What is the Gold Standard for Carbon Offsets?
At Jute Gardens we use a carbon calculator to calculate our carbon footprint and we purchase carbon offsets to compensate for our greenhouse gas emissions. Offsets are measured in tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e). One tonne of carbon offset represents the reduction of one tonne of carbon dioxide or its equivalent in other greenhouse gases. Our goal is to meet carbon-neutral or net-zero emission reductions. We donate proceeds of our business to The Gold Standard and we donate a portion of each transaction on our website to Planet, Shopify’s carbon offset application. Planet allows us to offer carbon-neutral shipping to our customers around the world.
The Gold Standard for Carbon Offsets is both a standard for non-governmental emission reductions developed in 2003 by World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), HELIO International and SouthSouthNorth. It is a non-governmental organization (NGO) headquartered in Geneva Switzerland. The Gold Standard offers a voluntary carbon offset program focused on progressing the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The organization provides a way for businesses and individuals to donate to carbon-offsetting projects around the world. The Gold Standard certification program is open to any non-government, community-based organization, especially those with an interest in the promotion of sustainable development or a focus on climate and energy issues. On The Gold Standard’s website, you can learn about the certification process and the projects they support designed to offset carbon emissions.
According to the David Suzuki Foundation, “The Gold Standard is widely considered to be the highest global standard for carbon offsets. It ensures that key environmental criteria have been met by offset projects that carry its label. Only offsets from energy-efficiency and renewable-energy projects qualify for the Gold Standard. These projects encourage a shift away from fossil fuel use and carry inherently low environmental risks.”
The Dangers of Carbon Emissions
Carbon emissions are dangerous. They threaten the livelihood of our planet. The carbon emissions trapped in our atmosphere cause global warming, which causes climate change. We see symptoms of climate change more and more. The polar ice caps are melting, leading to rising sea levels. We see an increase in extreme weather events. And there is something else to consider. A recent scientific study provides the first evidence of a mechanism by which climate change could have played a direct role in the emergence of the Covid-19 virus. It is likely that climate change contributed to the bat’s natural habitat being disturbed. The species of bat that carried the virus likely moved from one area to another, taking the virus with them, most likely causing the virus to evolve and be transmitted to other animals. You can read more about this study in the journal Science of the Total Environment.
Criticism of Carbon Offset Programs
Not all carbon offset programs are legitimate. In fact, some of them are scams. In order for a carbon offset project to be legitimate, at a minimum its results must be measurable and independently verified. In addition, some carbon offset programs may lead to greenhouse gas emissions in other places, a process known as leakage. For example, a tree planting project causes deforestation somewhere else. We trust The Gold Standard. It is a reputable organization backed by various NGOs and supported by environmental organizations such as the David Suzuki Foundation.
Our Environmental Impact
Carbon offsets are not a perfect solution, but we feel that as a small business with a goal to remain carbon neutral, they are an important tool in our toolkit to lower net carbon emissions. We recognize that offsets are not a replacement for taking action to reduce our carbon footprint and that they are the last resort to compensate for emissions we can’t currently avoid. We hope you agree!
Carbon offsets, like those offered by The Gold Standard, typically support projects that reduce the emission of greenhouse gases in the short- or long term. A common project type is a renewable energy project, such as wind farms, biomass energy, biogas digesters, or hydroelectric dams. Others include energy efficiency projects, the destruction of industrial pollutants, the destruction of landfill methane, and forestry projects.
Products made from jute stood out for us at Jute Gardens as a smart alternative to gardening with plastics. It’s easy to find plastic grow pots, plastic vertical gardens, and plastic microgreen kits online or in stores. But plastics have many harmful effects on our environment. They harm marine and human health. They litter beaches and landscapes. They clog waste streams and landfills. Toxic chemicals leach out of plastics and are found in the blood and tissue of nearly all of us. Exposure to them is linked to cancers, birth defects, impaired immunity, endocrine disruption and other ailments. And perhaps worst of all, plastics never really go away. Plastics cannot biodegrade. Instead, they simply break down over many, many years into smaller and smaller pieces. Jute, on the other hand, is biodegradable, compostable, and recyclable.
As a small business owner, it is important to me that our company strives to be environmentally friendly. I believe that that is important to our customers as well. Not only are our products made from biodegradable, compostable, and recyclable fibers, but we make a conscious effort to reduce our carbon impact on the environment in other ways. We recognize that the shipping of our products by sea and land from India, where jute is harvested and our products are manufactured, to our customers around the world, we are contributing to an excess of carbon dioxide in the air and therefore a build-up of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.
Please view this video to learn more about the environmental benefits of jute.
