Climate Change: Get in the fight

A UN climate report released this month has been described as a “wake up call” and a “code red” for humanity but are businesses really that concerned?

It would be fair to say that most people these days understand that Co2 is a major contributor to climate change and it’s not news to most that 60% of Co2 is produced by only 4 countries: China, US, Russia and India. But what is less clear is whether these huge ships can be motivated in time to turn around before they hit the rocks. One problem seems to be there is still a lot of argument over how far the rocks are away, how big they are and how much damage they are likely to cause.

To be honest it can be sometimes hard to understand what a climate change catastrophe might look like. There is clear evidence that damaging wildfire and flooding events are more common and that other extreme weather events will likely occur more often. But unless you are certain to be directly impacted by a flood or fire you may not be overly concerned about the consequences of the Earth warming up too much. You might feel that should water levels rise you will have enough time to move elsewhere. If one type of crop fails forever, we will adapt to something else. If our cities get overcrowded, we will simply build more.

It’s this false sense of security that has most scientist worried, yet, when they attempt to emphasise the dangers ahead of us some accuse them of fearmongering whilst downplaying the dangers. It’s no surprise that these counterarguments are often offered by those with most to lose from changing their habits. There is a real chance the world will sleepwalk into a climate catastrophe. If vast areas of the planet become inhabitable because of the risk of floods, fire or high temperatures that will impact everyone one way or other. It may be impossible to cope with mass migration over a short period of time or to replace crops destroyed by increasingly hotter or wetter conditions. As a result, there will be a huge social and political impact. The UN security council have recently suggested that climate change could be the number one threat to global security in the coming years as those struggling to cope with the impact wrestle with those they blame for it. International wars have been started over far less.

It paints a bleak picture but a necessary one. Thankfully, there is a growing appetite to do something if not yet an absolute hunger. As more people are directly impacted by extreme climate events their story will seep through to those less impacted, hopefully convincing enough to do the necessary. Governments have to lead and be clear and honest on the risks of climate change as well as present the seismic shift needed to turn the ship around as a massive opportunity for industry.

We can’t always rely on governments to do the right thing but as the public becomes more conscious of the impact of global warming businesses will have to respond to their concerns. We have already seen corporations doing what they can to become greener, but we are a long way from the radical shifts needed by most to become green in nature. It will take something historical to get the ball rolling. What brand will step forward first and really challenge the rest? Until that happens the world’s most influential cooperation’s attitude to climate change will be perceived with a healthy dose of cynicism by most.

Where does that leave us? FM Environmental Ltd is very much in the fight. We manufacture wastewater treatment plants, rainwater harvesting tanks, storm attenuation systems and the humble grease trap.

The Grease Guardian has to be up there as one of the best environmental products a fast-food or supermarket chain could invest in. Infrastructure is under pressure with growing populations and extreme weather events. Floods are more likely to occur when a municipality’s pipe network is caked in grease. Wastewater treatment plants are more likely to fail if too much grease flows into them. There is less chance grease will be recycled and used as a renewable energy if it is not properly harvested in the first place. A city or chain equipped with Grease Guardians is a more environmentally effective one. It is perhaps more a sensible than radical option to adopt Grease Guardian but it’s a choice more and more of the world’s leading fastfood, supermarket and hotel chains are making. Doing their part to get in the fight.

Grease Guardian Environmental Benefits

– Prevents grease blocking pipes and thereby reducing the risk of flooding
– Prevents grease entering treatment plants and reducing their efficiency
– Prevents grease form polluting rivers and waterways
– Removes the grease in a form that is much easier to recycle
– Built to last decades
– Limited use of plastic
– Eco friendly mode (only 25 watts for 30 mins a day!)
– Part of the WEEE recycling programme
– Reduces the need for pump out truck visits by 90%