Help Save The Ocean: What Your Tech Company Can Do
More than 70 percent of the Earth’s surface is made up of the ocean. It’s the foundation of all living creatures, humans included. Aside from being an abundant food source and an excellent heat regulator, it’s also the backbone of several businesses. In fact, it’s a constant provider of economic opportunities, from the food sector and maritime transport to even the tech industry. As such, the ocean must be kept in a healthy, clean condition.
However, that is not the case at all. With all the pollution and abuse it has faced over the years, the ocean is facing severe problems. All is not lost, though, so long as humans walk hand-in-hand to restore it to full health. Here’s how you can contribute to this crucial cause as a tech company:
Create Products or Services that Promote Marine Health
As a tech company, you have the talent and the right resources to create a product that can contribute to the ocean economy to a great extent. If you want to commit to this purpose, try developing a technology that promotes and improves marine conditions. To give you an idea, you can encourage your workforce to craft software giving fuel-efficient routes for ships navigating the sea.
That, or promote services using recyclable energies, including solar-powered charging or hydroelectricity. Aside from being a step closer to sustainability, you’re also making your company available to a different market. You can expand your target base and attract individuals inclined to save the environment.
Incorporate Ocean Cleanup Drives into Your Activities
Planning for your corporate getaway while raising awareness for marine conservation? Well, you may want to look at nearby coastal communities to hit two birds with one stone. Instead of investing in wasteful getaways that would strain your budget and harm the environment, bring your staff to a beach instead.
You could hold meaningful activities, like urging your employees to participate in local ocean cleanup drives. In exchange for getting their hands dirty, you can provide additional incentives, like extra PTOs or useful vouchers. After this recreational deed, your staff can relax and play on the beachside as they like. Not only will this help the ocean, but it will also increase camaraderie by leaps and bounds.
Cut Down on the Usage of Plastics and Toxic Chemicals
Plastics are one of the greatest banes of marine life. In fact, roughly 8 million of these pollutants enter ocean waters every day. It’s a rapidly growing problem that will only get worse as time goes by – unless humans make a conscious effort to use more sustainable materials. If you’re eager to do so, aim to replace single-use plastics with bioplastics instead. You could also provide your staff with reusable water containers and reward them for every bottle they donate to recycling stations.
Your tech company can also help save the ocean by significantly cutting back on other pollutants: oils and toxic chemicals. Of course, you may need these materials to create your products and services, but the issue lies with how you dispose of them. Instead of pouring these substances down the drain, opt to get rid of them through designated drop-off sites. Proper disposal will ensure that not even an ounce of oil and chemicals can poison marine life.
Raise Staff Awareness About the Importance of Marine Life
Yet another important step towards sustainability that you can take is to raise your company’s awareness about the importance of the ocean. Most people know that marine life is vital, but they’re not exactly in tune with how great an impact it has on our daily lives. For instance, some know that it’s a significant food resource but do not know how it regulates carbon production in the atmosphere. In fact, without the ocean, you’d long be breathing toxic, acidic air.
Start by hosting engaging seminars about its significance to increasing your employees’ ocean IQ. You could even hold a few meetings and invite experts for a more informative session. The assembly can also dish out some marine-conscious techniques they can do daily. These include advising your staff to consider their purchases, like avoiding products that exploit marine life.
Partner Up with Sustainable Suppliers
Once you’ve incorporated ocean-friendly strategies in your tech company’s internal affairs, it’s time to reconsider external factors. Evaluate your supply chain’s profiles and filter out the ones that harm the environment. Opt to partner up with sustainable suppliers that provide a positive impact on marine life instead. This is a massive leap in transforming your business into a fully-fledged green organization.
Aside from being sustainable, there’s yet another benefit to signing contracts with nature-conscious suppliers. Ever notice how their products stand out compared to other standard ones? These distributors use unique materials for their merchandise, which would often make the packaging prettier. Imagine how great your patrons will welcome a new tech product with clever outside wrappings – they may just cross the ocean for it.
Minimize Your Carbon and Energy Footprints
There’s no denying that tech businesses, big or small, consume significant amounts of power in their day-to-day activities. Work automation, manufacturing equipment, and Internet usage require ample energy to function. To help save the ocean, as a tech company, you have to invest in effective energy-saving strategies. Rely on solar power as much as possible and expose your staff to energy-efficient work culture.
Remember, energy consumption promotes the production of greenhouse gases, particularly carbon dioxide emissions. Too much CO2 in the air leads to warmer waters and increases pH levels, further promoting ocean acidification. Keeping a close eye on your carbon and energy footprints is crucial to preserve marine health.
The Bottom Line
The ocean is the lifeblood of every living thing and the planet’s life support system. On an economic scale, it’s the primary source of jobs and human advancements. As such, it’s crucial to take the necessary steps to save and revive the ocean – which has long suffered due to pollution and overconsumption.