Background: Masters in Sustainable Development and a long standing interest in green issues.
The Project: Reduce the environmental impact of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Ireland, through Lesley’s own initiative Eco-Biz. Starting with a pilot of 10 companies, Eco-Biz aims to help SMEs cut carbon and save money.
SME’s cause 60% of commercial waste in Ireland. Currently 86% of SME’s are unaware of their damage and only 1 in 10 assess environmental impact.
Campaign Results:
Ecobiz managed to reduce the environmental impact of 20 Irish businesses, focusing on their energy, waste and transport impact.
The top business who won the Ecobiz of the year award won by reducing their environmental impacts by the following:
Avalon House, Dublin Hostel
Energy: 7.5 % decrease through staff awareness, energy saving computers and increased natural lighting.
Waste: 46% reduction. While they already recycled their paper waste they bought a compost bin to recycle the majority of there remaining waste which they usually send to landfill.
Transport: 2% reduction though staff awareness and co-bike financing schemes.
The over all business average:
Energy reduction - 27%
Waste – 12%
Transport – 2%
Gave 35 lectures in Irish colleges, schools and businesses.
30 media appearance from radio, TV interview, magazine interviews and international and national papers.
Lesley has now registered Eco-Biz as a company and will working on expanding her green SME consultancy full time.
Proudest Moment: Where do I start, there are so many. I suppose my favourite memory was completing my trip to the Arctic. It was the most beautiful and harshest conditions I have ever been in. Flying back to Ireland, after surviving 3 nights in a snow cave was a great personal challenge.
Click here to visit Lesley’s Blog
Click here to visit Eco-Biz website
