in retail and we are thrilled to be involved in a fast growing niche that\u2019s making a difference to our planet.<\/p>\n We still love publishing cards. Now we want to offer our customers even more.<\/p>\n Find out more about BambooCup<\/a><\/p>\n