Sustainability
Looking after the environment is something I feel very strongly about, and something I wanted to incorporate into the ethos of Paper Toucan right from day one.
As part of this, I've pledged to plant a tree for every new client that signs a contract. In my first year I chose to support the Hiddel Brock Wood ancient woodland nature reserve, and purchased our first trees in January 2024. These Bird Cherry saplings from the Woodland Trust were planted in the wood in early 2024 - they kindly sent me photos of our little trees, which you can see below. In 2025, my family finally had a garden to call our own, and we've planted some native trees including hawthorn and holly.
I operate Paper Toucan in a low-impact manner. I use equipment that I already owned, and will keep purchases of new equipment to a minimum. By virtue of being a virtual assistant, I don't need to travel for meetings or a daily commute. Our electricity is supplied by Octopus, on a green tariff. I admit that I do still like making notes with paper and pen, but even my notebook was rummaged from the back of a drawer - I think it's close to 30 years old, as it has 'French' written on the front so it must be left over from my school days!
I have concerns about the over-use of AI (not least the environmental impact of it) and I tend to avoid using it for daily tasks. There's a time and place for everything and I'll work with AI software when it's the very best solution for your business, but rest assured that all my copy, emails, website etc are created by a real person - me!
I especially love to work with clients who share my appreciation of nature and the environment, so please do get in touch if you think we might be a good fit.
You can learn more about Hiddel Brock Wood on their website www.hiddelbrock.co.uk. It's a privately funded ancient woodland nature reserve in Northumberland, partly funded by the sale of the owners' books and artwork. Their children's books (based around Hiddel Brock Wood itself) are something really special - I particularly love What The Oak Tree Sees.
