What is Earth Day and how is giffgaff making a difference?

Since 1970, April 22nd has celebrated one of our favourite events: Earth Day. A day when people across the world put a spotlight on environmental protection. And at giffgaff, it’s one of the most exciting days in our calendar. Here’s why.

Why is Earth Day important to giffgaff?

Here at giffgaff, making more sustainable choices is at the top of our priority list, and we’re fully committed to doing our part to protect the planet. That’s why this Earth Day, we’re rooting for all our members to take action by making a small positive change to their daily lives to reduce their carbon footprint.

World Earth Day is all about doing your bit to make a positive change. Whether that’s reducing your carbon footprint, recycling, or using public transport, every little counts. This Earth Day, we’re celebrating the progress that’s been made in environmental protection and highlighting what still needs to be done.

Earth Day falls on April 22nd every year. So it’s the perfect time to make a change, don’t you think?

How is giffgaff making a difference?

We’re not just sustainable for Earth Day. In fact, we’re super proud to be a B Corp and are always motivated by doing the right thing.

Here’s a few of our environmentally-friendly initiatives. And we’re only just getting started.

Refurbished phones

We’re big believers that refurbished phones are the best thing since sliced bread.

In fact, 75% of all phones bought through giffgaff in 2022 were refurbished, and over 4,000 phones were traded in. What’s more, all our refurbished phones are delivered in boxes made from 100% FSC-accredited MIX cardboard, a mix of sustainably sourced and recycled material, so you can rest assured your phone is as sustainable as can be.

SIMs made more sustainable

We know that even the small things can make a big difference. That’s why all the packs our giffgaff SIMs come in are made from 100% FSC-accredited MIX paper; that’s a mix of recycled pulp and sustainable forests.

Eco ratings

In 2021, we introduced eco ratings to our phone pages so you can see how environmentally friendly your new phone will be.

Eco ratings give phones a score to show their environmental performance out of 100. This score considers five key things: durability, climate efficiency, reparability, resource efficiency and recyclability, so you have all the info you need to choose the right phone for you.

e-waste initiative

Genuine Solutions (a fellow B Corp) has teamed up with us as part of our new recycling scheme. If your phone’s a bit long in the tooth without any trade-in value, or you have an old SIM card you want to get rid of, you can send them to us and they’ll either be refurbished or disposed of responsibly by our partners.

If your old phone has zero value, we’ll take out all the precious minerals in it for reuse and Genuine Solutions will dispose of everything else safely. And the best part is, it’s completely free for our lovely members.

The giffgaff HQ

Our lovely gaff in Uxbridge (giffgaff HQ) is actually BREEAM certified ‘Excellent’ with sustainable design, construction, and operations.

The building has 50m2 of solar panels, rainwater harvesting, 58 cycle storage spaces and lockers, 20 electric car charging points, and 300m2 of biodiverse sedum roof. Phew. Now that’s what we call sustainable.

Keep your eyes peeled for any juicy updates about our environmentally friendly initiatives on the giffgaff community forum.

How can you make a difference this Earth Day?

One of the best ways we can all celebrate Earth Day is by making more eco-friendly choices in our everyday lives. It’s not just about big changes, but also the little things we can do that make a big difference. Here are some simple ways to be greener this Earth Day:

• Reduce, Reuse, Recycle: This classic mantra still holds up. Try to cut down on using single-use items, reuse items when you can, and recycle as much as you can.
• Use public transport: Instead of getting behind the wheel, why not get the bus or train, or even carpool to reduce your carbon footprint? If you’re not going too far, walking and cycling are also really good for the glutes. And the environment, of course.
• Save energy: Remember to switch off any lights and electronics when you’re not using them. Unplug any chargers you’re not using too, as they can still use energy even if nothing is charging.
• Conserve water: Fix up any leaks in your home and use low-flow showerheads and taps. Try taking shorter showers and avoid leaving the water running while brushing your teeth or washing up.
• Plant a tree: Trees help absorb carbon dioxide and pump out glorious oxygen. Planting a tree is a great way to give back to the environment and make your surroundings a little prettier.
• Support environmentally-friendly businesses: Look for businesses that do their bit to be more sustainable. You could also support local farmers and businesses that use organic and sustainable practices.
• Spread the word: Have a chat with your friends and family and tell them all about how important it is to make eco-friendly choices. By making small changes together, we can make a big impact.

Fancy winning a terrific giffgaff refurbished phone? Just share any pics of your Earth Day escapades on our community forum for your chance to win. And keep an eye out on April 22nd for our Earth Day quiz on Instagram, you won’t want to miss it.