SBS21: What is carbon offsetting and how can it be used for your business?
Tree-V
This blog post has been produced for the Greater Birmingham and Coventry and Warwickshire Chambers of Commerce as part of the 2021 Sustainable Business Series: Net Zero campaign.
The Sustainable Business Series: Net Zero is the Chamber’s first campaign on environmental sustainability, which aims to share best practice, guidance and knowledge to increase business progress to net zero. In 2021, this involves 5 free online webinars taking place from the end of September and throughout October along with publishing thought leadership podcasts, videos and blog content. The campaign will feature a Sustainability Summit on 3rd November
Thanks to our Headline Sponsors – Aston University, Arup, Morgan Sindall and the University of Birmingham - all webinars and the Summit are free to attend. Interested parties can find out more about eh Sustainable Business Series: Net Zero here.
We hate to be those people and put our teacher’s pet hat on straight away but carbon offsetting is only half the story and is part of something called Carbon Balancing. Balancing includes offsetting and carbon capture and is a key part of the UK Government’s plan to achieve their green targets.
WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE?
Carbon capture supports the planting of new woodland. Over the lifetime of the newly planted tree it will absorb the carbon your business is producing.
Carbon offsetting supports established forestry projects and offsets today’s emissions from the get-go.
HOW CARBON BALANCING WORKS
The beauty of carbon offsetting and capturing is how simple the science is. We know humans like to breathe oxygen and plants are partial to a bit of carbon dioxide. Well, the more trees we have, the more carbon dioxide is ‘breathed’ (called sequestering) in and taken out of the atmosphere. This means that all those carbon dioxide particles your business has produced are no longer floating around the atmosphere. As long as the trees that have done that balancing are never burned down then it will be locked in forever!
HOW DOES CARBON OFFSETTING HELP MY BUSINESS?
In 2019, 47% of internet users* had stopped using products that did not share their personal values, and the biggest quoted value was the environment. Carbon offsetting or capturing your business is an easy way to show your company’s green values. Aside from doing some good, the PR benefits are huge, giving your company a sustainable edge over your competitors.
WHAT CAN I CARBON OFFSET?
In theory any product or service your business consumes can be replaced by green alternatives or be carbon balanced. For example you could switch to an eco-friendly energy supplier or purchase some electric vehicles but here at Tree-V we know for some of our customers embracing these alternatives isn’t feasible right now.
But carbon offsetting or capturing is always an achievable and affordable alternative. With a calculator and a bit of help from a carbon balancing company you’ll be able to work out your carbon footprints and balance anything.
WHAT NEXT?
There are a variety of companies that can help and you need to find the right company for you. Some will help you with every element of your business life and others will help with a particular niche but provide more accurate analysis and targeted support. For example, here at Tree-V we specialise in carbon balancing automotive emissions and help customers market that to their customers. We know that vehicle emissions aren’t the only element of a company’s carbon footprint but they are one of the most obvious, one of the most easily tackled and, once balanced, a step that will leave the biggest impression on your customers.
Whatever you end up doing, it is better than doing nothing! Carbon offsetting is the perfect sticking plaster to prevent any further damage whilst we transition to clean energy. It’s a quick win for you, your customers and the planet.
Find out more on how to carbon balance your company’s mileage at www.tree-v.com/commercial/commercial-enquiries/
Tree-V & Amanda
At Tree-V we focus on carbon offsetting for all vehicles. Our mission is to help those unable to convert their vehicles to electric, from business owners to classic car enthusiasts still keep their miles green and environmentally friendly! Our ambition is to, one day, make sure that the pollution from every mile powered by fossil fuels is cancelled out by the planting of beautiful new woodlands, throughout the UK and abroad. I am a car enthusiast and grew up very near Coventry where my Dad worked as an Engineer in the Coventry car factories.
*https://www.emarketer.com/chart/228374/internet-users-worldwide-who-have-switched-productservice-company-violated-their-personal-values-jan-2019-of-respondents