ZWS Is Carbon Neutral! How to Conquer Your Footprint With Carbon Offsetting
ZWS Is Carbon Neutral! Learn exactly what that means plus some additional steps you can take toward reducing your own carbon footprint. We've got you covered!
Estimated Read Time: 6 minutes
Edited March 2023
Manmade climate change is an environmental disaster that has been centuries in the making.
Since the start of the Industrial Revolution, there has been a 30% increase in the heat-trapping carbon dioxide (CO2) concentration levels in our atmosphere, intensifying the Earth’s greenhouse effect and steadily pushing us closer and closer toward a global warming disaster.
But catastrophe need not be our fate, should sustainability be our future.
The world is in the midst of an environmental awakening, and we are the individuals that make up an ever-growing green movement. We have been called upon to lead the way in which zero waste living and carbon offsetting allows us to shape a cleaner, greener destiny that future generations will be able to enjoy.
Attaining Carbon Neutrality through Carbon Offsetting
Photo by Tyler Casey on Unsplash
Changing old wasteful ways with new energy-conserving habits like carpooling, reducing air travel, and dimming your lights can help reduce the amount of greenhouse gases (GHG) you create, also called your carbon footprint.
Using an online carbon footprint calculator, you will be able to quantify your emissions into real numbers with which to measure your progress by. By continuing to conquer more and more energy-saving habits, you can reduce your carbon footprint to a bare minimum. Carbon offsets can be used to neutralize these residual emissions.
Carbon offsetting is simply a method in which you can use emission-reducing action in one place to compensate for emission-producing action in another place.
The most common way of offsetting is by purchasing a carbon credit. These carbon credits funnel through an organization that directly funds environmental projects that remove greenhouse gases from the atmosphere allowing you to reduce your carbon footprint and achieve the goal of carbon neutrality!
- Calculate – Find your carbon footprint by quantifying the average amount of greenhouse gases you emit into the atmosphere with a carbon footprint calculator like this one.
- Mitigate – Mitigate your negative environmental impact by adopting carbon footprint-friendly behaviors to reduce the size of your carbon footprint.
- Compensate – Pay carbon offsets into environmental projects that remove CO2 from the atmosphere to compensate for any residual emissions.
While it’s practically impossible for anyone to emit no GHGs at all (just the act of breathing produces carbon dioxide), achieving a carbon-neutral footprint is a realistic goal with carbon offsetting.
ZWS Carbon-Neutral Shipping Combats Climate Change!
Zero Waste Store constantly strives to provide the most sustainable, eco-friendly online shopping experience for our customers.
And now with every ZWS order, you can fight manmade climate change on 2 fronts with carbon-neutral shipping and nature-safe products that steer clear of toxic landfills.
ZWS is certified Climate Neutral making your ZWS order carbon footprint-friendly convenient, easy, and automatic!
To be considered Climate Neutral we have to follow a few guidelines.
- Measure our annual Greenhouse Gas emissions
- Create a GHG reduction plan with clear checkpoints
- Show progress towards achieving our GHG reduction plan
- Invest in carbon credits that directly involve carbon reduction or removal
Every purchase made from ZeroWasteStore will now automatically include a carbon offset. You can click through to see more information on the environmental organization that the credit will be funding and details on its emission-reducing operation.
When it comes to protecting Mother Earth, big impacts come with small footprints. Offering carbon offsetting for our customers is something we are proud to offer, and just another way to do what we can for the health of our planet.
Add More Climate Neutrality to Your Life
Photo by Andreas Gücklhorn on Unsplash
While you don’t need to purchase carbon credits for every single product in your life, a good place to start is by reducing your carbon consumption as best you can in your everyday life.
The biggest contributors to your carbon footprint are food, transportation, and housing.
Food
Photo by Soo Ann Woon
This isn’t the first time you’ve heard this and it won’t be the last. Eat less meat. There are countless articles available discussing which diet is best for the planet but one thing they all agree on is that eating less meat is the way to go.
Food Consumption
- Eat less meat
- Eat more vegetables, fruits, grains, and legumes
- Opt for 1-2 meatless days per week
- Try vegetarianism or pescetarianism
- Prioritize locally grown and harvested food
- Prioritize seasonal fruits and vegetables
Food Planning
- Americans waste 40% of their food supply
- Cut back on your food waste by creating a meal plan for the week
- Get creative and use all the food you have to make meals before shopping for more
- Check your fridge and pantry before grocery shopping
- Take a grocery list to the store with you and stick to it
- Eat your leftovers
- Freeze what can be frozen (and actually eat it. Set an alarm, write it on the calendar, do what you need to do).
And of course, start composting to help turn your food scraps back into nutrient-rich natural fertilizer!
Transportation
Photo by Robert So from Pexels
Drive less. It’s much easier said than done but if and whenever possible, sub out a trip in the car with a bike ride, walk, train, or public transportation.
For the rest of the time when you need to use your car, consider these carbon-saving tips:
- Carpool
- Use cruise control on long stretches
- Keep the A/C to a minimum, roll down those windows
- Regularly schedule car maintenance to keep your car at peak performance
- Drive efficiently to get the best fuel performance possible
- If you’re considering a new car, consider an electric or hybrid model
Fly less. We’re all finally free with the most flexible schedules we’ve ever so choose your trips wisely. Feel better splurging on direct flights not just for your sanity but for the climate as well.
Consider opting into carbon credits for your flights. If flying is non-negotiable for you, there are programs available that help offset the emission of your flight by direction investing in environmental programs. Feel extra good about that vacation.
Housing
Photo by Ksenia Chernaya from Pexels
We all have many habits around the house that we can begin adjusting to help reduce our energy consumption and emissions! A lot of it is probably stuff your parents told you to do to save money so you may want to text them a thank you.
- Turn off the lights/TV/electronics when not in use (this includes that extra fridge/freezer)
- Keep the windows/doors closed when the AC is on
- Keep your AC and heat set to smart temperatures (you can Google the recommended temps for your area)
- If purchasing new appliances opt for Energy Star ratings
- Replace lightbulbs with LEDs
- Take shorter (and colder) showers
- Replace energy with renewable energy (if possible)
- Add solar panels
- Re-insulate your home, seal windows and doors
If this list looks intimidating, you’re not alone! Lowering your carbon footprint takes some serious work, planning, dedication, and most importantly, time. It’s not going to happen overnight but it is possible!
The perfect place to start is by knowing every sustainable purchase you make from ZWS is carbon neutral!
Happy reducing!
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