As we arrive in September it feels like a return to normal life after a summer dominated by Euro 2024, the Olympics and the general election, which I will come back to later.
The sport was obviously lots of fun as I quickly learned (and just as quickly forgot again) all about ‘kickflips’ and ‘lipslides’ (skateboarding), ‘twists’ and ‘tucks’ (diving) and ‘carving’ and ‘cutbacks’ (surfing). And it was of course fantastic to see Team GB bring home so many medals.
Earlier this year it was claimed by organisers that the Paris Olympics would be the ‘greenest ever games’ as they aimed to use existing or temporary venues for most events and focusing on low carbon building for the rest. The statistics will hopefully reveal in due course just how successful the event has been in terms of sustainability, but it’s important that huge global events like this set an example in reducing our carbon footprint, as the technology used in large sporting arenas can be used in our homes and everyday workplaces.
Two of our special features this month, Lighting and Home Automation, are key industries in the UK’s aim to achieve its sustainability targets. An increasing shift towards LED lighting is helping to improve the UK’s position in its aim to meet its Net Zero carbon emissions by 2050 target, and it is becoming widely acknowledged that lighting – and lighting controls – will play a significant role in a new, modern built environment.
In this issue we not only have articles focusing on the latest products from some of the industry’s leading brands, you can also discover how wholesalers can work with their suppliers to offer LED upgrade kits to their customers. On page 26, Recolight CEO Nigel Harvey explains the role of the wholesaler as the key link between customer and manufacturer and why supporting remanufacture and upgrade solutions will ensure wholesalers do not lose out as the increased focus on sustainability and Net Zero emissions drives growth in this sector.
On a final note, the general election brought with it all the usual empty promises, soundbites, media hysteria and mudslinging we’ve come to expect but we’re now through all of that, for now at least, and a new Government is in place and Sir Keir Starmer is our new Prime Minister. Number 10 Downing Street became a virtual revolving door during the last administration, which did very little to help further initiatives in dealing with matters such as climate change. At the moment an era of government stability I think will be welcomed by all.
But for anyone who’s keen for a bit more political excitement…..if you can call it that…..the US presidential election is just around the corner!…‘Sigh’….
– Tracey Rushton-Thorpe
Catch up on previous ‘Editor’s Viewpoint’ here
