As the back-to-school season kicks off, BITE asks industry leaders what they are committed to unlearning. Oli Gibson, Planning Partner at BBD Perfect Storm, on learning more sustainable behaviours.

I don’t consider myself an environmentalist, but I will admit that the last film that made me cry was An Inconvenient Truth. (It probably didn’t help that I was on a transatlantic flight at the time.) As climate change becomes the climate crisis, and global warming rebrands as global boiling, it’s clear that Earth is in serious trouble.

With such a pressing crisis at hand, I was surprised when I asked a group of friends what environmentally friendly habits they’re adopting, to discover that none of them could think of anything!

Beyond advising our clients to build more sustainable brands, what can we personally do to help save the planet? What day-to-day behaviours and routines should we unlearn?

Here are four things I’ve found easier to change than expected, along with some thoughts on how leadership teams can prompt us all to unlearn our ‘traditional’ habits and adopt more environmentally friendly behaviours at work.

1. Don’t have a cow, man

I’ve been eating spaghetti bolognese and putting milk in my coffee for as long as I can remember. But when the day after tomorrow finally comes it’s the cows that’ll get the blame, so beef has to go. In The Power of Habit, Charles Duhigg explains that quitting a habit is almost impossible, but replacing it is far more effective. Meat and milk alternatives are the winners here. While I was initially sceptical, I’ve found mince alternatives to be surprisingly good. So we can still enjoy the nation’s favourite meal, sans cow (a dish I like to call ‘Blag Bol’). As for coffee, I’ve realised I used milk to reduce the bitterness, but by getting slightly better beans and using a filter, I can now enjoy my morning coffee black.

Not Milk?: Agencies managed to do away with drink trolleys without too much trouble. Would it be too bold to suggest no longer providing dairy milk in our company fridges?

2. Spin in

When it comes to cycling to work, the advice that worked for me (other than “no lycra”) was to take a gradual approach. I replaced one trip a week and built from there, eventually cycling one way every day (bike in, train out, train in, bike out, repeat) until I finally gave up my travel card entirely. Now I’m exercising more, saving money, and helping the planet all at once. I think I’d struggle to go back to standing on overcrowded trains every day, although I do miss having the time to read.

Cycle2Work: The Cycle to Work scheme is an amazing corporate benefit that saves up to 42% on a new bike and accessories. I’d be amazed if every company doesn’t already offer it. But is it being actively encouraged, or simply available to those who take the initiative? Beyond the bike, good end-of-trip facilities are key. Otherwise cyclists and runners have nowhere to securely store their bikes, wash, and change making it far less desirable - for everyone.

3. Wheels over wings

My mental default for travel used to be flying, but flight-shaming became a social movement for a reason. Did you know the average carbon footprint of travelling on the Eurostar is 95% lower than flying? Many trip durations are also comparable once you factor in time spent travelling to the airport, checking in, and collecting baggage. Now when we plan our holidays we consider interrailing and compare Eurostar, Eurotunnel, and ferry options versus flights.

Travel Policies: Let’s broaden the conversation from being purely economic to also considering environmental costs. We should be less interested in securing the highest class of travel and more concerned about achieving the most environmentally friendly option. What if we added GGE (greenhouse gas emissions) to our T&E (travel and expense) trackers, incentivizing every team to manage and reduce the impact of their business travel?

4. Retail restraint

Buying new clothes seems as routine as cleaning the house but it shouldn’t be. I initially adopted a ‘personal uniform’ during COVID when I escaped the city with no more than a carry-on, expecting to return in a few weeks. Four months later, I’d realised I didn’t actually need the rest of my clothes. It turns out capsule wardrobes are a great antidote to fast fashion. The less you buy, the more considered your purchases are, and the less you throw away. If this interests you, before clearing out your entire closet, try an experiment: store away half your clothes and see how often you actually reach for them. Most people only wear 20-30% of their wardrobe, so you might be surprised by how little you really miss.

Dress Code: Recommending a company uniform is probably a bad idea for many reasons. Clothes donation programs and coat drives, however, are a great way to support both the environment and those in need for very little effort. Given the fashion industry accounts for about 10% of global carbon emissions, encouraging clothing recycling and reuse could have a significant positive impact.

With all that being said, at BBD Perfect Storm, we exist to build brands that benefit the world. We are proud to be a certified B-Corp. We have a paperless policy, recycling facilities and we partner with Trace to measure and offset our carbon emissions. We also provide a Cycle2Work scheme, along with lovely showers and changing rooms.