Greenhouse Gas Management
Concerned about climate change as much as we are? Want to reduce your carbon footprint? Or garner a competitive edge in a future carbon-constrained economy? We can help you do both.
Our Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Management Program contains 4 steps: (1) inventory; (2) reduction planning; (3) reporting & policy development (4) offset planning.
1. GHG Inventory
Our approach is different. Many people have used an online calculator to measure their carbon footprint. Those tools give good information but only afford insight into the tip of the iceberg. Most companies and calculators focus mainly on direct emissions; an organization’s usage of fossil fuels and process emissions, including factors such as air travel.
We go deeper that other inventories. We follow standard GHG inventory protocols, like those used by the North American Climate Registry but we go beyond the basic framework. For example, we work at linking your accounting system to a GHG inventory so that each dollar your organization spends has a carbon tag attached to it. When you buy a new printer for your office, the manufacture and delivery of that printer to your desk had an impact on the environment. We use tools like Economic Input-Output Economic Life Cycle Assessment (EIOLCA) to quickly estimate emissions from your purchases and track them.
2. Reduction
Depending on the size of your organization, the GHG reduction step can be as simple as one page outline or a detailed framework involving multiple stakeholders, from decisions makers to people directly impacted from the decisions. Our team has developed climate action plans for a range of group sizes and complexity, from private businesses with only a few employees to a public eduction campuse of more than 50,000 people.
Our team will guide you through the following steps: First, we will help you to identify and establish realistic and achievable goals. Next, we can work together to create a process where key stakeholders are involved in designing a plan they are connected to, by fostering an environment where participants can freely and effectively express their ideas and concerns. We offer <facilitation services> to make this key step successful. Lastly, we will produce a comprehensive action document based on the previous steps that your organization can use to launch your sustainability plan.
3. Reporting & Policy Development
Our team will help you produce a transparent report showing the results of your inventory and reduction planning. We can also help your organization identify and create clear policies and statements of commitment to sustainable practices. We can even guide you in producing press packages and marketing material that legitimizes your organization’s efforts towards meaningful climate action.
4. Offset Planning
Some organizations wish to offset the emissions that cannot be reduced or eliminated in order to become carbon neutral. We can help you to select quality and cost-effective offset projects that fit your organization values.