Laying our roots in a better future
30th August 2016

Laying our roots in a better future

On 10th August we decided to take the future of our planet into our own hands by planting trees!

A team from Clyde, complete with wellington boots and spades, headed off to Topps Wood in the Carron Valley, Stirlingshire. Surrounded by stunning views we proceeded to plant 203 Common Alder tree saplings, a truly rewarding experience and a great afternoon (head to our Facebook page for all the best photos!).

This tree-planting expedition was in fact part of an ongoing Carbon Offset Scheme which Clyde have contributed to. Carbon Offset Schemes are run by organisations like Forest Carbon, who are dedicated to creating and maintaining new native woodland in the UK for companies who want to mitigate the impact of their greenhouse gas emissions – in other words ‘offset’ their carbon footprint.

In today’s ‘environment aware’ society we’ve all become more educated about the carbon footprint we produce. This refers to the carbon dioxide emissions produced directly or indirectly by everyone of us. In industry, every company has its own footprint even if it’s the emissions produced in the manufacturing of the computer you’re on right now.

Literally everything we produce has a carbon footprint, consider for a moment the energy involved in producing something as unassuming as a plastic bottle of water…

  • First there is the plastic bottle itself, which is typically made of PET (polyethylene terephthalate) – the manufacture of 1 tonne of PET produces around 3 tonnes of CO2!
  • then there’s the power used to pump and filter the water;
  • and subsequently the power used in the factory to fill the bottle with water; 
  • not to mention the fuel combusted in transporting all the materials to the factory, and the finished product from the factory to the retailer.

It’s difficult to avoid creating some form of carbon footprint, and Carbon Offset Schemes are a great example of how companies can take steps to reduce it.

Trees absorb CO2 from the air, so planting new trees is a great way to capture carbon from the atmosphere and benefit society as whole. The 203 trees Clyde planted will not only enable the capture of 58 tonnes of CO2 over the next 100 years, but will also have wider benefits such as boosting biodiversity, improve air quality and mitigate flooding. Such a simple act can have a hugely beneficial effect to our environment and planet.

At Clyde we take our environmental responsibility seriously, which is why we’re FSC, PEFC and ISO 14001 certified as a company. All our papers are sourced from the world’s most environmentally-advanced paper mills where 3-4 trees are planted for every tree cut down in the paper-making process.

It is possible for all of us to make a difference by taking small steps towards reducing our impact on the planet. Contact us to find out how you can get involved in, and benefit from, a Carbon Offset Scheme.