London's banking giant, Goldman Sachs, has taken part in environmental responsibility by replacing all of the plastic bottles in the bank's vending machines, cafés, and shops with an alternate product packaging such as cardboard, aluminum, and glass alternatives.
The company explains to its 6,000 London employees that plastic is not as recyclable as many are believing. It is for this reason that the bank has decided to eliminate the use of ubiquitous plastic bottles.
As part of a multi-faceted drive to make their business more environmentally responsible, their move to a new European headquarters in London this summer is ushered in by a promise of an eco-friendly office building that is given a top sustainability rating. All building users will also have access to a roof garden that uses an advanced rainwater harvesting infiltration system to irrigate plants, which will also effectively reduce the water consumption of the company. Goldman Sachs also replaced a large number of parking spaces with extensive provision for cyclists.
The company has an ambitious goal to eliminate 85% of its plastic consumption by the end of 2019. To remove gives a glimpse of how future echo friendly offices might evolve if building users and designers would take The responsibility to preserve the planet, cut plastic usage, and reduce carbon footprint seriously.
Kyung-Ah Park, Head of the environmental markets group of Goldman Sachs, explains that their next natural step is to reduce their reliance on single-use plastics. Park further explains that by 2020, the company would have met their commitment to diverting 100% of its business based waste away from landfills. He further added that the daily habits of each employee in the office make a big difference even if it is as small as reusing a cup or a bottle whenever it is possible.
Currently, there are many business owners who are considering to cut single-use plastics as part of their sustainability programs. An example is the law firm, Allen and Overy, which has eliminated disposable cups, take away boxes, and plastic bottles from their London office. From the law firm's estimate for the year 2018, they have used more than 6.5 million disposable catering items. Their success in eliminating plastic waste will lead to a donation of £100,000 to two conservation charities.
Paul Flanagan, a partner at Allen and Overy, explains that their small changes to their catering Ways could make a big difference to the company's environmental impact. Flanagan added that this is what they could do to help safeguard the planet.
