We Became Carbon Positive... but what does that mean?

Happy Friday lovelies,

We reached a big milestone here at Go For Zero... we became carbon positive! We know these terms are confusing so today we’re talking about what it means to be carbon positive, neutral, and negative. The most common one you may hear about is carbon neutral, where businesses plant trees to offset their emissions. We are going to talk all about the differences and what it really means, and which one we should be aiming for!

First things first, what is carbon dioxide?

Carbon dioxide is a colourless, odourless gas that is produced by the burning of fossil fuels, like coal, oil, and natural gas. It is also produced by deforestation and other human activities. 

The amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is at an all-time high, and it's causing the planet to warm up. This warming is leading to more extreme weather events, like heat waves, droughts, floods, and wildfires. 

BUT we can impact this. We can still fight climate change! One way we can do that is by reducing our carbon at home, but companies also have a big role to play. They need to step up and do the right thing!

Okay, now what is Carbon Positive, Carbon Neutral, and Carbon Negative?

Carbon positive/negative: An individual/business is carbon positive/negative when they’ve gone above and beyond by offsetting 150% of its emissions. 

Carbon neutral: Carbon neutrality is a state in which the amount of carbon dioxide emitted into the atmosphere is balanced by the amount of carbon dioxide removed from the atmosphere. So you just balance it out. 

Last year we were a carbon neutral organisation but this year, we became a certified carbon positive organisation! 🎉 That's right, we offset 150% of our emissions and are certified through Trace, a business that calculates the amount of carbon emitted during operations and then invests our money into projects that will offset it. 

Becoming carbon positive isn’t just about planting more trees though, it is about implementing more sustainable processes and reducing waste even further. We have worked hard to implement different processes to make sure we reduce the footprint of our eco-business. 

How to Reduce Your Carbon At Home

• Drive less: Transportation is a major source of emissions. If you can, walk, bike, or take public transportation instead of driving.
• Reduce your energy consumption: Turn off lights when you leave a room, unplug electronics when they're not in use, and weatherise your home to make it more energy efficient.
• Plant trees: Trees absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, so planting trees is a great way to remove carbon from the air. You can plant trees in your yard, at your workplace, or in your community. Did you know that 1 mature tree can absorb over 20kgs of carbon dioxide per year? In the last four years, we planted 12,000 trees with Greening Australia.
• Invest in renewable energy: Renewable energy sources, such as solar and wind power, do not produce emissions. By investing in renewable energy, you can help to reduce your carbon footprint.
• Donate to carbon offset projects: Carbon offset projects remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. You can support these projects by donating money or purchasing carbon offsets.
• Support businesses that are carbon positive: These businesses are helping to fight climate change while setting a good example for others. Carbon-positive businesses are often more innovative and efficient, which leads to economic growth and job creation.

Wanting to become carbon neutral or positive? Then make sure you check out Trace for more tips on how.

While our big milestone might not impact you directly, we wanted to share this BTS as your trust means the world to us! Thank you for your support ❤️

Ready for more Happy Earth News?

Big virtual hugs,

The Go For Zero team xx