Each year the United Nations celebrates World Environment Day, in which they aim to educate audiences and inspire environmental action. As we discussed in our 2020 Trend Predictions it has long been acknowledged that the need for sustainability is inescapable in the events industry, and that is why at Tarren Production we have made it our 2020 goal to further reduce our carbon footprint.
We have taken advantage of the recent quieter times to research local initiatives and to implement new schemes that allow our premises, employees and actions to become more environmentally-friendly. Take a look at what we have been up to.
In the past six months we have planted 500 new trees at our Head Office. Trees offer many benefits to our local environment, one of them being that they filter out harmful dust and pollutants, and improve our air quality. Many species of wildlife also depend on trees for their habitat, along with protection and food.
Our offices are based on the serene outskirts of Cheltenham, surrounded by rolling countryside and stunning views of Crickley Hill Country Park and Nature Reserve. Therefore preserving the wildlife around is an issue that is very important to our team. 500 trees is our starting point, and we hope to expand on this in the future.
We installed solar panels on our office buildings in 2018, and have had great results from doing so. 60% of the power we use at Tarren is now generated by solar power. Among all the benefits of solar power, the biggest is that it is a renewable energy source that can be harnessed every day on our doorstep.
This year we have taken the time to investigate where our rubbish goes, and what happens to it when it leaves our premises. In doing this, we have revised our waste solutions, and committed to a new recycling partner, meaning that we will have reduced our waste by 70% by the end of the year.
TerraCycle is an innovative recycling company that offers people the chance to collect hard-to-recycle waste, that wouldn’t ordinarily be collected by the council, and return it to them to be recycled. The waste is then cleaned, melted and used to make new products.
At Tarren we have been collecting crisp packets, beer rings, pet food pouches and cheese wrappers to return to a local drop-off point. For every item received, TerraCycle donate money to Kicks Count – the UK’s leading baby movement resource.
This year, we have joined the Cycle To Work scheme, allowing Tarren employees to save money on a new bike and safety accessories to allow them to cycle to work.
Tarren have committed to reducing our use of plastic and packaging, and in particular, single-use-plastics. This year, we have invested in reusable furniture covers, meaning that we have been able to significantly reduce the amount of plastic wrap we use when storing and delivering our event furniture products.
Most excitingly of all, Tarren will be supporting a new local initiative called ‘Please The Bees’. This means that in the coming weeks we will be rehoming a swarm of bees and two hives at the Tarren farm.
One colony of bees can help to pollinate 300 million flowers each day, as well as fruit, nuts and vegetables. In addition to this, our team will be learning to look after the swarm as well.
