Every year, we celebrate World Environment Day on June 5th. World Environment Day raises awareness and encourages action to protect our environment. It's the "people's day" to do something to take care of the earth and make some changes for the better. To do our part, this week we're telling you a little more about what we're doing to look after the environment at HiSmile HQ.
Over the last 12 months, we've received a lot of feedback from our community about our packaging and postage materials. Recently we made the switch to recyclable cardboard boxes, to replace plastic mailers for about 70% of our orders. In the next 12 months, we're hoping to phase out plastic mailers entirely, and use recyclable materials for every single order we send, all over the globe.
At the forefront of our product design process is an environmental consideration. We're investigating reusable components and biodegradable materials for all new products, and looking to improve on our currently existing range. Rest assured, the team has heard your feedback and is putting the best foot forward to ensure that all of our products are as ethical, and environmentally friendly as possible.
These projects are all currently underway, but to help kick start the World Environment Day celebrations we've put together a list of things you can do to get involved. Here's some tips that we've already put into action at HiSmile HQ:
Switch off
A great place to start is by turning off lights and appliances when they're not in use. Every night before going home we switch off all our computers and monitors, to reduce our energy use. If you're stepping away from your desk for a while or headed out of the house, remember to hit the switch.
Use refillables
We've implemented a reusable container rule for the office, meaning that all paper cups, plastic wraps, and aluminium foils are off limits. Try bringing a keep cup to the coffee shop, packing your lunch in a container, or purchasing a reusable water bottle. When you use a refillable water bottle instead of plastic, you save about 3 litres of water for every litre you drink.
Travel cleaner
In summer, the team tries to use cleaner forms of transport to get to work. Walking, or riding a bike instead of driving can spare 250 grams of carbon emissions for every kilometre you travel. When the weather cools down, consider car-pooling to work, or public transportation to reduce your impact.
Go vegetarian once a week
When you go without meat for just one day a week, you have the same effect on carbon emissions as not driving your car for a full month. Fruit and vegetable farming uses eight times less fuel energy as meat production, with a lot less environment pollution. A few members of the team have already pledged to go vegetarian, and cut methane emissions.
Turn off the tap
We're in the business of oral health, so it's safe to say we know a thing or two about brushing. By turning off the tap when brushing your teeth, you can save as much as 11 litres in just two minutes. Even something as small as a leaky pipe can use about 35,000 litres of water per year.
Change your space
Switching from incandescent bulbs to compact fluorescent lights not only means that they will last longer, but it also reduces electricity usage by about 75%. If you want to go the extra mile, try to cut usage entirely, and go for natural lighting wherever possible. We've changed our lighting, and placed plants around the office to make HiSmile HQ greener and cleaner.
These are just a few of the ways that you can take action on World Environment Day and make a difference. We're proud to say that we're getting our hands dirty and doing our bit for the environment, now more than ever before. If you're still stuck for ideas on what to do, start by learning how you can reuse The HiSmile Toothpaste as a handy storage container.