With all the climate change hype surrounding COP 26. It’s time to start looking at changes worldwide companies are planning to make.
To start this off, let’s focus on Lego, landing on surprisingly National Lego Day!
What have Lego said they’d do?
Lego has said they’re determined to start producing Lego bricks out of sustainable materials. Without compromising quality or safety by 2030.
With this in mind, the Lego that will be produced will use renewable or recyclable materials. Hopefully producing low to no waste.
In correspondence, Lego also hope that the products be fully recyclable at the end of it’s life!
For Lego to even touch the base on this they need to join forces.
These forces being in suppliers, research institutions and other industries to start building these new materials for the future.
Partnerships
In 2014, Lego joined the Climate Savers Programme. This is WWF’S global programme that works with global businesses to drive the transition to a net-zero economy.
Since joining, Lego has made considerable changes like reducing their CO2 emissions by 10% per brick compared to 2016. Reducing Legos CO2 emissions by 10,000 tons every year.
Not only are Lego working towards reducing CO2 emissions. They’ve also made commitments to reducing waste and balancing 100% renewable energy.
Further, the investment of DKK 6 Billion in two offshore wind farms: research and development into creating sustainable materials for the Lego bricks. The energy efficiency of producing these has improved by 12% per brick.
Tackling CO2 emissions
It’s quite easy to say they are tackling CO2 emissions but what in particular do Lego do to achieve this?
Keeping with the offshore wind farms in mind, KIRDBI A/S, working on behalf of Lego do own 31% of the Borkum Riggrund 1 offshore wind farm in Germany and a quarter of the Burbo Bank in Liverpool.
These offshore farms are a big factor in reducing their CO2 emissions due to the 100% renewable energy generating.
Not only are they investing in offshore wind farms they’ve installed a roof-based renewable energy system on their factory in Kladno, Czech Republic. More than 3,500 solar panels have been installed.
Engage-to-Reduce Program
The Engage-to-Reduce program created by Lego main aim is to tackle environmental issues in their supply chain.
Their main objective is to lower their suppliers’ carbon emissions. Helping suppliers’ to report data and identify carbon reduction projects to specific businesses.
They’ve also said that in the last year 2020, they aimed to start working with suppliers’ to reduce water consumption and forestry impacts.
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Sustainability
As mentioned above about Legos mission for sustainable materials for the bricks, they’re also working on the sustainability of the packaging.
If you remember from having Lego yourself you’re aware of the amount of plastic packaging used, from the plastic bricks to the single plastic packaging.
Lego doesn’t discard that the use of their plastic packaging isn’t suitable for the future so are starting to prioritise the use of paper packaging.
The paper packaging made from the Forest Stewardship Council is being trialled.
One important factor within all of this new packaging, recycling and sustainability is the impact this will have on future generations.
Young children will be taught the importance of recycling and how to help climate change!
The Forest Stewardship Council
Mentioned briefly before for providing the recyclable packaging, the Forest Stewardship Council do much more than this!
Alongside the packaging, they help to certify that today the packaging using all the paper and cardboard is being recycled and appropriately used.
Lego state that today 75% of cardboard is made from recycled.
Not to forget either that now since 2020 all retail bags from all 500 global Lego stores are paper and 100% certified from FSC.
Importance
After all the details of the in-depth percentages, missions and commitments. Why are Lego wanting to make a difference?
Simply, Legos products are/were made out of ABS (acrylonitrile butadiene styrene) a type of plastic that is a pain to get rid of.
Lego wasn’t aware when they first started producing the classic bricks, that the plastic being used was going to stick around for a long time.
So in return for the mass creation of ABS plastic bricks, Lego is trying to ‘clean’ up.
Furthermore, this will have a domino effect.
Young generations will grow up learning the importance and the new normal of replayable products. The impact of Lego doing this will benefit the future development of sustainable materials used in the toy industry.
It’s all about making a change now.
So, in 50 years to come Lego will still be a well-loved product as well as making sure the world is feeling the benefits of these changes.
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