Challenges to overcome
It is more convenient to take a taxi than to use public transport to get to a meeting
First, the necessity of the meeting should be appraised. Is it a meeting that could take place over the telephone or using video-conferencing facilities?
If the meeting is necessary, and it is a relatively short distance away, is it possible for the person attending to walk or cycle? You may wish to consider providing a pool of bicycles that staff can use during the working day. In congested towns and cities in particular, it may actually be quicker than taking a taxi. If a taxi must be taken, consider which company to use. There are an increasing number of taxi companies that are investing in a lower-emission or hybrid fleet to provide a more environmentally friendly alternative to traditional taxi services (i.e. services that use diesel, LPG, hybrid, or similar vehicles).
It is quicker to fly than to take a train to get to a meeting
First, consider whether a teleconference or video-conference could replace a face-to-face meeting, minimising both the environmental impact and the amount of work time lost in travelling.
For short haul and domestic flights, the time taken to travel to and from the airport, to check in and to clear customs can often mean that rail alternatives are quicker, and also have the benefit of allowing work to be done during the journey (via laptops, blackberries, mobile phones and so on).
However, there will be instances where this is not possible and a flight must be made. When this occurs, there are a large number of companies who can enable organisations to offset their emissions. Explore Defra’s carbon offsetting pages, which include a link to carbon offset providers.
Environmentally friendly vehicles are more expensive than conventional ones
Although it is a common perception that more environmentally friendly vehicles are correspondingly more expensive, this is often not the case. The Car Pages "Green Car Guide" shows that some of the cars that are among the lowest emitters are also towards the lower end of the price scale.
Are there key challenges in this area we haven’t discussed? If so, please tell us about them.
Do you have an other example of how these challenges can be overcome? If so, please submit a case study.