Green IWOOT
At IWOOT we are well aware that, like most companies, we're bound not to be that green - simply heating our offices is not wildly planet friendly, but the IWOOT Crew would revolt if we kept them freezing in winter and frying (some chance) in summer. Nevertheless, there are plenty of ways in which we can minimise our impact on the planet, and here are some of things we're doing to render us, if not carbon neutral, then at least put us in a low gear.
Electricity
How we went green, and how you can get a £30 voucher from IWOOT for going green too.
We have now switched electricity supply from carbon fuel power plants, to being completely powered by wind (though some may say that comes as no surprise).
Thanks to the worlds first green electricity supplier Ecotricity (go check them out, they do our houses too ) we've switched to 100% wind power.
Ecotricity invest more per customer in new renewable generation than all the other suppliers put together, they invest £1 for every £1 you spend on your electricity. Iwoot's chosen tariff means that we are carbon neutral on our power usage and is called New Energy Plus, which means that 30% (and rising fast) is from their wind turbines, topped up with green electricity from existing renewable sources - making it a 100% Green tariff.
We've teamed up with Ecotricity to offer you £30 voucher to use with us on your next shop if you sign up with our green energy supplier, Ecotricity. Simply click here and enter this code KHFU&YFJ on the Ecotricity website. When you've signed up they'll let us know how green you've become, and we'll then whisk your £30 Iwoot voucher off to you.
Packaging
Using recycling and oxobiodegradation to 'green-up' our packaging.
One of the disadvantages of being an on-line retailer is that we have to pack boxes up and send them. This means using a lot of packing materials. In order to minimise the impact of tons of cardboard littering our green and pleasant land, we have done the following.
All the boxes we use to pack your stuff in are made of recycled cardboard, and they are all recyclable again (so do put them in the recycling and not the bin).
We have experimented over the years with different types of infill to protect your items. There's a vast array of options out there from scrunched up cardboard to biodegradable chips, we've tried them all over the years and our customers seem to prefer (by a long shot) the inflatable plastic aircushions.
Fortunately we have sourced a brilliant fully bio-degradable version of these. Made from Opus Bio Film which is an ethylene based material, they contain an active additive that enables the film to break down via oxobiodegradation (a long but I think you'll admit quite sexy word).
Recycling
As well as ensuring all the stuff we send out of the building is as green as possible, we also have to deal with a lot of incoming stuff. In our offices we recycle all paper, card board and toner cartridges using a waste management company that collects these from our head office weekly. Our Manchester based warehouse uses a cardboard bailer that produces approximately 40 tonnes of card board per year - all of which gets recycled. IWOOT conform to the packaging Waste Regulations, and are members of a leading scheme for recovery and recycling of packaging waste, ensuring that we meet our obligated tonnage for recovery and recycling.
Couriers
Royal Mail and DPD (used to be called Parceline) are our two main couriers.
Please see DPDs environmental policy here: http://www.dpd.co.uk/about-dpd/press_centre/environment.htm
Please see Royal Mails environmental policy here:
http://www.uk-po.co.uk/environment/environment1.asp
WEEE (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment)
WEEE Regulations:
The Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (or WEEE) Regulations are now U.K. law. All European member States including the U.K. have agreed to reduce the amount of WEEE that is being disposed of in landfill sites.
It is important that the amount of WEEE going into landfill is reduced because:
- Some WEEE can be re-used or recycled. The amount of landfill space available in the UK is decreasing. If we can keep WEEE out of landfill sites it means there is more landfill space available for non-recyclable waste.
- WEEE can contain hazardous substances. When left in landfill sites the hazardous substances in WEEE can pollute soil and contaminate water supplies. This contamination can damage human health and the environment.
Distributors of new Electric and Electronic Equipment (or EEE) have a part to play in reducing the amount of WEEE going into landfill sites.
I Want One Of Those Ltd have "done our bit" by helping to fund the improvement of the UK's recycling network. This means that you can not return your WEEE to us for disposal. You can however return your WEEE to a local Civic Amenity site for free. To find your nearest site use the link below:
http://www.recycle-more.co.uk/banklocator/banklocator.aspx
Under the WEEE Regulations, all new electrical goods should now be marked with the crossed-out wheeled bin symbol shown below:
Goods are marked with this symbol to show that they were produced after 13th August 2005, and should be disposed of separately from normal household waste.
We're constantly looking for practical ways to 'go greener' - as well as having a £100 a month prize for any member of staff who comes up with an idea we can implement and that makes a difference, we also have a staff incentive for them to sign up with Ecotricity. Going Green is not just about trying to do the right thing where possible, it's also about trying to change your thinking. This is not an easy process (people are naturally stubborn :-) ), but it's an essential one, and many cases can be a fun one.
