Kith and Kin switch to solar—video transcript
In this Kith and Kin climate action case study video, Townsville-based disability service provider Kith and Kin shows how small sustainable business choices can make positive climate impacts.
Kith and Kin switch to solar
[Lauren Shuman - Sustainability lead and facilitator, Kith and Kin]
Climate action means to make a change, make a difference towards reducing our carbon footprint and reducing our impact on the Earth.
[Alfred Wimblett - CEO, Kith and Kin]
To me, the key word is action, is to take action. The world's changing, so I think it's important that everybody jump on board and not get left behind.
Kith and Kin's a disability service, and we operate a learning centre here, and we also provide outreach services in people's homes, and we basically help people with disabilities to get out into their communities and do the things that they want to do.
[Lauren Shuman]
One of the original board members was really passionate about climate change and wanted to make a difference as well as assist Kith and Kin to save money and make changes for us to be sustainable long term.
[Alfred Wimblett]
We've transitioned 50% of our fleet to hybrid. As the technology becomes available with hybrid and electric, and down the track, possibly hydrogen, we'll transition our whole fleet to being more sustainable.
This building for instance has got 120 solar panels and we'd like to put more up, in the future, we're looking at batteries within the next 12 months, so that we can capture more savings and spread that energy usage out.
[Lauren Shuman]
It directly helps us do activities with our participants, they get really excited and into the recycling and the gardening group and growing their own vegetables and their own plants and showing each other basically what they have made and what they've done.
And that really translates into us as a whole, being able to show everyone what we're doing and what we've done and how it benefits not only us, but also the participants, and then, obviously, the world.
[Alfred Wimblett]
If you've got capital and you invest it, it's certainly worthwhile in terms of having great returns on not only financially, but socially, and the community organisations that maybe don't have the capital, then certainly, seek out some grants, participate in being more sustainable, it's something that we can all do.
[Lauren Shuman - Sustainability lead and facilitator, Kith and Kin]
Start small, it doesn't have to be big changes first, you can start small and work your way forward.
Watch the Kith and Kin climate action case study video.