I mostly talk about the big stuff of sustainability, like the changes in economics, that will help most people to bring in the necessary changes in their lives automatically. That’s a slow and boring process but fortunately there are loads of personal voluntary action initiatives out there too and I’ll occasionally give them a mention. A lot of people like to get involved personally.
Here is one such a campaign - 'I do 30' - which encourages those who can to commit to switching from washing laundry at high temperatures to wash at 30 degrees C. Of course, there are washing jobs that occasionally need a higher temperature – for example killing dust mites - but everyday laundry can get by just fine on a lower setting.
The 'I do 30' campaign encourages people across the world to turn down the temperature on their laundry to save CO2.
I think that the chief benefit of ideas like this is not in the ultimate energy savings (also equals money savings…), although every little can help, but in the psychological impact on everything else that one does. If one is making an effort to do things like “I do 30” then other similar actions become that bit easier to attempt (and succeed at!). The snow ball grows! One drop in the ocean doesn’t amount to much but millions of drops moving the same way can form a tsunami of effect.
The ‘I do 30’ campaign was started in Denmark by the bio-innovation company Novozymes, who created enzymes that makes it possible to wash your clothes at lower temperatures.
Obviously it’s in their commercial interests but that doesn’t mean that they are just doing it for cash. Doing well by doing good could be the mantra for sustainable businesses.
1 comment:
Hi Nick, it is so great to read your thoughts about the I do 30 initiative. I've helped Novozymes in creating the initiative and the social media campaign, and I totally agree with you that every small initiative can change our mindsets in other areas.
I'm glad you write this about the "I do 30" campaign, because the initiative at first sight can seem very focused on the actual act of washing clothes. We hoped from the beginning that the campagn could also inspire to chosing "climate friendly solutions" in general. (When I now google "I do 30" I've actually seen people use it as a symbol for sustainable thinking in general:)
I also like what you're writing about the companies role in taking steps in the right direction. I really believe that more companies can and will do something good from a social responsable perspective. Of course there will always be a commercial interest, but companies are run by real people. Employees and executives also go home from work to families who want a better world. In the future, because of our new connected world, I think consumers and companies will work more and more together and take a mutual responsibility for the state of our planet.
Again, thanks for the "cool" post:)
Sebastian
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