Original post on Treehugger
There was a time when environmentalists targeted Lego for partnering with oil companies, but from its search for a non-plastic alternative for its bricks to a commitment to run on 100% renewable energy by 2020, the company has been making significant strides toward sustainability.
Now they’ve achieved a very important milestone: The total ouput from the investments by the LEGO Group in renewables now exceeds the energy consumed at all LEGO factories, stores and offices globally.
In other words, they’ve achieved their 100% renewable energy goal three years early! What’s even cooler, however, is that the company plans to keep on going. While much of its current achievements have been due to strategic investments in major offshore wind farms, it is also working on incorporating solar power and other renewables directly into its operations. Cleantechnica reports, for example, that a Lego factory in China will soon be home to 20,000 solar panels.
This is an exciting indication of how quick corporate support of renewable energy is scaling. Not that long ago, it was news when a company installed a few megawatts of solar at individual locations. Then it was news when companies committed to eventually run on 100% renewables. Now companies are achieving those goals, often years ahead of schedule. And—importantly in a world where other entities are lagging—these leaders appear to show no signs of slowing down.
Steve Howard of IKEA once noted that ambition is easier than incrementalism. I am beginning to think he may have been right.