Offset a Hipster
NEUTRAL IS NOT ENOUGH.
Climate+ is the action of going beyond net zero. It means doing more than just offsetting your carbon footprint - by creating an environmental benefit by removing additional carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.
We know that one of the most sustainable and cost-effective ways to accomplish this is by planting trees. Climate+ is a community of tree planters, rehabilitating our Earth, and having fun while we’re at it.
How can we do better?
There’s no such thing as a perfect environmentalist, don’t be discouraged by your ability to make meaningful changes. Big change can start as as small as:
- Turning your thermostat down by 2 degrees.
- Wearing clothes more than once before washing them.
- Bike, walk or ride the bus to work!
- Switch over to LED bulbs and smart appliances.
- Try buying local, seasonal fruits and vegetables.
- Use waxed cloth instead of plastic wrap for food.
- Remember your reusable bags, mugs and cutlery for all outings.
The impact of trees
Did you know that trees combat climate change? We have tonnes (literally) of excess carbon dioxide in our air. Trees do something called ‘sequestering carbon’, it’s their way of cleaning our air, and eliminating harmful elements from the earth. They do that by absorbing the C02, and storing the carbon. Not only do trees sequester carbon, they also produce oxygen. Next time you’re outside, take a nice deep breath of fresh air, and thank the nearest tree.
As we work to fight global warming, we can also thank the trees for cooling our earth. They provide shade, and their leaves release water vapor, cooling the planet even more. Just ten trees can offset the impact of a weekend road trip, a lifetime of iphones or even your drunken 2am hamburger habit.
Why trees
Tree planting has a meaningful impact that reaches far beyond carbon sequestration. They provide homes for wildlife, and in areas like Madagascar, the crab and fish populations provide additional food sources and income for the locals. In addition to the environmental benefits, we employ people from local communities. This extends our impact far beyond environmentalism. These are the building blocks of a long lasting and sustainable restoration project.
We recognize that there are lots of ways to offset carbon, but are confident that our tree planting initiatives provide the most meaningful, holistic and verified impact on our Earth.
What does offsetting mean to tentree?
To tentree, neutrality isn’t change, so ‘offsetting’ means going beyond neutral and doing something positive for our planet. We don’t agree with the idea that simply doing no harm will equate to change, we’re here on this beautiful earth, ready to do some good.
We want to make offsetting easy, understandable, accessible, fun, and impactful. Our climate+ packages aim to do just that.
Where do we plant your trees?
Our Earth Day Climate+ packages will allow us to work with our partners to plant many species of trees including mangroves in the coastal regions of Madagascar and Indonesia. Mangrove trees are one of the most efficient carbon sequestering trees in the world and planting them provides much more than a carbon impact for our planet. We are incredibly grateful for our planting partners, like Eden Reforestation Projects who are on the ground making things happen.
The Math
This climate+ package assumes a year of craft beer, cappuccinos, avocados, paperback books and vinyls.
| Craft Beer | 0.1976 MT CO2 |
| Cappuccino | 0.12925 MT CO2 |
| Paperback Books | 0.27 MT CO2 |
| Vinyls and CDs | 0.133 MT CO2 |
| Daily Avocado | 0.3089 MT CO2 |
| Total | 1.03875MT CO2 |
Craft Beer
- Packaging 168g CO2 per beer
- Beer Itself 113g CO2 per beer
- Brewery 42g CO2 per beer
- Transport 1.8g CO2 per beer
- In store 150g CO2 per beer
168g + 113g + 42g + 1.8g + 150g = 474.8 = 475g per bottle of beer
Let’s assume the average young person has about 8 beers per week.
475grams x 8 per week x 52 weeks per year = 197,6000 g CO2
In order to change this number from grams CO2 to metric tons CO2 we use the conversion factor 0.0000001 and get 0.1976 MT CO2 per year.
197,600grams CO2 x 0.0000001 = 0.1976 MT CO2 per year
Cappuccino
A Cappuccino emits 235grams of CO2. Let's assume most people have one or two per day, so about 550 per year. Over a year emissions would equal 129,250grams CO2.
235grams CO2 x 550 per year = 129,250 grams CO2 per year.
In order to change this number from grams CO2 to metric tons CO2 we use the conversion factor 0.0000001 and get 0.12925
129,250g CO2 x 0.000001 = 0.12925 MT CO2 per year
Paperback Books
The carbon footprint of an individual book is 2.7 kg CO2 per book. Hipsters love paperbacks, so let’s assume they have 100 paperback books.
2.7kg CO2 x 100 = 270kg CO2
In order to change from kg to metric tons we use the conversion factor 0.001 and get approximately 0.27 MT CO2
270kg CO2 x 0.001 = 0.27 MT CO2
Vinyls and CDs
The carbon emission of an individual CD or vinyl is 1,330 grams CO2. Let’s assume a hipsters vinyl collection is 100 records, this would mean the collection emits 133,000 grams CO2
1,330g CO2 per record x 100 records = 133,000g CO2 for the records
In order to change from grams to metric tons we use the conversion factor 0.000001 and get 0.133 MT CO2
133,000g CO2 x 0.000001 = 0.133 MT CO2
Daily Avocado
Two avocados emit 846.36g CO2.
A hipster loves avocados so let’s assume they eat two per day. This means they would emit a total of 308,921 grams of CO2 per year.
846.36g CO2 x 365 days per year = 308,921.4 g CO2 per year
In order to change from grams to metric tons we use the conversion factor 0.000001 and get approximately 0.3089 MT CO2.
308,921.4 g CO2 x 0.000001 = 0.3089214 MT CO2 = about 0.3089 MT CO2
Total
0.1976 MT + 0.12925 MT + 0.27 MT + 0.133 MT + 0.3089 MT = 1.03875MT CO2
Link - Coffee Emissions - https://www.theguardian.com/environment/green-living-blog/2010/jun/17/carbon-footprint-of-tea-coffee
Link - Avocado Emissions - https://www.standard.co.uk/news/uk/revealed-the-enormous-carbon-footprint-linked-to-eating-avocado-a3591501.html
Link - Book Emissions - https://www.researchgate.net/publication/255699164_Carbon_Footprint_Assessment_of_a_Paperback_Book
Link - CD and Vinyl Emissions - https://www.mlive.com/mediumfidelity/2009/10/your_musical_carbon_footprint.html
