Carbon Neutral Coffee — World first pilot
“Climate change is a serious problem, caused primarily by the carbon dioxide released from burning fossil fuels like oil, coal, and gas. But there are things we can do about it — like choosing to go carbon neutral.”
David Suzuki Foundation
While climate change and environmental sustainability are undoubtedly at the forefront of the minds of consumers and retailers alike, finding solutions with meaningful impact can sometimes be difficult.
In these circumstances we rely on the leadership of individuals and organizations willing to think outside of the box and make real efforts towards change. It takes innovation and commitment to guide the ship to the proper destination — which is, climate action now.
A new pilot program set to kick off in August of 2019 in Halifax, Nova Scotia will offer consumers the carbon neutral products they desire, while also supporting the growth and feasibility of emission reduction projects.
Working with Pavia Gallery— Espresso Bar & Cafe in multiple locations, a new environmental technology company called Carbon Asset is linking sustainability with daily consumer activities.
“We are really excited to be pioneering this project in our spaces,” says Victoria Foulger, co-owner of PAVIA. “We work really hard to make choices that make a positive impact by doing things like trying to source locally and ethically, or by using products like fairly-traded organic sugar, coffee and cocoa. Carbon off-set seems like a logical step towards being a more responsible business and making a positive environmental impact.”
Here is how:
STEP ONE — buy your coffee
STEP TWO — you’re done!
Oversimplified as it may seem, an important goal of this program is to give retailers a tool that can not only integrate seamlessly within their operations, but is also a friction free process for the consumer taking part.
Carbon Asset NA Inc., has designed a technology called the Carbon Asset Platform (CAP) which serves as a digital registry for carbon offsets. These certified offsets can be applied against any product in increments as small as grams, opening up an entirely new green market with this clean technology.
Through this platform the carbon offsets, which were traditionally traded in terms of tonnes in a brokerage manner, can now be fractionalized into smaller volumes and tracked according to the carbon footprint of a specific retail product directly from the point of sale.
Each product entered into the CAP has a carbon footprint calculated, and each sale of that product has a corresponding transaction of carbon offsets being retired — neutralizing the impact of that product from the bean on the bush, to the coffee in your cup.
Over time retailers and consumers alike can view the progress of this program, through the interactive ledger which runs on a renewable energy powered data network, built by Meridian DLT.
Every gram of a product’s carbon footprint being offset contributes to supporting the purchase of more carbon offsets from projects like: greenhouse gas capture, solar power generation, wind farms, and more.
As these developers of carbon offsets gain a fair market for their green outputs, they gain the stability and security to operate and grow into the future. In this way daily consumer actions tie directly to the impact that is being pursued.
In the case of this Pavia coffee pilot program, the offsets being applied are from a local renewable energy facility which is capturing and destroying harmful greenhouse gases which would normally be entering the atmosphere.
In a full life cycle of impact, through this pilot, the cup of coffee you drink is quite literally helping you breathe cleaner air in your community. With these localized types of relationships, the Carbon Asset team aims to develop many successful partnerships and stories that deliver the rare type of impact we strive for in the pursuit of positive climate action.
To learn more about the Carbon Asset Platform, you can visit:
www.carbonasset.eco
About Pavia Gallery:
With two locations within the Halifax Central Library (1st floor & 5th floor), another at the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia and the original in beautiful Herring Cove, PAVIA Gallery — Espresso Bar & Cafe (est. 2011) is a local, independent business that strives to create exceptional experiences for their guests.
About Carbon Asset NA Inc.:
Supporting projects that reduce greenhouse gas and creating a new markets for carbon offsets, Carbon Asset NA Inc. provides an all-inclusive service that gives businesses the ability to offer consumers a carbon neutral product.
