One degree

News Digital Media going carbon neutral in 2007

News Digital Media (NDM) was the first News Limited division to be carbon neutral – achieving this status in late 2007 through a combination of reducing and offsetting its emissions.

All carbon produced by NDM last year has been offset by investments in wind farm energy projects in India. The offsets are certified under the international Voluntary Carbon Standard developed by The Climate Group, the International Emissions Trading Association and the World Business Council for Sustainable Development.

NDM had already introduced a range of measures to cut greenhouse gas emissions, and has an aggressive plan to continue to cut emissions over the next few years to reduce reliance on offsets. Earlier this year, NDM began relocating to new offices in Liverpool St, Sydney which feature low-emission carpets and paints, renewable timbers, writing walls to reduce the need for paper, an internal staircase to reduce lift usage, “Greenscreen” blinds to minimise air-conditioning and plenty of natural light. There are also bike racks and showers available for staff.

Staff at News Digital Media are making One Degree of change to their daily lives, enthusiastically embracing a range on initiatives including:

• A switch to electronic client order forms, customer invoices and statements to reduce paper.
• A mobile phone muster which rewarded each phone recycled with a tree planting.
• A car pooling initiative for staff, launched after an overwhelming number of staff indicated that they would be interested in car-pooling to and from work.
• An IT supported initiative encouraging staff to turn-off computers at the end of the day – rather than leaving them on standby
• Other IT generated initiatives including recycling all packaging materials and replacing all monitors with LCD monitors that use up to 70 per cent less energy.
• installing timers for lights so they are left on for shorter time periods after hours.
• Changes to stationery to embrace recycled copy paper and priority ordering for items from the ‘Green’ section of supplier catalogues.
• recycling of all toner cartridges.
• the addition of paper recycle bins to each floor with appropriate signage, and a personal recycling bin for each staff member.
• Co-mingled recycle bins in kitchens to recycle glass, plastic and cans.
• Recycled toilet paper and environmentally friendly soap products.
• Setting all printers to draft quality and dual sided printing.
• The removal of polystyrene cups from all News Digital Media staff kitchens and introduction of incentives to reduce waste such as free One Degree mugs and negotiated discounts on coffee from local cafes when they use their mug.
• Brown bag lunches and interactive sessions for staff to discuss climate change issues. Representatives from the Australian Conversation Foundation and Planet Ark have presented their climate change message at News Digital Media Pyrmont and North Ryde offices.

News Digital Media is also informing, educating and enabling employees, customers and the community to understand what they can do to help address climate change across all of its sites.

News Digital Media developed and produced the website, www.1degree.com.au. The site provides practical information and news on what can be done to prevent climate change. In October 2007, the site launched its carbon usage calculator. The creative production of the site, led by News Digital Media’s Diana Silva, has been recognised by the industry with the site being finalist in the 2008 AIMIA (Australian Interactive Marketing Industry Association) Awards.

News Digital Media has also promoted www.1degree.com.au through online advertising on its network of sites.

News Digital Media’s flagship brand, www.NEWS.com.au , is closely following the issue of climate change through a range of editorial initiatives, including special editorial investigations and engaging readers’ views through regular surveys. On World Environment Day last year, NEWS.com.au launched an interactive map which shows how climate change has affected Australia's population centres. The map ranks each Australian town or city according to average increases in temperatures over the past 16 years compared with the period 1961-1990 (Data: Bureau of Meteorology). Users simply need to move a pointer over their city to obtain details about their local area’s climate change.

National online employment brand, www.CareerOne.com.au celebrated its new green initiatives in June 2007 by giving away an eco-friendly holiday at the Daintree Rainforest Eco-lodge worth $10,000.

National digital motoring brand, www.Carsguide.com.au has committed to planting and caring for 10,000 trees in Victoria as part of an online promotion to raise awareness about the greenhouse emissions generated from the cars on our streets.

Staff reusable mugs

NDM’s new energy efficient premises

One Degree cupcakes for staff to celebrate NDM’s carbon neutral status