The Eco Plumber

Many companies credit themselves as being eco friendly, but a few would go as far as The Eco Plumber to reduce their carbon footprint. I’d like to introduce you to Justin, also known as The Eco Plumber. Justin has been in the plumbing and heating business for 30 years and recently ditched his four-wheeled vehicle in favour of a more environmentally friendly version. The Eco Plumber will get to you not in a van but on his bike. 

Justin made the radical decision to swap from four wheels to two, two years ago.  

“I just had enough of sitting in the traffic with my van and felt there had to be a better way,” Justin said when asked about his decision to abandon the van. 

Justin has always loved cycling, so this was a natural transition. In his own words, he has ridden bikes almost since he was born. Over the years he has completed the iconic London to Brighton cycle ride so many times he has lost count, but it has been over 20 times. On some of these times, riding to Brighton wasn’t enough for him he also rode back making it a nearly 120 mile round trip. 

The first time he rode there and back, he did it with an old school friend, Ian. The rail companies had stopped cyclists from taking their bikes on the trains on the day of the ride, and Justin wasn’t keen on the alternative option of getting his bike back to London. He had just had his bike serviced and repainted and didn’t want it to get damaged. Justin did the ride with Ian a few more times, but sadly Ian passed away at a young age in a motorcycle accident. 

Justin has also completed the London to Paris ride where he shared the experience with riders such as Stephen Roche, an Irish profession cyclist and a Tour De France winner, and Nigel Mansell, former Formula 1 driver. Next year, in the autumn of 2021, Justin will embark on an epic ride across Europe. He will ride from the northernmost point in Norway to the southernmost in Spain. All the cycling he does to get to his plumbing jobs should help with the preparation. 

When asked what prompted him to become a plumber on two wheels, Justin said it was the rising levels of pollution in London and that he kept seeing more and more cargo bikes around. 

“I kept seeing companies using cargo bikes to deliver goods and thought maybe I could use one in my business. I can fit all the essential tools I need in a cargo bike box,” he said. 

Using a bike instead of a van also saves time and money. With vans and cars sitting in the near-stationary traffic of London, Justin can weave around on his bike. The bike he now uses is the bullet bike, a slightly different version of cargo bikes than the one seen in the video. He describes the bullet bike as the racehorse of cargo bikes. Using a bike is more cost effective since there are no petrol or parking costs. These are savings which Justin reflects in his hourly rates so his customers benefit from his environmentally friendly mode of transport, too. 

But most importantly, The Eco Plumber is about reducing his carbon footprint and doing his part in saving our planet. 

“Each mile I cover on my bike instead of a van, saves 411 grams of carbon dioxide,” Justin’s research shows. 

On an average day, Justin covers between 15-20 miles, meaning the daily CO2 savings are between 6165 and 8220 grams. Imagine that saving across the year. 

“You only have to look at the changes in the seasons across the world, to realise that we all need to pull our weight to save this planet. By using a bike, I’m reducing my own and my clients’ carbon footprint.”

Justin’s environmentally friendly plumbing services are currently available in Southwest, West and Central London but hopes to expand the area he covers by recruiting other plumbers as keen as he is on looking after our planet. 

If Justin were to win the money from this challenge, he would use it to expand his company so that his these eco-friendly services would be available in more locations. 

You can show your support to Justin by following him on Instagram ( https://www.instagram.com/the_eco_plumber/?hl=en ) and by liking and sharing this article. Those living in the area he covers, can also contact him for their plumbing needs and spread the word.