Go Green - Case Study - What On Earth

CHAMPIONING THE GREEN CAUSE

Although the numbers are growing, there are not too many businesses around who are as proactively Green as “What On Earth”, an organic food supplier in Battersea who have been in operation for 9 years. A Greening Business Officer (GBO) from southlondon.biz visited owner Rolf de Polla and found there was no ‘persuasion to go green’ necessary. In Rolf’s case, there was already a strong environmental ethos in the business.

What on Earth, a thriving business with a £3m turnover and a 4,500sq ft site, were already closely monitoring and reducing energy usage by turning off equipment overnight where possible. Items, such as envelopes and paper, were reused and recycled, and there was a collection of pallets and metal cans. Virtually all of their 30 employees cycle or walk to work, and there is even a purchase of their first electric bicycle for the sales person to use to promote not the company in an ethical way.

“We had already tapped into a range of local and national government funding and advice, and had obtained grants previously from both the London Development Agency and Wandsworth Borough Council” said Rolf. “When I saw the amount of cardboard waste coming from the 27 units on the estate I contacted southlondon.biz to take up the Go Green service.” Rolf was visited by a Greening Business Officer and took up the action plan as part of the service. He also made gallant attempts to start a communal recycling scheme for the estate but, unfortunately, this could not go ahead due to health and safety legislation. Instead, the GBO referred him to Grundon Recycling so that he could implement a comprehensive recycling scheme for What On Earth.

Continuing the green cause, the GBO also assisted with other issues such as waste compactors, plastic cups recycling and wheelie bin suppliers. “In our line of business, and on a personal level, I am a firm advocate of green operations and have been for many years,” said Rolf, “having an ally in Greice our GBO, to help us champion the cause has been a great asset, and she has been a great source of information, putting us in touch with many green suppliers and working with us in trying to bring people on the estate together.”

The service is available to businesses in the five London boroughs of Merton, Kingston, Sutton, Croydon and Wandsworth, focusing on businesses that have not sought support from publicly funded business agencies in the past. Businesses like What On Earth can apply for small grants to help them implement appropriate solutions.

For more information on the ‘Go Green’ programme please contact Helen Clark Bell at southlondon.biz on 0208 947 0055, email gogreen@southlondon.biz