Law firms, by their very nature, are built on documents and the written word.
Therefore, paper use is very common. Allens has worked hard to reduce the firm's paper usage – from defaulting all printers to double-sided printing, and encouraging everyone to use less paper and to file emails electronically, to providing plenty of scanning capacity for e-filing.
Since 2004, Allens has reduced our paper use by 55 per cent.
Allens was one of the first Australian organisations, and one of the first law firms, to become a certified Fairtrade workplace. Under the Fairtrade certification, kitchens in our Australian offices have started stocking Fairtrade-only tea, coffee, drinking chocolate, chocolate and sugar.
The Fairtrade label guarantees that a third-world farmer has received a fair price for their produce, no child labour or forced labour was used, and that employment and environmental standards were met.
Cameron Neil, Operations Manager – Australia at Fairtrade Labelling Australia & New Zealand, tells us exactly what it means when we say 'Fairtrade'.
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We have virtualised servers in Brisbane, Perth, Melbourne and Hong Kong.
For example, by replacing the 19 servers in Perth and the 22 servers in Brisbane with three high-speed and energy-efficient models, we have reduced our energy consumption by 79 per cent and 83 per cent respectively.
This move saves power, air-conditioning, capital costs and maintenance.
Since May 2008, Allens has moved to the use of 75 per cent GreenPower in all Australian offices, significantly reducing our greenhouse gas emissions.
Before we moved to GreenPower:
- emissions due to purchased electricity were 5,553 tonnes in 2006-2007;
- emissions for all electricity (including base building) were 9,474 tonnes in 2006-2007; and
- total emissions measured in the audit, including emissions from power use, flights and people, were 21,218 tonnes.
After we moved to 75 per cent GreenPower:
- emissions due to purchased electricity were 1,192 tonnes in 2009-10;
- emissions for all electricity (including base building) were 4,793 tonnes in 2009-10; and
- total emissions measured in the audit, including emissions from power use, flights and people, were 14,665 tonnes.
Green tip
Reduce electricity usage and bills by turning the hot water tank on twice a day – one hour in the morning and one hour in the evening.
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The Stationery Amnesty encourages recycling and reusing of surplus stationery.
Once collected, the stationery is counted, sorted and re-used where possible. The information obtained through this is used to adjust the firm's future stationery purchasing. Allens annual Stationery Amnesties help to reduce stationery usage permanently and establish a firm-wide culture of reusing and recycling.
Green tip
Motivate the kids to cut power usage by turning off lights, TV etc. If there is a drop in the power bill, they get the $ saved.
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