How to Add a Local-First Focus to Your Business

Julie Starr • December 9, 2021



There are lots of different reasons why you might want to take a local-first approach to business. Perhaps you want to put down roots in your chosen area, maybe you want to increase your customer base, or perhaps you want to improve your green credentials. Whatever your reasons are, here are some of the things you can do to add a local-first focus to your business moving forward.

Work with Local People

Working with local people and hiring employees from the local area is one of the most important things you can do. Whenever you need a service carried out, be sure to bring people in from the local area. This will reduce travel times and therefore reduce carbon emissions, and it’ll be a sign that you’re looking to support other local businesses as well. The more you can do to support local people, the better.

Order Your Supplies Locally

You should definitely try to order the supplies that are vital to your business from local companies if you possibly can. When you do that, you’ll find that you’re able to ensure your business is, again, supporting the local economy and cutting down the distance your supplies have to travel before they reach you. It’s so much more sustainable that way.

Contribute to Local Environmental Initiatives

If there are initiatives ongoing in the local area aimed at improving the area or helping local landscapes and ecosystems, you should definitely take part in these in whatever way you can. By showing a commitment to the local environment, you’ll show local people that you’re serious about operating as a green and eco-friendly company. And most importantly, you’ll make your business a force for good in the local area.

Focus on Marketing to Local People

When it comes to marketing and advertising your business, it’s also important to focus on targeting local people. These are the people you need to engage and sell to, so it makes sense to target them with your digital ad campaigns. It’s also a lot more streamlined and affordable if you only target people in your specific location. There are plenty of companies out there that can help with small business SEO with a focus on local markets.

Commit to Ambitious Emissions Targets

Finally, you should think about your emissions targets and how you can potentially make them more ambitious moving forward. When you have ambitious targets in place, you can take your business in a better direction and show local people that you’re aware of the impact the business has on the local environment and that you’re doing everything in your power to minimize that impact. It’s something that more people than ever care about, and you should too.

A local-first approach could really help your business to make progress and integrate into the local area better. And, of course, it’ll help you to make your business more eco-friendly and sustainable at the same time, and that’s something every business owner is now striving for.

Can AI Support Environmental Sustainability? 5 Ways It's Already Making an Impact

By Julie Starr • May 12, 2025
As conversations about artificial intelligence (AI) evolve from hype to implementation, many sustainability professionals are beginning to ask: Can AI actually support environmental goals—or is it just another tech distraction? At Taiga Company, we believe this is exactly the right kind of question. New tools should be approached with thoughtful inquiry and grounded optimism. While there’s plenty of noise in the AI space, we’re also seeing early signals that AI, when applied responsibly, may offer significant benefits in advancing sustainability strategies. Below are five science-backed ways AI is already being used to support environmental sustainability—with links to explore the data behind each. 1. Optimizing Energy Use and Efficiency AI can analyze and forecast energy needs, detect inefficiencies in real time, and automate building and grid-level energy decisions. Google, for example, used DeepMind’s AI to reduce the energy used for cooling its data centers by 40% —a significant operational and environmental win. 2. Enhancing Climate Modeling and Prediction AI improves the accuracy and speed of climate models by processing vast datasets (like satellite data and atmospheric readings) faster than traditional tools. This can help scientists and policymakers better anticipate extreme weather, sea level rise, and other climate-related risks. 3. Enabling Smarter Agriculture and Resource Use In agriculture , AI supports precision farming—using data to guide decisions around water use, fertilizers, and pest management. These tools can reduce resource consumption and emissions while supporting food security. 4. Accelerating Circular Economy and Waste Reduction AI is being used to automate waste sorting, track materials through supply chains, and improve transparency around recycling and reuse. These innovations support circular economy goals and help reduce landfill and emissions. 5. Monitoring Ecosystems and Biodiversity AI-powered sensors, drones, and satellites can track deforestation, monitor endangered species, and even detect illegal activity in protected areas—helping conservation efforts scale more efficiently. What This Means for Corporate Sustainability For corporate sustainability leaders, these examples show that AI is not a magic solution—but it might be a valuable tool in the toolkit. Like any technology, its value depends on how it’s implemented, what data it's trained on, and whether it’s integrated with strategic goals. This is where communications plays a vital role. At Taiga Company, we help organizations articulate how technologies like AI fit into their broader environmental and business commitments. Whether through thought leadership, stakeholder education, reporting language, or digital engagement, our communications support helps make new tools understandable, actionable, and credible. We focus on: – Translating complex innovation into clear, values-aligned messaging – Engaging internal and external stakeholders on their learning journey – Showcasing measurable impact while aligning with evolving standards and frameworks – Sharing best practices in a way that encourages collaboration and informed adoption AI is not just a technology story—it’s a communication opportunity. It invites sustainability leaders to educate, inspire, and engage stakeholders around how they are navigating this next chapter.

What You Call It vs. What You Do: Communicating Impact Beyond ESG Labels

By Julie Starr • May 5, 2025
As the world continues to prioritize environmental, social, and governance (ESG) goals, a new technological movement is quietly reshaping how companies communicate their sustainability efforts: Web3. Web3—the next evolution of the internet built on decentralized technologies like blockchain—offers powerful new tools for ESG storytelling. At Taiga Company, we believe Web3 represents a transformational opportunity to enhance digital transparency, expand decentralized sustainability initiatives, and bring fresh credibility to corporate ESG communications. Web3 Unlocks Digital Transparency for ESG In an era where stakeholders expect greater accountability, Web3 provides an immutable, verifiable way to share ESG metrics. Blockchain technology enables companies to record sustainability data—such as carbon tracking, water usage, or supply chain emissions—directly on decentralized ledgers. This creates a new level of digital transparency that can bolster trust with investors, customers, and regulators. At Taiga Company, we help businesses translate these complex technical capabilities into clear, accessible communications. Our services bridge the gap between advanced Web3 solutions and everyday ESG storytelling , making decentralized reporting meaningful to broader audiences. Decentralized Sustainability and Regenerative Finance (ReFi) Beyond transparency, Web3 is giving rise to decentralized sustainability models. Projects in regenerative finance (ReFi) are using blockchain tools to incentivize environmental restoration, carbon sequestration, and climate-positive activities. These initiatives align with emerging ESG expectations that go beyond ‘do no harm’ and focus on regenerative impact. We work with companies to integrate these new paradigms into their sustainability narratives—highlighting how innovative approaches like ReFi contribute to broader environmental goals, align with ESG criteria, and showcase leadership in a rapidly changing landscape. A New Era for ESG Storytelling Traditional ESG reports often feel static, data-heavy, and disconnected from stakeholders. Web3 offers a dynamic, participatory model where audiences can engage with real-time sustainability data, track progress directly, and even contribute to decentralized initiatives. Our services specialize in creating communications that reflect this evolution. By combining our expertise in sustainability strategy with a growing understanding of Web3 trends, we help organizations: Translate decentralized sustainability efforts into compelling, credible stories Align carbon tracking and digital transparency initiatives with stakeholder expectations Position ESG leadership within the emerging Web3 economy The Path Forward Web3 won't replace traditional ESG frameworks, but it will significantly enhance them. Companies that start integrating decentralized transparency, carbon tracking, and regenerative finance into their sustainability communications today will be better positioned for tomorrow's expectations.  Ready to evolve your ESG communications for the Web3 era? Let's connect.