Melissa Jun Rowley

Climate, sustainability, and environmentalism touch every aspect of our lives, and therefore touch every industry. This means that your experience as an environmental consultant is invaluable. The best to way to gain knowledge about a new field or industry is to research and write about it. Follow the biggest though leaders speaking or writing regularly on the topic. Learn the ins and outs, challenges, trends, opportunities for innovation, and areas that need funding and growth well enough that you can write an op-ed about the sector.

Start by educating your client about the local community in which it operates. Gather data on the area's biggest social, economic, and environmental issues and how your client can potentially have a positive impact. Look at public health and how people in the community were impacted by last year being the hottest year on record. Get data on the air quality and how the city tracks its GHG emissions. Does your client do any business in a Sacrifice Zone, a geographic area that has been permanently changed by heavy environmental alterations or economic disinvestment? If so, explore ways the client can mitigate more environmental damage and give back to the community. Provide information on renewable energy and energy efficiency options.

You can reduce your business travel carbon footprint through a myriad of ways including working remotely, using electric or low-emission vehicles, choosing sustainable, eco-conscious accommodations, and carbon offsetting. It's possible to offset 100% of your emissions related to business travel by using certain travel booking platforms that allow you to track your carbon emissions and purchase carbon credits that contribute to environmental organizations and green projects.

Like any large organization that's required to monitor and disclose its scope 1, 2 and 3 greenhouses gas emissions, consultants can gather activity data on their own energy use, waste, and transportation. Data collection can be done through an energy audit, tracking waste production, and measuring transportation emissions. There are a number of carbon accounting and management tools that do this.

Nuanced time blocking - Some people like to “eat that frog,”meaning do the task that’s most challenging first, as that creates room for the day to feel lighter as it progresses. - Others like to start their day doing the task that’s the most rewarding and fun, as it sets a joyful tone for the day. - I prescribe choosing the approach that makes you feel the most energized.

Create compelling CSR content spotlighting your positive impact. - The brands that are the most celebrated by consumers for having a positive social and environmental footprint create content consistently highlighting their initiatives. Some of them have their own film studios. While not every organization has the funds or the means to do this, every organization has access to social media platforms and digital tools. - Some companies may be guilty of unintentional greenwashing, as they may not have information about environmental projects they’re supporting. This is why organizations need to be clear and transparent with their consumers about where they are in their corporate social responsibility journey.