New company to tackle transport, energy and waste

MEDIA RELEASE: 10am, Tuesday 19th September 2006

New company to tackle transport, energy and waste

A new Bay of Plenty company launching on Thursday plans to help businesses become more efficient in the areas of transport, energy and waste.

Envirostate Company Director, Calum Revfem, says businesses have the potential to realise immediate cost savings in the range of 20 – 50% by undertaking a range of low or no cost resource-use initiatives. “With high fuel costs, rising energy prices and the likelihood of waste levies, the time is right for showing businesses how to become more resource efficient.”

Minimising waste, being energy and fuel efficient have at times been seen as green activities restricted to environmental crusading companies. With a long term one-way trend in the rising costs of transport, energy and waste, doing something about it for economic reasons now makes smart business sense says Mr Revfem.

Envirostate transport consultant Hilary Boyes has identified a shift in the attitude of companies. From simply accepting the rising cost of fuel and increased traffic congestion, smart businesses are now assessing their transport systems and putting in place travel plans and fuel reduction targets and reward systems. Companies are now starting to consider the cost of travelling to work for their employees. On average a travel plan will reduce a company’s transport costs by 25%.

Annabelle Ellis, Envirostate’s waste consultant acknowledges that waste disposal charges in New Zealand are still very low, but that is likely to change in the near future. “Smart companies are realising that waste minimisation is as much about the efficient use of resources as it is about protecting the environment. Anything that ends up in the company skip is a wasted resource that the company has paid for.” A typical waste audit will reveal waste reduction opportunities in order of 50 – 75%.

Mr Revfem says an interesting thing happens when companies take a look at their resource use behaviour. There is a realisation that people are the key ingredient and with the right incentives, targets and rewards they can make huge gains - gains that are not only reflected in one-off cost savings, but in shifting attitudes and team-based approaches to continual improvements in the efficient use of resources.

ENDS

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