From Training to Action: How Environmental Awareness Can Drive Change

Every public sector organisation has an environmental impact and therefore, environmental responsibility.

Whether you want to promote environmental awareness in your organisation or provide the right advice to other organisations, this blog post is for you.

We'll cover what environmental awareness is, why it's important in 2023 and how to approach environmental sustainability and energy efficiency in your organisation.

What is Environmental Awareness?

Environmental awareness is an understanding of the impact people's actions have on the environment and the importance of protecting it.

This can contribute to a more sustainable world by minimising pollution and using alternative renewable resources.

Human activities such as pollution, deforestation and overconsumption can have adverse effects on the environment. One of the first steps to becoming more environmentally conscious is to reduce energy consumption, recycle and use less water.

The public sector is faced with the task of promoting sustainable development - whether at the national, federal or municipal level. The mandate affects public companies, such as transport service operators or utility companies, as well as higher education institutions and non-profit organisations.

A Commitment to Net Zero

"Following COP26, the UK Government’s HM Treasury has confirmed that by 2023, all firms will have to have created and published detailed plans for how they intend to hit climate targets to transition to net zero, in line with the UK’s 2050 target." - Energy Saving Trust

Understanding your organisation's role in becoming more environmentally aware and taking positive steps to move closer to net zero should be a priority. But how did we get here?

Environment Protection Act 1990

The Environmental Protection Act 1990 is an Act of Parliament in England, Wales and Scotland since 2008. The Act provides the basic structure and authority for waste management and control of releases to the environment.

The Environment Bill 2020

The Environment Bill is designed to take urgent and meaningful action to address the environmental and climate crisis we face and serves as a key vehicle for realising the bold vision set out in the 25-Year Environmental Plan.

It will help the country continue to build back after Covid-19 with measures that support both economic growth and deliver an ambitious environmental programme.

It will help all organisations emerge from this crisis and build a more just, greener and more sustainable future.

How to Approach Sustainability for your Organisation

Business sustainability is the practice of managing an organisation without negatively impacting the environment. It's down to your organisation, departments and teams to be more environmentally conscious, responsible and promote environmental awareness.

You can start by understanding how important it is to recognise the issues, build a culture of environmental awareness and begin working out how to solve the problems.

Lighting

A significant portion of energy loss can be attributed to lighting, especially in typical office environments. The easiest way to go green is to invest in light fixtures that turn off manually when inactive. As well as ensuring employees are better educated about turning off lights when they're out of the room.

Learn more about how much energy most common appliances use. Or do your own calculations with the following formulas:

Heating

Heating is probably the second largest energy consumer after lighting. Heating contributes greatly to a comfortable working environment, but over-reliance on heating and cooling can result in large amounts of energy consumption. In winter, it's a good idea to ask your co-workers to bring extra clothing and to use windows in hot weather conditions.

Laptops

Laptops have been proven to have a more positive impact on office productivity and can also drain power. This is especially true for people who leave their laptop plugged in during the day even when fully charged. Simple changing habits can help organisations reduce energy consumption.

Energy monitoring systems

Energy monitoring systems help you track where you are consuming more energy and get accurate records. These smart meters provide real-time information on all energy used in all buildings, allowing you to determine where savings can and should be made.

Three Ways to Encourage Energy Efficiency in Your Organisation

How We Can Help: Environmental Awareness Training for the Public Sector

The government's environmental bill has further pushed environmental issues onto the political agenda and will affect all sectors and organisations. With this legislation looming, and the government's commitment to net-zero emissions by 2050, there has never been a better time to ensure your organisation is more environmentally conscious.

Our Public Sector Environmental Awareness training course is designed to help you comply with upcoming regulations; develop an appreciation of the environment throughout your organisation and gain advice on how to become a net-zero public institution.

Take this informative and highly interactive Environmental Awareness Training to gain the tools and knowledge to prepare your organisation for the next law and ensure full compliance.

Environmental Awareness Training for the Public Sector - Understanding ModernGov

Interested in In-House Training?

Run this training for your teams at a time and date that suits you, available both online and face-to-face. Enquire here: Enquiries - Understanding ModernGov