Our Journey to Carbon-Positive
At Planz, our mission is crystal clear. We are dedicated to helping navigate Aotearoa towards a better future.
To make sure we are always working towards our mission, we are always looking for ways to improve how we do business for the better. In this instance, we have partnered with Carbon Positive in terms of monitoring our annual waste and carbon emissions, to offsetting our emissions. We can confirm we are now officially certified as carbon positive.
What Does “Carbon Positive” Mean?
Being carbon positive means that we go beyond the standard carbon neutrality. We are actively removing more carbon from the atmosphere than we emit. In an era where climate change remains an ongoing concern, it’s vital that we take action. We’ve committed to offsetting 125% of our emissions by purchasing native trees right here in Aotearoa.
Our Environmental Commitments
At Planz, our commitment to environmental responsibility goes beyond our projects; it’s woven into the fabric of our business operations. Our goal isn’t just carbon neutrality; we aim to be carbon positive each year, thanks to Carbon Positive’s native tree planting initiatives.
Our environmental commitments include:
- Sustainability in Planning: Promoting the principles of ecologically sustainable development, low-impact design, and good-quality urban design in all our projects and decision-making processes.
- Resource Stewardship: Implementing an environmentally responsible purchasing program and embracing reuse and recycling practices to reduce waste.
- Energy Efficiency: Actively reducing energy consumption through responsible energy management. We encourage our staff to commute via public transport or cycling and provide end-of-journey facilities to promote active transport choices.
Our commitment to the principles of urban design and sustainability is solidified as we proudly stand as a signatory to the New Zealand Urban Design Protocol.
Championing Environmental Responsibility
In our efforts to champion environmental responsibility, we’ve taken multiple concrete steps over the years including:
- Removing the fleet of company cars
- Using Zilch shared electric cars when needed
- Reducing face-to-face meetings by using Teams
- Promoting a paperless environment
- Reusable coffee cups. It’s fair to say our Christchurch team are coffee lovers, and every day the team head to the local coffee shop with this class/ceramic mugs, saving at least 1,200 cups going to landfill each year.
- Comprehensive Recycling: We recycle all paper, plastic, glass, cans, plus food scraps and all coffee pods.
- Encouraging Active Transport: Most of our staff cycle or use public transport to commute.
We believe that becoming carbon positive is not just the responsibility of large corporations and governments. Individuals and small businesses can make significant contributions. It’s a collective effort that requires a shift in mindset and a commitment to a more sustainable way of life.
By embracing carbon positivity, you can not only help combat climate change but also contribute to a healthier, more vibrant planet for future generations. It’s an opportunity to be a part of the solution and create a world where the environment thrives alongside human progress. If you are interested to know more about our emissions the full report can be found below.