https://www.engineeringnews.co.za

Toolkit highlights water conservation in businesses

15th March 2013

By: Sashnee Moodley

Senior Deputy Editor Polity and Multimedia

  

Font size: - +

A new workweek-based toolkit for this year’s Green Office Week (GOW), a yearly initiative of publishing house Dictum, should highlight the importance of conserving water among businesses when it is launched in April.

GOW aims to raise awareness of environmental protection and encourage businesses to consider the environment during their daily operations; it will run from April 22 to 26 under the theme ‘Lead the team. Keep it Green’, says Dictum director Ana-Maria Valente, who adds that, in light of National Water Week, from March 18 to 24, GOW will launch a national quiz to sensitise the country to the challenges of waterwaste and the impact that it has on the country.

She explains that every year a GOW task team researches worldwide environmental trends and conversations relating to these trends. This data is then categorised into easy-to-follow toolkits, which present businesses with focus areas and guidelines on how best to participate in environmental conservation through efforts in the office.

The United Nations’ theme for 2013, inter- national water cooperation, which encourages member countries to promote the collaborative water initiatives and programmes they are involved in, is very relevant, Valente says, as water supply is a critical concern for South African businesses and water sustainability is becoming more important to many businesses.

She explains that many businesses depend directly or indirectly on water for their business processes and transportation or delivery and that this is an element of business sustainability that cannot be overlooked.

The toolkit will provide insight into popular understanding of environmental challenges, such as water conservation.

The GOW water action plan for 2013 will assist businesses in creating a campaign to highlight water-saving opportunities, create and meet water-saving targets and create a benchmark to track water savings.

The toolkit also encourages businesses to create and implement a water management plan, which includes identifying the water requirements for each unit of production, tracking water consumption and adopting water-saving systems such as water-efficient taps.

“GOW was designed to empower workers to realise that they, too, can make a positive impact on the environment while at the office. “During GOW, organisations focus on how to improve their water and energy conservation, recycling and waste management, as well how to reduce their carbon footprint and buy green,” Valente explains.

The toolkit suggests focus areas to businesses for each working day of the week and provides tips and ideas for workplaces nationwide.

Some of these tips include washing company vehicles at car washers that recycle water, reducing the amount of water used by air con- ditioners and upgrading toilets or urinals with water efficient models.

GOW was launched in the UK in 2009 as an awareness campaign that encouraged offices to become more environment friendly.

GOW South Africa was launched in 2010 to coincide with global awareness campaign Earth Day, which ran from April 19 to 23.

National bodies such as the Institute of Personnel Management, the South African Chamber of Commerce and Business and the Afrikaanse Handelsinstiuut endorse GOW.

Edited by Tracy Hancock
Creamer Media Contributing Editor

Comments

Showroom

Goodwin Submersible Pumps Africa (Pty) Ltd
Goodwin Submersible Pumps Africa (Pty) Ltd

Goodwin Submersible Pumps Africa is sole distributors for Goodwin electrically driven, submersible, abrasion resistance slurry pumps.

VISIT SHOWROOM 
Weir Minerals Africa and Middle East
Weir Minerals Africa and Middle East

Weir Minerals Europe, Middle East and Africa is a global supplier of excellent minerals solutions, including pumps, valves, hydrocyclones,...

VISIT SHOWROOM 

Latest Multimedia

sponsored by

Option 1 (equivalent of R125 a month):

Receive a weekly copy of Creamer Media's Engineering News & Mining Weekly magazine
(print copy for those in South Africa and e-magazine for those outside of South Africa)
Receive daily email newsletters
Access to full search results
Access archive of magazine back copies
Access to Projects in Progress
Access to ONE Research Report of your choice in PDF format

Option 2 (equivalent of R375 a month):

All benefits from Option 1
PLUS
Access to Creamer Media's Research Channel Africa for ALL Research Reports, in PDF format, on various industrial and mining sectors including Electricity; Water; Energy Transition; Hydrogen; Roads, Rail and Ports; Coal; Gold; Platinum; Battery Metals; etc.

Already a subscriber?

Forgotten your password?

MAGAZINE & ONLINE

SUBSCRIBE

RESEARCH CHANNEL AFRICA

SUBSCRIBE

CORPORATE PACKAGES

CLICK FOR A QUOTATION







sq:0.088 0.139s - 157pq - 2rq
Subscribe Now