Tuesday, April 1, 2008

April Fools? Or just a really great idea!

Eversheds to Run Sheep Pilot Scheme at New City Base

In a bizarre turn in its campaign to create London’s greenest law office, Eversheds is to let sheep loose on the roof of its new building at One Wood Street.

The trial scheme will see four sheep used for a three-month period to maintain the grass on the building’s flat eco-roof, which is designed to prevent heat escaping through the office ceiling.

The firm has recruited an animal welfare officer, Sean Coates, who will spend the equivalent of one day each week taking care of the animals.

Coates, a former RSPCA officer who is now a freelance consultant in urban livestock management, said: “It’s important we keep the sheep in tip top condition to get the best out of them.

“They work as a team so if one of them isn’t pulling their weight, we need to make sure we’re covered.”

Coates said that the animals did not represent a danger to pedestrians in high wind, but added that the firm was insured in case of such an incident.

The decision to conduct the trial came after Eversheds undertook a lengthy consultation into ways to introduce sustainable energy methods into the new office, which will be completed in May.

The majority of partners in a partnership vote supported a trial of the grazing scheme, leading to Eversheds consulting energy experts, farmers and animal trainers about its viability.

“As well as keeping the roof trim, it’s possible we will also use their waste to fertilise plants in the firm’s new herb garden,” Coates said.

If the scheme is continued beyond the three month trial, Eversheds associates will be given the chance to name the animals in an online poll on the firm’s intranet site.

The firm yesterday also revealed that it is set to use the underwire of bras in its London office’s 160,000 sq ft of flooring (The Lawyer, 31 March).

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I'm going to go work there and become a corporate rooftop sheep herder. I'm not sure what I want to do with tonight. I'm in kind of a cranktastic mood, so I'm not sure if that means I need to force myself to be productive, or just veg out. Not really sure what would make me feel better at this point, or what I have the energy for. First things first: dinner. Ugh.

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