It’s no longer dark when I go home! Anyone else surprised every single year when winter ends? So, without further ado, let’s spring into some carbon news…
I’ve spent much of the last few frozen months analysing data and tying up projects. We published The Carbon Footprint on our website, and I’m now finalising a report on first steps towards an operational Net Zero strategy.
I’m also back on the conference circuit – started the day attending a Symposium on LCA and Higher Education at Imperial College London. Thank you Marcelle McManus, Harriet Wallace, Richard Murphy and Carly Whittaker for your excellent keynote talks.
I can see so many ways that life cycle assessments could benefit the waste industry. For instance, I could compare and contrast ALL the environmental impacts of different recycling methods; water, carbon, eutrophication, biodiversity loss etc, when choosing between different re-processors – is a small innovative start up in Nottingham better than an established plant in Essex?
With an LCA, I could definitively assess which was more sustainable, including transport methods and different distances, and assess value for money. What a way to eliminate greenwashing!
However, the skills and data to do this are caged behind extortionately priced software, and often kept guarded in academia and specialist consulting. So I’m currently exploring the field to work out how to navigate these problems.
Then this afternoon (26/03/2025) I’ve been at the first day of edie’s conference. Some excellent discussions about reuse and EPR at the Circularity stage, and I’ve learnt much more about solar and battery systems from the trade stalls. Finding a decarbonised solution for our energy supply that goes beyond REGOs is one of my priorities.
I’ll be back at Edie for the last day tomorrow – look out for my update!
