Whether it’s RDS-down fill or Fair Trade ingredients, becoming a B-Corp or committing to 1% for the Planet, certifications matter more than ever, as consumers demand transparency and responsibility. But in the race to do business in a more positive way, there are dozens, maybe thousands, of ways companies can claim they’re doing better. Some are worth their salt, while others are buzzwords and greenwashing. This is why certification matters – especially when it comes to climate-relevant measures, where the details make all the difference. So what does it mean when a brand is certified carbon neutral?
WHAT IS CARBON NEUTRAL?
Carbon neutrality refers to a commitment to continual reduction of carbon dioxide emissions along with an investment in methods to offset those that remain. This matters because when carbon dioxide—a primary greenhouse gas aka GHG—enters the atmosphere, it traps heat and alters our climate, resulting in the detrimental effects we see and feel, like wildfires, droughts, and heatwaves.
GHGs, however, are inherent to industry, and it’s almost impossible to produce any product without emitting some carbon dioxide in the process. So, first a business must look to reduce its own emissions, or its “carbon footprint.” This can take place across the supply chain, from packaging materials to the source of electricity powering a factory. But since most modes of transportation still run on fossil fuels, and most factories aren’t powered on wind and sunshine alone, this leaves GHGs that need to be accounted for and canceled out, i.e. “offset.”
Offsets, sometimes referred to as carbon credits, are investments in projects that often aim to remove carbon from the atmosphere and put it back where it belongs, in trees and soil. This is known as sequestration. Other offset initiatives represent future emissions reduction by supporting renewable energy initiatives like solar and wind power or electric transportation, for example. Investment in refrigerant recycling is another other example of a potential offset initiative.