This Sunday, April 22nd, is Earth Day. Here are some initiatives we are taking at Elf.

Earth Day was first celebrated April 22, 1970. Since that time, a lot has changed in the world. 

At Elf, stewardship and the impact that we have on our environment, is important to us, from our founding in 2005. Since our launch in 2007, we have actively made a conscientious effort to limit our consumption of non-renewable materials, lower our carbon footprint, encourage recycling and to use energy-efficient appliances and equipment.

Now in our 11th year since our launch in February 2007, we are going further. 

1. Tracking Energy Consumption:

Our studios and working spaces have energy meters and we also use the Energy Star online tool for tracking.

2. Elimination of Plastic Straws, Styrofoam Cups and Plastic Bags:

We do not use plastic straws or plastic bags at any of our locations. This is a conscious effort to reduce our use of plastic, which often ends up unfortunately in the ocean. At our studios and workspaces, we have ceramic mugs for our coffee and tea machines. We also do not use styrofoam in any capacity.

On occasion, we do receive packages that contain either styrofoam or plastic encasing from manufacturers and equipment suppliers. We are working with our suppliers to reduce this. We recycle these materials as best as possible.

The city of Coral Gables, where our main office is located, has banned use of plastic bags. That is awesome! It ends up in the ocean so that is an excellent measure. 

3. Reduction in Paper Use

Sometimes, writing things down on paper is essential, but we do our best to minimize paper consumption and use, apart from necessary regulatory or legal documentation. A lot of our communication is done electronically and we encourage ideation and creative brainstorming via whiteboards and shared screens.

4. Our Computer Equipment

Since our founding, we rely upon Apple computers for our design and creative work. We have extended this to our support services, including reception and lobby areas for guests  and relaxation spaces. We are excited to see Apple's commitment to the environment growing and truly becoming a leader in the space. 

5. Our Buildings

We rent our workspaces and are thankful to collaborate with leading companies that are environmentally conscious. Some of our studios are in LEED-certified buildings and maximize use of natural light. All of them use Energy Star appliances and have processes in place for energy efficiency and recycling.

It is our goal to build out our main campus in a few years that will be powered by renewable energy. In addition, we hope to have a supercharging unit for the electric vehicles at our larger locations. 

We are also currently working with a few partners to increase the kinds of products that can be recycled at our different locations.

6. Shared Transportation and Telecommuting

We offer shared transportation options at our offices and workspaces in London, Oslo and Zurich as well as flexible telecommuting options at some locations in the United States. We have partnered previously with a local bicycle company in south Florida to provide free transportation to our team during events and we are considering offering this on a permanent basis as well.

7. Supporting Conservation Organizations

Previously, we have featured leading conservation organizations in our Hayden's magazine. We now aim to actively support organizations through direct donations and a regular percentage of profits annually. We also financially support two organizations who plant trees on a large, global scale.

We aim to do more in the years to come so that we leave a better legacy for future generations. Thanks for reading!