Reduce

Solar panels, combined with all LED lights and spotlights, have dramatically reduced our energy consumption since their installation in 2016. As the technology and pricing of batteries improves, we are now looking to double our panels and pair that with battery storage.  This will facilitate a future where more electric vehicles can be charged at work and the use of electric forklifts.  We have reduced the office footprint by switching to electronic invoices and statements.

Reuse

We are always looking to reduce our contribution to landfill, so where it’s possible we reuse. That could be steel strapping, turning packaging into corner protection, using plastic pack wraps for our own packs or turning timber offcuts into dunnage.

Recycle

From the office all paper and cardboard, soft and hard plastics are recycled.  Cans and bottles are donated for recycling and cash back.  In the yard all strapping and metal offcuts are recycled, and we spend a lot of manpower turning treated pine timber offcuts into pegs, legs or other useful products. All hardwood offcuts are accumulated for firewood pallets, which are sold to the public at very low prices.

Greening the Yard

When we moved to our 2-hectare yard at Cochranes Rd, we planted around 100 large trees and 400 native grasses and shrubs. Those trees and grasses are obvious now, when you travel down our driveway or look at the back of the yard.

At the end of 2023, when we built the 3-tiered retaining wall at the front of the property, we created another garden area of 400m2 and planted another 450 native grasses, groundcovers and shrubs as well as a small lawn area.

Greening Outside Work

We don’t pay a company to plant trees so that we can claim greening credentials! Company founder and now semi-retired director, Albert Toet spends 3 – 4 mornings a week creating biodiversity corridors by weeding, mulching, planting and watering in parks around SE Melbourne with various friends groups and the kooyongkoot alliance.

On a Sunday afternoon, you’re likely to find him in Beaconsfield, restoring a blackberry infested tree-less farm to a native habitat.