Zero Waste or Carbon Neutral? How To Pick The Best Option
When looking at companies and sustainability, there are tons of expectations. Carbon neutral! Zero Waste! This blog will decipher these options and give some application guidelines.
Read and review the following options to get an idea of the strategies and tactics available to you. Even if you’re in an information-gathering stage, this knowledge will help you when you are ready to plan out a sustainability strategy.
Carbon Footprint
According to the Nature Conservancy, a carbon footprint is “the total amount of greenhouse gases (including carbon dioxide and methane) that are generated by our actions.” Footprints can be individual or company-based. If you’re seeing items like “reduce your carbon footprint,” around, this is the reference point.
What is included in our carbon footprint? Any action that generates greenhouse gases. This includes energy use, travel, food consumption, and purchasing. The list goes on.
To get an idea of what’s included in your individual or company carbon footprint, check out a carbon footprint calculator. Even reviewing the inputs will help create a clear picture of how to decrease emissions.
Who Should Consider Carbon Footprint:
In short, everyone. If you’re a business, consider reviewing at the very least your energy consumption to determine a way to reduce emissions. Also, look at employee travel. Start with the calculator and go from there.
Net Zero
According to the World Green Building Council, Net Zero is when a building “is highly energy-efficient and fully powered from on-site and/or off-site renewable energy sources.” These buildings' energy-efficiency produces “zero” or close to zero, carbon emissions. Net zero is popular for buildings because 20% of global energy use is from buildings. Net Zero achievement for buildings reduces a significant amount of global energy.
Who Should Consider Net Zero:
Consider Net Zero if you are constructing your office building or are a real estate company building offices for others.
Carbon Offset
According to Terrapass, “a carbon offset is a certificate representing the reduction of one metric ton (2,205 lbs) of carbon dioxide emissions, the principal cause of climate change.” Companies or individuals purchase “offsets” to help mitigate the carbon they’ve created in operations. By purchasing a carbon credit, you’re reducing the amount of emissions in the world. Offsets usually go to a project that’s working on carbon mitigation.
Who Should Consider Carbon Offsets:
Even if you don’t have a comprehensive carbon emissions analysis done, it’s worth looking into carbon offsets for your company. You can also look into offset credits for travel or other known calculated emissions. Through a basic carbon footprint calculation or flight mileage check, you’ll get an idea of the carbon emitted and can purchase an offset.
For a straight offset per flight or mileage, I usually do CarbonFund. The other option is “donating” equivalent carbon offsets to a project. For project based, I like Native Energy.
Zero Waste
Zero waste is a movement sending zero waste to landfills. The goal is to have each item recycled, composted, reused or reduced at the source. Instead of sending items to landfills where they take up space and produce emissions, they are reused.
Zero waste has become popular as people begin to see the impact of regular societal habits. As the accumulation of plastic grows in the ocean and landfills grow, we are feeling the impact of our trash. The average person throws out 4.4 pounds of trash daily.
Who Should Consider Zero Waste:
Zero waste is a great goal to have because it reduces the burden on landfills and their emissions. Many companies set zero waste goals for 2025 or 2030. If you’re in a waste heavy industry, it’s worth looking at the principles behind zero waste and figuring out if you can create a path to get there.
Increasing recycling, evaluating purchasing decisions and setting up a compost system are all steps to get to zero waste.
Waste Diversion Rate
Your waste diversion rate is the percentage of waste that gets reused or recycled and is therefore diverted from a landfill. Calculate this rate to get a better understanding of how much you’re sending to a landfill versus recycling. To calculate, divide the amount recycled by your total waste. A goal waste diversion rate is the cornerstone of a good waste management plan.
Who Should Consider Waste Diversion Rate:
Everyone. If you’re tracking the amount of waste you throw out versus recycle, you can calculate the rate. The rationale for the waste diversion rate is similar to zero waste, above. Landfills and their related emissions can be reduced by recognizing waste diversion rates and working to improve them.
Carbon Neutral
Carbon Neutral is “a term used to describe the state of an entity (such as a company, service, product or event), where the carbon emissions caused by them have been balanced out by funding an equivalent amount of carbon savings elsewhere in the world.” Companies that adopt carbon-neutral strategies have funded renewable energy projects, source 100% renewable energy, or offset carbon by purchasing carbon credits.
Companies that are working to achieve neutrality have calculated their carbon footprint.
Who Should Consider Going Carbon Neutral:
Companies with robust emissions tracking or carbon footprint calculators. If you’ve calculated your carbon emissions, the next step is to offset the carbon created.
These are the buzzwords and popular definitions used by companies and sustainability practitioners. What words would you add to this glossary? Do you have questions about these definitions, please share in the comments!
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