This Earth Day 2024, 22nd April, the Philatelic Traders' Society have, for the third year running, partnered with Ecologi to fund the planting of a tree for each of our members, and we've planted enough in advance for all of our anticipated new member applicants this coming year.
By funding high-quality tree planting projects across the globe, we are not only restoring habitats, but we are also helping to support local livelihoods in places such as Madagascar, Peru and Uganda. Planting trees has a number of benefits for mitigating climate change, supporting biodiversity and also for human health. As a climate solution, the conservation and restoration of forests is a key solution because it helps to sink carbon from the atmosphere and store it in the trees' biomass.
As an organisation, we recognise that we have an impact on our planet – whether that be through travel or heating the office or printing and shipping PTS materials. It is important to question spend and activity to see if we can act smarter for our planet.
We continue to reduce paper usage in the office, and utilise teleconference tools for a substantial number of our meetings to reduce travel impact. This year, at Stampex at the BDC, we swapped a heavy printed Show Guide Booklet with a lighter weight Show Map (supplemented with online content), reducing paper use, postage impact, and waste. We also received our first environmental impact report from Stampex 2023 at the Business Design Centre which placed Stampex International as one of the best performing events to take place at the venue when it came to lowest environmental impact. We are proud to work with the B Corp Certified Business Design Centre as our physical event venue. The BDC is on track to be net-zero by 2030.
But it's also about the little things - from using auto energy saving options on our computers, reusing old packaging materials, switching to LED lightbulbs, having a separate waste paper basket for recycling versus landfill, and having an energy supplier focused on green energy supply.
We also recognise the responsibility we have to help support and celebrate our 300+ members in their own green initiatives, today, and every day.
We have recently accepted Ascension Island Post Office as a new member to the PTS, and we look forward to sharing more about how philatelic design from such territories can help educate people about how the environment around us is changing, and what we can do to protect it.
And did you know that the Isle of Man, whose Post Office is also a member of the PTS, is a recognised UNESCO Biosphere? This month, a stamp design made the Biosphere news. You can read more about the issue here: Marine Mosaics - Biosphere
Thank you to all of our members, suppliers, team, and supporters for considering your impact on our planet today, and every day.
We will leave you with a Quiz - to enjoy, and maybe to discover something new:
Happy Earth Day 2024.
Earth Day is a day which has been a gaining momentum since 1970 and is recognised every year on the 22nd of April. Earth Day raises awareness of global environmental protection and gives the world an opportunity to come together and take action.Â
Are you or your organisation doing something good for the planet, or do you have an idea for how the PTS & Stampex can further minimise our environmental impact? We'd love to hear your thoughs in the comments below.