As the WED website itself points out, “we cannot turn back time” (1). Nonetheless, there is an opportunity to “make peace with nature” by reviewing the ways in which we live and work. Issued to coincide with WED 2021, the UN’s own Ecosystem Restoration Playback contains valuable practical information while also acknowledging that ecosystems are “complex and highly varied, and their restoration needs careful planning and patient implementation” (2).
In linking the revival of ecosystems to the Paris Climate Agreement and Sustainable Development Goals, the UN reminds us that sustainability is a universal concern. From the plastics that we consume in our domestic lives to the use of energy at work, it is vital that we pursue a less wasteful existence. And given their capacity for transformational change, it’s only correct that a lot of the burden here should fall on companies and public sector organisations around the world.
This is an area in which Priva has a great deal of experience, having long placed sustainability at the core of its activities – be they in building systems or other areas such as horticulture.
‘A sustainable world’
In fact, the idea of sustainability has been enshrined in our mission statement for many years now. With a combination of hardware, software and services, we seek to provide solutions for the challenges the world faces – particularly in a period when more and more people are living in cities. Collectively, this means we can play our part in shaping a sustainable world that is capable of supporting a growing world population.
It is also clear to us that – whatever the sector – thinking ‘local and efficient’ is invariably the way to go. For example, in horticulture, we enable our customers to reuse water supplies by controlling their water flows and allowing for safe recirculation. After all, water is one of the most important resources we have, and also one facing huge potential scarcity. We can also provide a host of smart technologies that make it easier for growers to generate their energy on-site or nearby – for instance via solar panels, biomass or geothermal energy.
Our approach to building management is similarly extensive. Using smart technologies such as those found in our building management systems, Priva makes it easier for customers to shift towards a more sustainable use of energy – reducing consumption and improving efficiency. We also routinely help steer companies towards more local and renewable energy sources as part of them developing a more sustainable vision.
No matter what your business or your processes, putting sustainability at the core of your agenda means you will be contributing to ecosystem restoration – and helping to prevent further damage to the environment. For those organisations who have yet to begin this critical journey, it is to be hoped that the latest World Environment Day might provide the impetus to take action.
Sources:
(1) World Environment Day website, https://www.worldenvironmentday.global
(2) Ecosystem Restoration Playbook, https://www.worldenvironmentday.global/get-involved/ecosystem-restoration-playbook
