Thursday 8th June 2017
Throughout history we see the continued battle between development and protecting our environment. To thrive and progress as a species we endeavour to be technologically and economically advanced. However, to what extend is this at the detriment of our planet and our physical health? Archaeological findings have highlighted the fact that ancient mummies had emphysema in their lungs. This was due to their cooking methods which exposed them to toxic fumes (Physiologic Basis of Respiratory Disease). While the ancient civilisations were progressing using stoves to facilitate their everyday lives, they were also causing problems to the environment and their health. Similarly, in the 20th century, during industrialisation, society saw the rise in economic growth alongside the production of dirty pollution through the use of coal and oil for electricity. In 1873 Monet depicted London’s smog in one of his water colour masterpieces.
Monet’s 1873 Painting
Consequently, the current 21st century pollution problem is no new feat. This year has seen an exponential rise in nitrogen dioxide in the atmosphere. One major contributing factor to the increase in pollution is from diesel engines. In London there are 23,000 black taxis which all run on diesel fuel. What’s more nearly all of London buses are fuelled by diesel. Toxic fumes created by our surface transport is causing an increase in health conditions as well as issues for our global climate. However, if we were to stop all vehicles in London, society would come to a halt – our GDP would plummet overnight. This is clearly not the answer.
So what can be done to help?
Previously, legislation and policy has saved the day. In 1956 The Clean Air Act caused the reduction of pollution almost instantaneously. The Act banned burning coal in homes and relocated all power stations from London to areas where less people lived. This caused the black smoke concentration to decline until 1980. Policy evidently has the potential to reduce pollution in London. The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, plans to implement new Ultra Low emission zones in 2020 to help reduce the high pollution levels in central London.
Paper Round’s carbon footprint:
Here at Recorra we rely on our vehicles to collect waste and recycling from our clients. Without our trucks, we would not be able to dispose of waste in an environmentally appropriate manner. We have a zero the landfill policy whereby no waste is put into the ground – all waste is disposed of in an environmentally sound manner. For example, all food waste we collect is sent to Biogen where it is converted into energy for the national grid. We need our vehicles met these environmental targets.
What we are doing to limit the amount of pollution we produce:
- Our drivers go through eco-training, whereby they are taught how to drive in a manner reducing emissions.
- We ensure minim visits are made to our sites. We have a fantastic transport planning department who ensure that our vehicle route’s limit the amount of time our vehicles spend on the roads.
- We will introduce electric vehicles.
In this way, we can be environmentally friendly while still aiding our clients with their economic development needs. Pollution is a historic problem – that has fluctuated in terms of its severity. With our environment standards, Sadiq Khan’s plans and scientific research I believe the problem will be alleviated in the near future.
Our Carbon Footprint data can be viewed on the our parent company website here.
