Carbon Neutral / Net Zero / Climate Positive
A profitable path to carbon neutral and beyond.
As outlined in our ESG blog, facilities use numerous terms to communicate their climate change targets (carbon neutral, carbon negative, net zero, climate positive).
Enviro-Stewards’ profitable path to these destinations harnesses energy, water, and product conservation measures to finance any subsequent investments required.
Read on below to learn more!
Climate Positive Success Stories
Maple Leaf Foods Becomes World's First Major Carbon Neutral Food Company
Maple Leaf is committed to be the most sustainable protein company on earth. By setting this objective in public and following through, they intend to inspire other companies to take similar small-footprint approaches.
As announced in their Superbowl ad in 2020, Maple Leaf Foods became the World’s First Major Carbon Neutral Food Company in November 2019.
To do so, Enviro-Stewards worked with 35 Maple Leaf Facilities to identify practical, affordable energy & water conservation measures (averaging $350,000 in savings per facility). Maple Leaf then purchased and retired certified carbon offsets to neutralize their remaining footprint (MLF case study).
By debunking the myth that the second mouse to the trap gets the cheese, Maple Leaf’s award-winning (Clean50) leadership demonstrates a profitable path to carbon neutral and beyond (Globe & Mail).
Soutbrook Winery Energy Conservation & Net Metering
“Don’t waste your energy more efficiently!”
Southbrook Winery was already LEED Gold Certified, organic and biodynamic.
They even had a conventional energy audit that found their next 5% of savings would have a 20-year payback. They intended to purchase (7-year payback) solar to replace their remaining consumption but retained Enviro-Stewards to doublecheck.
Enviro-Stewards deeper dive found then implemented measures that reduced both electricity and natural gas consumption by 40% each with a 4-month payback period. This avoided the need for 1/3 of their solar panels in the first place and hence avoided covering ½ of vineyard with panels (Grower Magazine).
Cowbell Brewing Archives Carbon Positive Operations
Cowbell Brewing is a leading craft brewery located in Blyth, Ontario. The brewery produces a wide range of beers, including Shindig Lager, Hazy Days IPA, Absent Landlord Kolsch, and Smooth Sailing Light Lager, among others.
As described in this article, Cowbell Brewing worked with Enviro-Stewards to realize their sustainability goal of carbon neutrality. As a result, in 2020 the facility achieved carbon positive operations.
The energy, water, and product conservation sustainability initiatives generated in our assessment of the brewing operations coupled with the company’s other sustainability initiatives, such as tree planting, shrank their environmental footprint and hence reduced their greenhouse gas emissions. Tracking these impacts through our carbon footprint analysis allowed the brewery to ultimately confirm and announce that its operations had become carbon positive.
Enviro-Steward's Own Journey to Climate Positive
In 2008, Enviro-Stewards committed to reducing our own footprint 80% per employee within a decade.
We have been climate positive since 2018 by reducing consumption per employee by 78% and offsetting twice our remaining Scope 1 & 2 emissions.
In addition to typical features such as HVAC setbacks, lighting upgrades and insulation, we installed an integrated living wall that removes carbon dioxide from our office air as it is returned to the rooftop unit. With a CO2 monitor, this system avoids the need to take (and condition) any outside air 97% of the year.
In May of 2021, we are replacing our (tar & gravel) roof with improved insulation and a TPO roof liner. This will enable us to convert our roof into a blue roof, which will provide additional water for our rainwater harvesting & reuse system, provide free cooling (due to water evaporating from the roof), and reduce stormwater flooding.
Climate Positive Success Stories
Baseline
Assess supply chain, processing and packaging footprints to select areas of focus and quantify resulting gains.
Identify
Identify & quantify practical footprint reduction measures and their associate business cases.
Implement
Implement, verify and report on footprint reductions secured. Then sustainably offset the remaining balance.
Baseline
- Planning and documenting progress requires an understanding of your starting position
- A streamlined footprint provides an initial estimate of the relative magnitudes of footprints of your supply chain, production facilities, and packaging (to focus attention for greater impact)
Identify
- A deep dive of conservation measures available to each facility identifies practical affordable measures for your action plan
- Baseline logging of each measure enables subsequent tracking of absolute & intensive gains.
Implement
- To secure the economic and environmental gains as soon as practical, our assessments include a renewable allotment of funds to expedite implementation
- After reducing footprints through conservation, the balance can be addressed through purchase of offsets and/or renewables
If desired, we welcome partners in our Safe Water Social Venture work that empowers groups to sustainably provide safe water in their communities (which can potentially generate Carbon Credits by avoiding deforestation to boil water).
The video below is an excerpt from a B Corp Leadership Development event that provides an overview of creating a Profitable Path to Net Zero.
Let us show you a profitable path to net zero and beyond.