01732 759725 40 VOX POP continued... PrintIT Reseller: Does carbon offsetting do more harm than good? Are carbon reduction strategies a more effective means of achieving targets to reduce GHG emissions and what are you doing in this area? Focusing on cutting back the greenhouse gasses we produce is way more effective than just trying to offset them COP28 has revealed that much more needs to be done if we are to limit global warming to 1.5°C before the end of the decade. Notably, the first ‘global stocktake’ of the world’s efforts to address climate change under the Paris Agreement has shown that progress is too slow across all areas of climate action. Here, some of the sector’s leading vendors discuss strategies and initiatives designed to reduce the environmental impact of printers and MFPs Time to step up climate action: part two Daniel Maddox, Managing Director, Evolve Document Solutions: Buying carbon offsets might sound like a good idea, but I think it can definitely backfire. Some companies use it to look greener than they really are, and it makes people think they can keep on polluting as long as they pay someone else to sort it out. The risk here is that it can stop us from making the big changes we need to reduce emissions at source. Also, some offset projects aren’t as good as they sound. They might not actually make a difference. Take planting trees, for example. Some of the carbon they save might be released into the atmosphere anyway. For Evolve, I believe using as little energy as possible rather than relying on offsets is better. We don’t buy offsets. But if we did, we’d choose carefully to ensure they’re the real deal. Focusing on cutting back the greenhouse gasses we produce is way more effective than just trying to offset them. Carbon reduction strategies force companies and countries to change how they do things – switching to cleaner energy sources and making things more efficient. These changes make a permanent difference. Carbon offsets should be a last resort if there’s absolutely no way to avoid causing those emissions. Carbon reduction is where we need to put our energy and money if we truly want to tackle the climate crisis. Ryan Green, Digital Services Director, Carbon: Both approaches play crucial roles in achieving net-zero emissions. Carbon reduction directly reducing emissions is essential for long-term sustainability. It addresses the root cause and promotes positive change. Carbon offsetting, while valuable, cannot replace direct emissions and energy reductions, it is my opinion that offsetting should complement reduction efforts, not substitute them. At Carbon, our mission is to help businesses cut costs and reduce carbon emissions through sustainable managed print and implementing digital transformation solutions. We advocate for both carbon reduction and offsetting, emphasising an importance to our clients of making informed choices and taking collective action. Michael Bailey, Chairman, EBM Managed Services: Offsetting carbon emissions is an effective strategy for mitigating our environmental impact by either reducing emissions or sequestering CO2, alongside initiatives like tree planting and providing eco-friendly resources to communities, particularly in developing nations. Recently, we’ve opted to endorse Daniel Maddox
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