Earth science consultancy goes green

Consultancies in the environmental or earth science fields provide services that are often used to minimise the impact on the environment for new developments. But how much consideration is given to the fact that these companies activities have an ecological footprint themselves?

Umvoto, a Cape Town-based groundwater and earth science consultancy, has looked at the environmental impact of it's own activities by introducing a full Environmental Management System at its Muizenberg head office. It is also saving resources at clients' sites by writing environmental clauses into contracts with its sub-contractors and field workers.

“To stay in business we create carbon, but we are doing something to mop it up,” says Umvoto EMS manager Peter Rogers.

As an earth science company, Rogers says, they have an implicit obligation to adopt environmentally-friendly work practices and procedures.

Umvoto has always been environmentally conscious but decided last year to formally explore policies and procedures. The company boasts clients such as the Department of  Water and Environmental Affairs, numerous South African municipalities, the United Nations, the World Bank and the Commonwealth Secretariat, and it is important to have the correct environmental policies and procedures properly in place.

The company appointed Katinka Lund Wågsæther, a Norwegian-born University of Cape Town student with a B.Sc in Environmental and Geographical Science, to research ISO 14000 certification, interview Umvoto staff and investigate company procedures and environmental best practice.

“There was information on how to structure and manage a system, but no detailed practicalities or step by step guidelines. I needed to follow up on information and adapt it to the company. It was great experience exploring the dynamics of the workplace and finding out how to influence people and change routines", Wågsæther says.

While the company has decided not to seek formal ISO 14000 certification at present because of the high cost, it has produced an EMS manual with clear guidelines for office and site workers. They also maintains monthly EMS track records, internal and external audit reports, management review reports and corrective and preventative action reports.

Umvoto’s eco-initiatives range from limiting air travel, to installing a kitchen waste composter. Empty printer cartridges and batteries are returned to suppliers for recycling and workstation computers are set to revert to standby mode if idle for more than 15 minutes.                             

The automated garden irrigation system is reset at the beginning of each month to match seasonal needs. Initial report drafting, editing and corrections are done electronically, with the final version only printed on both sides of recycled paper for proofreading and a format check. Each workstation has a blue recycle bin for collecting clean, recyclable waste paper that is taken to a local recycling depot.

Every month the company calculates the carbon emissions resulting from its electricity usage, vehicles and flights. This is clearly conveyed to staff with a simple diagram that shows the number of trees needed to offset the CO2 emitted that month.

Umvoto has finalised an agreement to make regular donations to Abalimi Bezekhaya, which will cover the cost of planting enough trees to offset its monthly carbon footprint, and to contribute to the establishment of 5 food gardens a year. Abalimi combats poverty in the Cape Flats by growing food sustainably, using organic methods, at home and in community gardens. Farmers distribute their produce to customers using schools as distribution points. Abalimi also plants water-wise indigenous trees and flora in schools and streets.

“We have adopted this approach because it is simpler for us to administer, carbon is mopped up, and employment is created,” says Rogers. “Umvoto, which is already ISO9001-compliant, will receive bonus points under BBBEE legislation for supporting emerging farmers.”

To further foster environmental awareness, all staff are encouraged to attend lectures given by invited experts on the role of science in society and  environmental subjects which expand on the core services offered by the company in climate change and its much needed social adaptation, geo-risk reduction and water resource development and management.

“Time and effort spent in educating people in sound environmental behaviour enables them to take their knowledge home and to adopt a more holistic, community-wide application,” says Rogers.