All bases covered–
for convenience’s sake
So, streaming videos fromNetflix is greener thanwatching a
DVD, especially if that DVD is collected from a store rather than
delivered to your house.This seems highly likely; just as plausible
in fact as studies that argue the opposite. I love investigations
like the Lawrence BerkeleyNational Laboratory analysis of DVD
streaming,while accepting that they have very little value except
as academic exercises. Perhaps as a fanof vinyl – arguably the
least greenway of consumingmusic – I am prejudiced, but surely
noone chooses to be aNetflix customer for environmental
considerations.The real reason is convenience.That’s alsowhy
people listen to digitalmusic and get their news online and via
socialmedia.Here, at
SustainableTimes
,we have started to
expandour digital coverage so that you can access content in
whatever format youfindmost convenient,whether that is the
web
), socialmedia
.
com/sustainabletimes), twitter (@SustainTimesMag) or a printed
magazine.Whenwe’ve gotmore time,we’ll let you knowwhich
optionhas the smallest footprint.
JamesGoulding
, Editor
03 GreenAgenda
10 Printers
Oki explainswhy
businesses should
gain control of
print costs
13 Computing
How People
for Homes
has slashed its
carbon footprint and
savedhundreds of
thousands of pounds
Editor:
JamesGoulding
07803087228
AdvertisingDirector:
EthanWhite
01732759725
PublishingDirector:
NeilTrim
01732759725
GroupSalesManager:
Martin Jenner-Hall
07824552116
SocialMediaManager:
John Peters
07711204011
SustainableTimes is, publishedbyKingswoodMedia Ltd.,
AmherstHouse,22 LondonRoad, SevenoaksTN132BT
Tel:01732759725. Email:
No part of SustainableTimes can be reproducedwithout priorwritten permission
of the publisher. ©2014KingswoodMedia Ltd.
Design: SandtigerMedia
The paper used in thismagazine is obtained frommanufacturerswhooperatewithin
internationally recognized standards.The paper ismade from ElementaryChlorine Free (ECF)
pulp,which is sourced from sustainable, properlymanaged forestation.
SUMMER2014
16 Cover Story
Sharp’s new range ofA3
monoMFPs is itsmost
energy-efficient to date
19 Motoring
The returnof the
company car?
21 What’s
New
Our round-upof
the latest green
products and
services
CONTENTS
greenAgenda
sustainabletimes
03
Bird’s-eyeview couldhelp saveenergy
Aerial survey specialist Bluesky is
conducting trialsof theworld’sfirst
integratednightmapping system,
which couldbeused tomanage street
lightingoperations andhelp combat
light pollutionandenergywastage.
TheNightMapper developed in
partnershipwith theUniversity of
Leicester comprises a camera adapted
to copewith low light levels and
temperatures; Bluesky’s LiDAR (Light
ImagingDetection andRanging) system,
whichuses aircraft-mounted lasers to
determine the distance between the
sensor and the ground; and a thermal
infra-red imaging system.
Bluesky says the images could
help in the creationof street lighting
inventories and condition assessments
and in themeasurement of illumination
for energy consumption evaluations or
to support innovative projects to dim
or switchoff street lights in an effort to
savemoney.
They could also be used by Local
Authorities in planning environmental
zones for exterior lighting control and by
conservation bodies to validatewhether
species protectedunder theWildlife and
CountrysideAct are being impacted by
light pollution.
Less thanaquarter ofUKemployees
havebeenasked to saveenergy
atwork, and fewer thanhalf are
concernedabout energy costs for
their employer, according tonew
researchby theCarbonTrust.
The researchhighlights howUK
businesses aremissing out onmore
than£300million a year in savings
that could be achieved by encouraging
employees to change their habits in the
workplace.
More thannine out of 10 (92%)
respondents say they are concerned
about the cost of energy at home, but
only 47% are concerned about its cost
for their employer.
It appears that bosses are doing
little to improve the situation: only
23%of employees have been asked
tohelp save energy atwork by their
manager, and just 13% claim that they
are rewarded by their employers for
saving energy.
The research is included in aCarbon
Trust report that provides guidance
onhoworganisations can develop
programmes to encourage employees
tomake green choices
.
Energyefficiencyof little concern to
UKworkers –until theyget home
Private hire chauffeur operatorThriev has
launched a fleet of 20 zero-emission, fully-
electric vehicles in London, giving corporate
and private users of its chauffered service
a greener alternative to petrol cars.The e6
vehicles supplied byChinese car company
BYDhave a range of up to186miles
and can be recharged via a London-wide
charging network rolledout byBritishGas.
BYD rapid chargers can charge a car to80%
capacity in30minutes.
n
TheCarbonTrust’s findings are supported by a recent Rexel survey, inwhich
48%of respondents said theywere energy-conscious at home, compared to
only 20%who said the same about their habits in theworkplace.
This ‘split personality’ is also evident in the level of concern felt about
energywastage,with70% claiming they are concerned aboutwasting energy
at home,whilst only 43%worry aboutwasting it atwork.
As a result, 60%of employeesmake a conscious decision to charge personal
devices atwork, insteadof using energy at home,with36% admitting to the
charging ofmultiple devices.
Similarly,while almost all Brits (93%) claim they turnoff the lightswhen
leaving an empty room at home, only 60%flick the switch atwork.
ReadSustainableTimesonlineat: sustainabletimes.co.uk
ISSN2055-5121 (Print) ISSN2055-513X (Online)
