Making A Difference. There’s Always Something We Can Do.
Welcome to 2015! There is war, famine, disease, environmental catastrophes, dire predictions of economic chaos, recession, deflation, worsening income inequality, and yes even downward spiraling scrap metal prices. Sound familiar? We urgently need to do better than simply hope that this familiarity doesn’t continue to breed complacency over generations.
At Peel, we decided a long time ago that you can divide problems into those you can control and those over which you have no control. Best to focus on where you can actually effect change where change is needed and therefore where you can make a difference.
So we decided to begin the year on a positive note and contemplate sorting out some aspects of our operations where we could do more on a socially responsible basis.
To do this, we started looking at what those in the know call our various footprints. It used to be the case that a footprint was something unique to the bipeds and quadrupeds that walk the earth among us. Now, however, we are told that we have all kinds of footprints in time and space and be they economic, genetic, digital, environmental, or otherwise.
Apparently, there are a lot of complicated options to choose from when you are looking at what you do and how you can change your activities to make a difference.
We are in the recycling business so right there we have sustainability as our focus. That doesn’t get us a gold star, however, or give us a pass. We still have an environmental footprint because we are using machinery, equipment, and processes that produce greenhouse gases. So beyond the positive contributions we are making, our activities also have a negative impact on the environment that we are trying to sustain. We decided that tackling our carbon footprint might be a good choice.
Bullfrog Power…Something Worth Looking Into.
As a first step to help us with this, we contacted Bullfrog Power, Canada’s “100% green energy provider.” This green energy retailer has been around since 2005.
Until the technologies and the uptake advance further, it will simply cost more to produce energy from green sources than from conventional sources. The way it works with Bullfrog Power is that if you are willing to pay a little more for your energy you can choose to replace some or all of what you use with clean sources of electricity, or gas. Bullfrog can inject the energy equivalent into the grid from an EcoLogo-certified renewable energy source.
According to the literature, their sources of electricity are about 80% low-impact hydro and 20% wind power. Green natural gas is sourced from an innovative biogas facility in Quebec. To their credit, Bullfrog Power is also active in supporting new technologies and renewable energy projects. The company is a Certified B Corporation and therefore held to very high standards of transparency and accountability. Their audits are available to the public
The program is not only open to businesses. Residential customers are encouraged and can even sign up online at www.bullfrogpower.com
To be sure, there are other programs out there. Some are bundled, for example, and you just pay the extra on your regular utility bill. The point is, however, that there are options not only in terms of how we consume energy but also in terms of how we source the energy that we consume. Difference We need to inform ourselves about these options and we need to act on that information. Only by making a commitment will we make a difference.
We’ll keep you posted on what we decide.
Keeping Current On Prices In A Volatile Market Difference
The volatility in commodities and other markets over the past few weeks has certainly kept it interesting to say the least. Markets don’t like uncertainty and with everything that has been going on of late, they are having a field day trying to factor it all in. Our best guess is that we should fasten our seatbelts for a little while longer and keep our Peel Scrap App handy to check on prices regularly. Whether you are buying or selling, Difference you need to know which way the market is moving and this is all the more critical during periods when volatility is the norm.
If you haven’t done so already, our App is free to download in both Apple and Android versions and is now available at both the iTunes and Google stores. It will keep you current on prices in addition to providing other useful links and information. Just search Peel Scrap when you get there. Difference