INDUSTRY
What is Carbon Neutrality — and How to Achieve It By: Kym Bolado
C
arbon neutral is the term that has sparked insurmountable interest since its debut as the 2006 Oxford dictionary word of the year. So what’s the buzz all about? An increasing number of businesses have pledged to go carbon neutral in an attempt to reduce their carbon footprint. With the atmospheric carbon levels reaching an all-time high in 2020 at 412.5 ppm (parts per million), now is the time to look into green business practices. So, let’s take a look at what it means to be carbon neutral and how to implement these practices into a business. What Is Carbon Neutrality? Carbon neutrality is when the amount of carbon released into the atmosphere is balanced or offset by the amount of carbon taken out of the atmosphere. In principle, by investing in decarbonizing energy, you can neutralize the carbon produced and achieve carbon-neutral status. There are many benefits to going carbon neutral for businesses and the environment. For a business, being carbon neutral demonstrates the company’s environmental responsibility and its commitment to preserving the ecosystem. It also establishes a sustainable profile that aligns the company into the portfolio of other eco-conscious businesses. With that said, there are also plenty of benefits for the environment, including less environmental pollution, preserving biodiversity and improved ocean conditions. At the end of the day, the optics are great for a business, and there are plenty of positive environmental impacts. How to Be a Carbon Neutral Company Businesses can be carbon neutral by using third-party tools to calculate their carbon emissions. From there, they can balance their carbon footprint by investing in green energy. There are businesses across all industries that have carbon-neutral policies. Technology and Software: Kickstarter. Kickstarter is an influential entity in the community, as it is not only carbon neutral but also encourages other businesses to take
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the pledge. It has been certified carbon neutral since 2019, purchasing carbon credits to offset its carbon footprint and implementing plans to reduce future emissions. It has transitioned to 100% renewable energy in the office and reduced the carbon footprint for its cloud computing software by 14%. Fashion & Accessories: Warby Parker. Warby Parker is one of the only carbon-neutral
eyewear companies in the world — selling sustainable eyewear online at affordable prices. The factories not only comply with existing environmental laws, but it has encouraged new environmental goals on the management of water, waste, scraps and dust by-products during production. In previous years, they have been purchasing carbon offsets in wind farms — specifically in the Sky Wind Project — which
