Reduce, Reuse and Recycle – Help Win the War on Waste

Here at Firefly, our mission is to be as well known for our commitment to sustainability as we are for providing an exceptional service to our customers. 

Past blog posts, such as Sustainable Style, have highlighted our efforts to promote sustainability over single-use products. But what we would also like to share with you is how we apply our values across all aspects of our business – from the suppliers we choose to work with to how we furnish the office. 

The 3 Rs

The 3 Rs – Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle – are at the heart of everything we do. By continuously keeping these at the forefront of our minds, we take responsibility for the environment as a business and as individuals. It allows us to feel confident we are doing our best to limit any potentially negative impact we may have on the planet as much as possible. 

Reduce

Of the 3 Rs, this one is a biggie – the best way to manage waste is not to have any in the first place! 

The reality, of course, is that living your life or running a business without generating waste is impossible. But, if you can take positive action to manage waste production and reduce it to an absolute minimum, you can feel reassured you are playing your part.

Over the years, we have significantly reduced our waste across all parts of our business, often preventing the production of it in the first place. Our suppliers are fully aware of our values and understand that we prefer to view their products online rather than receive catalogues, for example. Additionally, we ask that they use only the minimum amount of packaging needed to prevent any damage during transit and that, where possible, only the number of items we order are produced, and no more. 

We take responsibility on a more individual level, too – switching off energy points when not in use and only ever boiling the amount of water needed when it’s time for a cuppa!

Reuse

We like to reuse items here at Firefly until they can be used no more (at which point we look to recycle). With a bit of love and care, you can prolong the life of so many things, from your clothing to furniture and most things in between. 

We even go so far as to open packing boxes and envelopes as carefully as possible, enabling us to reuse them – it all helps! We also have fun challenging ourselves to find the best pre-loved clothing from charity shops or websites such as Vinted. Great clothes at bargain prices – it’s a win for us AND a win for the planet.

And keep in mind that reusing doesn’t have to mean sticking with the product’s original purpose. Social media is awash with people upcycling and repurposing. If turning a plant pot into a lamp feels a little ambitious (there are some seriously creative people out there), start small by turning old jam jars into storage for your herbs! 

But of course, some waste is produced that really is good for nothing, at which point we move on to…

Recycle

One of our favourite ways to recycle is through the organisation A Good Thing. A Good Thing links businesses with surplus products or items they no longer need and charities that would make great use of these. Not only does this prevent them from ending up in landfill, but it also helps those who need it. We always strive to get things right first time, but we are human, as are our suppliers, and mistakes can happen. Very occasionally, items are misprinted, and rather than dispose of these, A Good Thing helps them find very grateful recipients. 

Whilst we operate a paperless policy as much as is viable, any paper we do use is recycled, and our wastepaper gets recycled too – along with all other recyclables that pass through the business, including our food waste!

And then, of course, there are the products we recommend to our customers – an extensive selection of recycled, organic and sustainable products. We take great pride in selecting our suppliers based not only on their high quality and innovative products but also on their environmental credentials, which deeply align with our brand values.

Finally, our office is furnished with second hand and refurbished furniture, and, whilst we accept that we are possibly a little biased, we think it looks really rather stylish! 

CSR Accreditation

We are SO proud to say that thanks to all of our efforts outlined above (and with some blood, sweat and tears thrown in for good measure), Firefly has achieved Silver CSR accreditation, and we were only 3% shy of Gold! 

CSR-A is setting the standard for social responsibility, which deeply resonates with us at Firefly. This was our second time going through the process, having first done so three years ago. We were so pleased to achieve 65% the first time around as a small company that had just survived a global pandemic, but this time we smashed it with 77%. Such a fantastic achievement for us, and you just KNOW that the next time, we will be chasing that Gold!

What Can You Do?

Having read this blog, we would love to think you now have a greater understanding of what the 3 Rs mean to us at Firefly and how they shape our daily business activities.

But what would make us even happier is to think that you may even feel inspired to make some positive changes of your own! And if you do, we would love for you to get in touch and tell us about it!