A New Way to Practice Sustainability
July 7th, 2021
Sustainability is a word that gets used a lot these days. You’ve probably heard companies talk about how sustainable and environmentally-friendly their products are. But why is sustainability important, and what can you do as a consumer to ensure you’re doing your part?
Sustainability is important because it’s important to keep our natural resources in balance. If we’re careful with how much we take and how much pollution we create, then most resources naturally replenish themselves. The problem is, we’re taking faster than the earth can keep up with. If we’re careful with our consumption and allow those resources to replenish naturally, then not only do we have enough resources to suit our needs, we also give future generations the opportunity to meet their own needs. By developing sustainable practises and buying from companies that practise sustainability, we can ensure cleaner air, cleaner water, and more resources for future generations.
There are a few ways to create sustainability in our practises. One way is decarbonization. Decarbonization is the deliberate reduction of carbon dioxide emissions per unit of electricity. It can also mean reducing the fossil fuels that get burned through transportation.
Another way to practise sustainability is to use fewer resources, and one way to do that is to create a circular economy. A circular economy is when businesses use cyclical production processes. This could include reusing, repairing, and remanufacturing old materials in order to create new products without consuming as many resources. By restoring materials this way, it gives the earth the chance to naturally recreate more new resources.
One way to practise sustainability as a consumer is to research the companies you buy from, to make sure they’re doing their part to help the environment. That’s why we want to tell you about all the ways we’re committed to practising sustainability ourselves!
As part of our own initiative toward decarbonization, we’ve developed an energy-harvesting system for our Smart Under-the-Desk Bike. Every time you pedal the bike, you recharge the battery inside, which can generate up to 17V of energy (for reference, most phones can be charged with 5V)! With our energy harvesting system, you create your own energy - which means it’s renewable and waste-free. And by helping you create your own electricity, we’re also helping you reduce carbon emissions in your own life!
We’ve also made an effort to use more renewable resources for our Smart Sit-and-Stand Desk - the desktops are made of bamboo! Bamboo is especially durable, which means you won’t have to replace the desk for a long time, and thus, won’t need to consume other materials for a long time. Secondly, bamboo requires fewer resources to harvest and produce. Because it doesn’t require irrigation to grow, it doesn’t consume as many resources. It’s also grown without the use of pesticides or chemical fertilizer, so you know it’s a material you can trust!
Our latest addition to our lineup of sustainability efforts includes desktops made by ChopValue. ChopValue is a Vancouver-based company that makes its furniture and home-decor out of recycled chopsticks. By doing so, they don’t use any virgin natural materials. Insteady, they only use materials that have already been recycled from elsewhere. Not only does this prevent them from creating more waste, it actively reduces the waste in the world! This is part of their own circular economy.
ChopValue recently put in renewed efforts to find more partners to create products with, and we’re pleased to announce that we have partnered with ChopValue to create beautiful, sustainable desktops for our Smart Sit-and-Stand Desks made entirely from recycled chopsticks. This is just one more step in our ongoing efforts to use sustainable practises while also helping workers stay active and fit in their sedentary jobs.
These beautiful new, environmentally-friendly desks start at only $1,229, and they’re in limited supply! If you’re interested, don’t miss your chance - ask us about them at customerservice@ergonomyx.com.