How Does Carbon Offsetting Work in Plant Hire?

Sustainability is a key concept for every person on the planet, but it is only correct that there are some industries and sectors that naturally make more of a negative impact on the planet and must therefore take a proactive approach to sustainability and the reduction of the carbon footprint linked to each company, site, and project. Construction and engineering are two areas where this is the case, and within both of these industries, contract plant hire plays a big part in the management of projects and the use of heavy machinery, equipment, and vehicles. In turn, carbon offsetting is a process that you may have heard a lot about over the last few years, but does carbon offsetting work within plant hire and the relevant industries?

What is carbon offsetting?

Carbon offsetting is a term that is used quite heavily in all walks of life in the modern age, where we are all accustomed to hearing about the impacts of climate change and the importance of the entire planet changing the way it functions in order to slow down the speed of global average temperatures. Carbon offsetting in simple terms is a process whereby there is a reduction or removal of carbon dioxide or other greenhouse gas emissions, compensating for emissions that are made somewhere else. 

In business terms, carbon offsetting is offered to consumers by companies that consistently produce carbon emissions due to the nature of their work. Within construction and plant hire for instance, a carbon offset is offered as a way of ‘cancelling out’ the emissions that will be created during the course of the work at hand. This is sometimes in the form of tree planting projects or other types of projects that seek to reduce carbon emissions worldwide. You can usually choose to offset some or all of the emissions created as part of your contract. 

Plant hire and sustainability

For the highest calibre of plant hire companies, there is a need to do business in a sustainable, ethical way. Within plant hire and the construction industry, in particular, where emissions are high, it is important that there is an approach that is proactive in improving the service and plant hire options in ways that lowers the carbon footprint of not only the plant hire company but its clients too. 

In plant hire, sustainability and carbon offsetting looks like:

Constant renewal of fleet

This means replacing and replenishing the fleet of plant hire options for customers with the latest models of machinery and equipment available. The latest models will meet strict emissions criteria and run in a much smoother way, including electric options, to reduce emissions.

Encourage energy efficiency

Within the plant hire company itself, but also in how it guides suppliers and customers to act in a more sustainable way, with energy-saving provisions, recycling of waste, and more thoughtful use of everyday applications.

Carbon offsetting projects 

This is achieved through asking customers to pay towards carbon reduction projects to offset the carbon emissions caused by plant hire. This can be either part of your use or your full carbon output. Alongside investment in carbon offsetting projects, allowing customers to reduce their carbon footprint immediately, it is also a way of creating jobs, changing lives, and having a long-term effect on social and health improvements the world over.

Carbon offsetting is just one way that the plant hire industry can look to reduce its carbon footprint over the coming years but choosing to work with a plant hire service that has green credentials will go a long way to helping your company to reduce its footprint, to become more efficient in how you use machinery, and the type of equipment used on site daily.