Tag: copywriting

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Sustainability

Dragging my climate shadow into the light

Feet casting shadow across a beach

The idea of a climate shadow has only recently come onto my radar (again, thank you carbon literacy training).

And it’s one that I found instantly compelling. It recognises that the climate impact of a person is bigger than a measurable footprint. Choices all through our lives might not be directly carbon accountable, but they no doubt contribute to our overall impact. These things include: how many kids we have, where we work, where we invest our money, and how much time we take to advocate for climate action and educate ourselves and others about climate change.  

The carbon shadow is beautifully illustrated by the following example, in which Emma Pattee asks us to think about the impact of two people. One flies around the globe weekly, whilst the other walks to work from his modest apartment. On the surface, it seems clear that the former’s flying habit has much more climate-wrecking potential. But then she throws in an almighty curveball. Our frequent flyer is a climate scientist, who is educating people around the world about the dangers of climate change. The flat-dwelling walker is a marketeer whose day-to-day working life serves to promote the interests of an oil company.

We can’t always measure that which is important. And, there’s a danger that, when we focus exclusively on driving down our carbon footprints, we distract ourselves from less tangible, but equally important, actions. Campaigning, education and advocacy help to ensure that climate action is discussed and kept front of mind. We can also leverage the stakeholder roles we play as employees and investors to exert influence. But it’s not easy to measure any of this. 

Coming out from the (climate) shadows

I took two actions away from carbon literacy training. First, to do what I can to reduce the (pretty teeny) carbon footprint of halo copy. And second, to become a more powerful advocate for climate action in the spaces I share with others, which, these days, are mostly online. 

I’m not an expert on climate change. And I’m not always the best at sharing content – especially when I’m not confident that I’ve earned the right to talk on a particular subject. But waiting for perfect knowledge is not the answer. So, I will be learning more and sharing more as I attempt to drag my climate shadow into the light.

Categories
copywriting sustainability

Decarbonist Manifesto of a homeworking copywriter

Image of desk with computer

I work mostly on my own. I work from home. I travel very little. My raw materials are words (and occasionally numbers). So what does carbon reduction look like for me?

Prior to recent Carbon Literacy Training, I wasn’t entirely sure what more I could do to drive down the emissions of my business. 

My place of work (aka my house) has been signed up to a green energy tariff for years. The thermostat is at a level just above tolerable. I’ve chosen a green web host, a 1% For The Planet accountant and a niche in supporting purpose-led organisations, that hopefully makes my climate shadow a more positive one. 

But what I learned through my training is that I could be making some small, simple changes that will help drive down the carbon footprint of my business. I’m bundling these all up, along with some rather more obvious commitments, into what I’m tongue-in-cheekily calling my ‘Decarbonist Manifesto‘ (still a political theorist at heart). 

Desk-based carbon reduction

For me, it’s the smaller stuff that’s perhaps the most interesting. That’s probably because I’d not previously been thinking about it. I’m talking about little changes that can broadly be captured by the commitment to ‘adopting more carbon-conscious desk habits’. Most of these centre around better email practices to reduce my demands on energy-using networks and data centres – things like:

  • regularly clearing down inboxes (there is a cost to poor housekeeping)
  • sending fewer unnecessary ‘thank you’ emails
  • reducing the size of emails by being succinct and removing logos and other images (estimates for the carbon footprint of emails– range from around 0.3g for the smallest for instance to 17g for the kind of laptop-generated email that I might typically send).
  • not replying to long email chains without first cutting out the unnecessary bits
  • not ‘replying to all’ before considering whether ‘all’ actually need a reply
  • unsubscribing from mailings I no longer read

but they also touch on finding lower carbon ways of working with clients:

  • texting rather than emailing, if appropriate
  • using the phone rather than video calls, if that works for everyone. And, if it has to be a video call, discussing turning off cameras (since that apparently reduces the call’s energy use by over 90%!).

In the game of carbon reduction, these things are small fry, admittedly, but they’re so easily doable, so why wouldn’t you? 

In the slightly bigger picture, I’ve signed up to ecologi to offset the carbon emissions of my business. I’m also trying to talk more about climate change and carbon reduction – and this post is part of that commitment. And I’m trying not to agonise too much over the carbon impact of more posts and socials – but will use them sparingly – (whilst fighting the urge to use my agony to justify silence!).

Categories
copywriting

Well halo!

Halo copy has landed, to bring top-notch sustainability copywriting to those that are doing right by people and planet.

Following many fantastic in-house years at the Co-op, I’m delighted to be putting my words, thinking and creativity to new and, what I hope will be, truly good use. 

So, I’m on a mission to support businesses, charities and organisations with the words they need to help them achieve the things that matter. I’m talking about sustainability, climate action and ethics; human rights, education and equality.

Sustainability copywriting and me

Sustainability has been at the heart of so much of my communications work over the last 25 years. From championing public transport and active travel to managing world-leading sustainability reporting at the Co-op, I have always sought to work with organisations that sit well with my values.

Why halo?

Halos are the preserve of the good folks. I like the good folks – the changemakers, activists, champions and all-round good eggs. And it’s the good folks that I’m here to help.

So to all you beautiful B Corps, conscious campaigners, cracking charities and purposeful players – get in touch and let’s see how halo copy can help give voice to your amazing work.