At Alison, we believe that our commitment to fighting climate change goes hand-in-hand with our devotion to empowerment through education. Our project of bringing top quality education and training to anyone, anywhere, at any time, is not limited to workplace and professional skills. We believe that every individual on the planet should have access to the information necessary to save it.
We have always been committed to promoting accurate and up-to-date information on the challenges facing our global family of learners, from coronavirus to climate change. As the situation evolves, we will continue to produce vital courses outlining how individuals and companies can affect changes that can reduce emissions and protect the planet.
Central to our mission is our alignment with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals, the UN’s “blueprint to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all people and the world by 2030”. The idea of sustainability is woven into the fabric of what we do.
Alison is a remote company, which means that our team is not centralised in a single building but rather is based in a variety of locations around the world. This allows us to reduce our carbon footprint by slashing office energy usage and also elimates the fuel consumption of commuting. As a digital only enterprise, we also operate with zero paper waste.
At the heart of our project is our belief in the endless potential for good that comes from leveraging technology for online learning. Through our online platform, and more recently through the Alison App, we allow millions of Learners around the world to gain a quality education without any of the environmental costs that are inherent in bricks and mortar schooling. Our model means no paper waste, no schoolbus fumes, no lights left on in the school overnight. Our Learners are taking part not just in an educational revolution, but an environmental one.
To mark the 2021 United Nations’ Climate Change Conference, we reached out to our employees around the world and asked them what action they took to play their part in the fight against climate change. We were inundated with tips and advice and from their suggestions we’ve put together ten recommendations for leading a more sustainable life.
1. Energy
Instead of using traditional oil or gas sources to generate power, consider alternative energy options such as solar panelling.
2. Garden
By germinating and growing fruit tree seedlings, you can distribute them to friends in order to increase the number of trees to absorb carbon. When working in your garden, be conscious of planting more water-wise plants and plants that help to reduce the amount of carbon dioxide in the air. You can also recycle much of your kitchen waste for compost, which both benefits the garden and saves you money on fertiliser.
3. Food shopping
When shopping, select fruit and vegetables which are not wrapped in plastic and which are locally grown when possible. Use canvas, rather than plastic, bags and if you do happen to get plastic bags, make sure to reuse them as much as possible. Avoid buying single use plastics and buy food that comes in glass, cardboard or tin as much as possible.
4. Diet
Follow a vegan diet for 5 days a week and a vegetarian one for the other 2, as these diets have far lower carbon footprints than meat-heavy diets. You should also try and eat food that’s in season.
5. Toiletries
Buy toiletries from whole sale or refill shops where you can buy them by the litre and bring your own reusable containers. Many sustainable, water-saving and environmentally friendly personal care products are now very easy to source, such as bamboo toothbrushes, organic loofahs, reusable make-up remover pads, shampoo bars and bamboo cotton buds.
6. Transport
Limit your fuel emissions by walking and cycling as much as possible and using public transport when you can.
7. Water Conservation
Catch cold water from the shower in a bucket to use in the toilet and garden or to wash floors, rather than let it go down the drain.
8. Education
Learn about the science behind climate change in order to be better informed about how you can implement the most effective changes in your own daily routines.
9. Paper Waste Reduction
Use recycled toilet paper and, instead of using kitchen role/paper towel, use reusable cloths. Invest in a reusable coffee cup and straw to reduce cardboard waste.
10. Clothes Shopping
Shop from charity shops as much as possible and don’t buy new clothes or shoes until the old ones are worn out. Limit your new clothing purchases to local and ethically sourced materials, and learn to repair clothes that can be fixed.
