- April 08, 2019
We consume more resources than we have available, we don’t recycle them adequately, and we generally throw out far too many useful things. But much of our waste doesn’t get recycled, or create landfill. Sadly, a lot of the trash we throw out ends up directly in nature: in hedges, on the streets and in the water.
In larger cities, one of the biggest environmental challenges is the trash that lands in ports, rivers and canals. That is a shame if we want to create a better and more sustainable future for ourselves and for future generations.
Since 3 Step IT was established over 20 years ago, the circular economy has been part of our DNA. The circular economy is built on the belief that resources should be recycled to a much greater extent than what we do today. This includes, among other things, extending the lifespan of products and re-using resources to produce new products.
When 3 Step IT Denmark arranged a company event, it made sense to combine socializing with our core business values: the circular economy and sustainability. Last Wednesday, 3Steppers went trash hunting in the canals of Copenhagen to remove plastic and other rubbish that doesn’t belong there.
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Pictures by Henrik Hildebrandt.
The trash expedition gave our 3Steppers a sad yet important insight into the trash and waste problems the canals are suffering from. We wanted to collect as much trash as possible before it drifts further into sea and turns into microplastic. During this trip, we learned about the reality that takes place underwater – a reality that sadly exceeded our fears of the underwater trash challenge.
Underwater trash is one of the most negative and impactful environmental challenges the world is facing. Since 2017, over 18 tons of trash has been collected on trash expeditions in the canals of Copenhagen alone. As well as removing some, we hope that by raising awareness, more will be removed from the water, recycled and used in the production of new products.
Do something good for your business and the environment
We know, the world faces huge environmental challenges. A trash expedition is one initiative to fight these challenges head on. Taking the bike instead of the car or eating less meat are other ways. As a company, you do even more: you can extend the lifespan of IT equipment, actively implementing a circular economic mindset.
Traditionally, many companies believe that buying IT equipment in cash is the way to go. Companies that buy equipment typically also use the devices until they’re outdated or even break down. But such a solution is neither optimal for the company nor for the environment.
By implementing a lifecycle strategy for IT equipment, the equipment is regularly replaced and – as an important element of the fight against environmental challenges – it is refurbished, and resold into markets that cannot afford the latest technology. By extending the life of technology, we reduce the waste of resources. It is a solution, which enables maximum exploitation of the resources of planet Earth.