Today, June 5, on World Environment Day, we want to celebrate all the projects Sabart has launched in recent years with the specific aim of protecting the environment.
Starting with the most recent ones, we’ll look back at the choices we’ve made to make our company a little greener and more attentive and aware of environmental issues.
What is World Environment Day?
It all began in 1972, following the Conference on the Human Environment, better known as the Stockholm Conference. This event marked a definitive turning point in the development of international environmental policy.
Following the Stockholm Conference, in the same year, the United Nations Environment Programme was established, along with World Environment Day, which has been celebrated annually on June 5 since 1974, under the slogan “Only One Earth.”
This day is specifically designed to highlight the importance of protecting and preserving the environment and the impact it has on people’s well-being and economic development. On this day, all governments and organizations within the United Nations system are invited to undertake activities to reaffirm their commitment to the conservation and improvement of the environment, with a particular focus on raising awareness of environmental issues.
A new solar power system for Sabart
Sabart’s most recent environmental project is the installation of a new photovoltaic system.
Already in operation for a few months, the system was installed on the roof of our warehouse and consists of 298 photovoltaic panels, providing a total capacity of 130 kWp.
In addition to using this energy for our operations, on certain days we expect to be completely energy self-sufficient; charging stations for electric vehicles will be installed in the parking lot of our headquarters. But that’s not all! We will also establish connections with Enel to feed any excess energy we generate through our system back into the grid.
Heat pump: a renewable source
This winter, we replaced our gas boiler and chiller unit with a single hybrid heat pump capable of performing both functions on its own.
Heat pumps utilize the thermal energy present in the environment to heat or cool spaces. This operating mechanism makes them, in effect, renewable energy systems.
The main advantages of this type of solution are:
- Utilization of renewable energy sources, such as air, water, or the ground
- Energy efficiency, as they transfer more heat than they consume
- Reduced emissions, as the need for fossil fuels and greenhouse gas emissions is reduced
- Energy savings and environmental sustainability
Teamwork for Sustainability Credits
One initiative we have joined as a company within the Emak Group is the purchase of Sustainability Credits. This is a project conceived and promoted by the Tuscan-Emilian Apennines National Park, in its capacity as the coordinating body for the UNESCO MAB Biosphere Reserve designation of the Tuscan-Emilian Apennines.
Sustainable and responsible forest management, which forms the basis for generating Sustainability Credits, is subject to certification of compliance with environmental, social, and economic standards, ensuring that every forest is socially just, ecologically sound, and economically sustainable.
The Credits purchased by the Emak Group therefore come from forests managed in a sustainable and responsible manner, certified by FSC and PEFC.
Our forest around the world
Through the Oxygen Emission project, in collaboration with Treedom, we have been able to create our own forest over the course of three years.
We have planted 600 trees spread across the globe: from Cameroon to Colombia, from Ecuador to Guatemala, from Haiti to Kenya, from Malawi to Nepal, all the way to Thailand. A project aimed at contributing to the global reduction of CO2 emissions and bringing economic and social benefits to the local communities involved in the 9 countries where our trees are located.
So far, the Sabart Forest has helped reduce emissions by over 134,500 kg of CO2.
New packaging and sustainable products
The sector in which we operate is a complex one. Our goal is the comprehensive care and preservation of green spaces, but at the same time, the products and technologies needed to achieve this cannot strictly be defined as “green.”
It all started here: we asked ourselves how Sabart could do its part, and we began with our brands. For the Forestal line, we redesigned all packaging, replacing plastic with paper and/or recyclable materials wherever possible.
Furthermore, we sought solutions that would have a lower environmental impact in terms of the products themselves. Staying with the Forestal line, we’ve created a range of battery-powered machines, offering options for both hobbyists and professionals. Lighter and easier to handle, these machines are an extremely practical solution for gardeners and arborists, but also more eco-friendly and safer for the operator’s health, as they emit no exhaust fumes.
However, in cases where battery-powered machines cannot be used, we offer alkylate fuel, a solution that provides benefits in terms of machine wear and tear, but above all in terms of the environment and user health, compared to standard fuels.
We also offer a selection of biodegradable oils, including the new Timber Oil, a vegetable-based, organic product that is easily degradable and safe for health.
Furthermore, among our key sustainable products is the CRC SmartWasher® parts washer, which utilizes the natural process of bioremediation to break down and transform oils, greases, and carbon-based contaminants into harmless byproducts such as water and CO². This operating method significantly reduces hazardous liquid waste and the discharge of harmful pollutants, thereby enhancing environmental stewardship and operator safety.
Everyday actions that make a difference
Sabart then decided to encourage certain daily actions to contribute even through small, everyday gestures.
In fact, water stations have been installed where employees can refill the water bottles provided by the company.
As for orders, we’ve opted for inner packaging made from 95% recycled plastic.
In short, a few years ago Sabart began implementing choices and projects aimed at protecting the environment, striving to raise as much awareness as possible among its employees as well.
And this day, created precisely for this purpose, is the perfect time to take stock of the situation and think about new activities to plan with this goal in mind.
