Mitigate your impacts related to climate change

- Carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases stay in the atmosphere for hundreds or even thousands of years. For most of the Earth's history, these greenhouse gases were produced by the natural systems of the planet, and they'd been in balance. With the advent of the industrial age, higher concentrations of these gases have been produced and created a greenhouse effect leading to higher temperatures, rising sea levels, and shifts in global weather patterns. A study of major US corporations shows that 93% of companies claim to be taking action related to climate change. Many are driven by pressure from the investment community. They seek to set and achieve greenhouse gas reduction goals that will help improve the company's energy production and transportation practices, and better position the company for its strategic growth in an uncertain and uncharted future. As a business, there are a number of steps you can take to reduce your emissions footprint. Reducing your emissions footprint is no different from starting on any other important business initiative. Knowing where and how you generate greenhouse gases is the first step to reducing them. Online calculators, assessments and tools like the World Resource Institute Greenhouse Gas Protocol can help you understand, quantify, manage, and report greenhouse gas emissions. Based on your assessment of climate related risks and opportunities, you can develop a strategy, an action plan. A plan to reduce climate emissions should focus on the type of energy you use for electricity, heating and cooling, as well as the energy you use for transportation. Improving the efficiency of your buildings is one of the most obvious ways to minimize carbon emissions, as buildings can account for almost one third of CO2 emissions in a typical company. High performing, energy efficient, healthy buildings also save money and improve worker productivity and retention. Move toward electricity sources that emit less carbon. In many parts of the USA and Canada, customers can choose to have a percentage of their electricity from a renewable energy source, such as hydro, wind, or solar. These green choice programs are maturing and proving to be a powerful stimulus for growth and renewable energy supply. At the small business or home business level, tax breaks and incentives can make solar systems and other renewable energy technologies like geothermal, more cost effective. Check with the public utility commission in your state or province for more information. Transportation is another major business contributor of carbon emissions. It includes employee travel and commuting, as well as the distribution of goods and services. If you aren't already looking for ways to make your product distribution operations more efficient and reducing employee travel where possible, you're leaving money on the table. For many companies, there's a limit to how much efficiency they can squeeze from business operations or how much renewable energy they can buy to offset their overall emissions. Those who need to compensate for their remaining emissions may choose to fund an activity by another party that reduces emissions. This is commonly called a carbon offset and results In creating carbon credits. You can learn more about carbon offsets and the opportunity they provide by visiting the websites of the Nature Conservancy, American Forests, or another reputable nonprofit. The concept of a changing climate can seem overwhelming. These changes are going to impact your business in one way or another through regulatory changes, impacts in your supply chain, and shifts in consumer behavior. If your organization implements some of the steps we just discussed and keeps building a more efficient and resilient company, you'll better adapt to an uncertain business future and the challenges and opportunities that come with it.