WHO LAUGHED AT STING?

BE HONEST

If you are of any mature age you may recall the singer, popularly known as Sting, banging on about the need to protect the rain forests of the Amazon.

Do you also remember, as I do, Sting being part of the popular humour of comedians. Sadly, we are no longer laughing.

CORAL IS ALSO THREATENED

As well as the rain forests still being under threat, there are many other parts of our environment that are also in danger. This ranges from peat bogs, to marshland, and other bogs, all of which contain around 30% of the carbon in the soil on a global scale. As we destroy these habitats we reduce the carbon absorbing natural resources.

This is also the case for Coral. These ecosystems protect coastlines from storms and erosion as well as providing jobs for local communities. They also bring in tourists for recreation. Although it may be unpalatable to our western diet, they are a source of food and new medicines. More than half a billion people across our globe depend upon reefs for food, income, and protection.

As the sea absorbs carbon (CO2), they become more acidic. This process affects the ability of these reef-building corals to grow their skeletons and form the foundation of coral reefs. The weaker a skeleton then the more vulnerable to disease and destruction by storms they become.

Coral reefs play a vital role as a carbon sink (as CaCO3). These rates are in the order of 70 to 90 million tonnes of carbon per year (Frankignoulle & Gattuso, 1993).

As the coral reefs die (and currently 70% of the the remaining reefs globally are under severe threat), coastlines become more susceptible to extreme erosion, flooding from storms, hurricanes, and cyclones.

As the coral reefs disappear the oceans become far less able to absorb as much carbon dioxide, leaving more CO2?in the atmosphere.

Every important habitat is threatened on our planet.

We need to play our part.

IS IT TOO LATE?

Apart from Sting being correct in his prophecy, sadly, it is not too late for us all to play our part.

We can move towards lower emission lifestyles and transport, but, in our own business life we can also do more.

There are small things that we can do. Attaching images to an email requires more power to serve up those images. Stopping this habit may appear to be insignificant, but, collectively this is a lot of emissions.

One of the main things that we can all do is look to the emissions of our server centres.

Where is your email MX server? Where is your website hosted? Are these companies taking a proactive position on their own carbon footprint?

I have been asked this recently. I started to investigate. I am pleased with my research.

Firstly my website and MX server. I use a company called gandi and the server that I use is based in Luxembourg. This is a leased server from Lux Connect. When investigating the credentials pf this company I discovered that they use low to no footprint green power. Free cooling is deployed when the temperatures outside drop below 10 degrees Celsius.

Gandi also support a variety of other green initiatives through donations along with a series of educational support projects.

I then investigated the server that I use to back up my valuable client data. For this I use a company called White Ready They are planting trees to offset emissions.

This is not a brag that I have got it all pinned down. I arrived upon these options accidentally, but, I am pleased that I did so.

COLLABORATION IS KEY

Many years ago I stopped believing that I am able to provide a service myself for every single client need. I started to collaborate.

I have continued with this collaboration and more recently I formed a group titled Creative Connections.

This is a group of high end technically and creatively gifted people. We are now working together to meet the needs of all of our clients, whether they be large or small.

Collaboration has the effect of lowering carbon footprints. Many affiliates of this group are freelancers, working from home, like myself. There is no requirement for large swanky London-centric offices belching out emissions form heat and light. Travel is curtailed as well, as the commute is not necessary.

The members who do employ a team, are very conscious of the need to be climate changing aware.

Are you collaborating?

ESGs

I have become more aware of the need to be aware of the impact and legacy of what I do, on a daily basis.

With this in mind Creative Connections Worldwide is committed to performing measurements for each project commissioned to us by using the website of ESG Enterprise.

This ensures that we are acting responsibly as we fulfil our client's needs.

Are you taking the whole arena of ESGs seriously?

GIFTS MAKE A DIFFERENCE

As we have become aware of the need to preserve our earth, as a collective we have committed to gifting 5% of the profits earned from the work of Creative Connections Worldwide.

We are taking the need to take care of our planet seriously. What can you do to help improve the world that we live in, our social environment and the governance that is deployed?

TAKING IT FURTHER

If you have a project that requires photography, video (of any kind), direction, coaching, actors, dancers, caricaturists, animators, branding design, or a combination of this, and so much more, then please contact me and ask for a copy of our information leaflet and we can then start a conversation.