Editorial comment
Spring has finally sprung. The trees are lined with blossom, daffodils and tulips have sprouted from seemingly every spare patch of earth, bumblebees are bumbling, I’m buying up hay fever medication, and it’s just a few more days until Easter (and a four-day Bank Holiday weekend for those of us in the UK).
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But it’s not just the flowers that are opening up. Spurred on by declining case numbers and the success of the vaccine rollout (so far...), the UK is gradually rolling back pandemic restrictions once more. On the day that I write this, in England two households (in groups of up to six people) are once again allowed to meet outdoors (albeit with social distancing), weddings (attended by six people) are back on, and outdoor sports facilities, such as tennis courts and golf courses are reopening.
We aren’t out of the woods yet; case numbers are rising elsewhere, and with the risk posed by novel variants of the virus, nowhere is completely safe until everyone has been vaccinated, but there is finally some steady light at the end of the tunnel and we now have the tools to fight back.
That means that it’s once again time to think about how we want the world to be when life returns to ‘normal’ in the not too distant future. For example, the sudden change in lifestyles imposed by the pandemic has accelerated the trend towards remote working and left many businesses with decisions as to how much they support it once restrictions are lifted. The other big factor is the environment. Although industrial activity has recovered somewhat since, the initial lockdowns in 2020 provided, for the first time, a live ‘before & after’ snapshot of what the world would be like with fewer emissions, less vehicle traffic, noise, and other ‘side effects’ of our industrialised societies. The stories of wildlife reclaiming quiet streets and news of the drop in emissions were heart-warming and a sign that making ‘green’ choices really did have an impact.
That’s why it’s more important than ever that you attend EnivroTech 2021, the interactive online conference hosted by World Cement that focuses on what the cement industry can do to reduce its environmental impact.
Set over two days (20 & 21 April), EnviroTech 2021 will feature technical presentations packed with actionable business insights from industry leaders, such as LafargeHolcim, FLSmidth, Votorantim Cimentos, Beumer Group, thyssenkrupp Industrial Solutions and many more. In addition to presentations, we’ll also be running live Q&As so you can put your questions directly to the experts.
And if that wasn’t enough, we’ll also be hosting a virtual exhibition, so you can interact with company representatives and check out the latest products, projects and services on offer from a range of leading companies.
Simply head over to: www.worldcement.com/envirotech2021 to register, free of charge. I look forward to seeing you there.
