Corporate Partners Spotlight: Counter Culture Coffee Goes Carbon Neutral

by Megan Maiolo-Heath, Communications Coordinator

 

Counter Culture Coffee stands out for many reasons; it is a different kind of coffee company. They are dedicated to finding and bringing to market the most exciting, authentic, and delicious coffees in the world. Counter Culture approaches their work “with a passion for the ideal of coffee perfection, a dedication to real sustainability, and a commitment to cutting-edge education throughout the coffee chain.”

“Building a sustainable business is central to Counter Culture Coffee’s mission. We strive to be leaders in sustainable coffee and combine our commitment to buying high-quality coffee with respect for the natural environment.”

In 2009, Counter Culture Coffee started down the road of carbon neutrality by calculating the carbon footprint of Finca Mauritania’s coffee from seed to cup (read all about this journey here). They set a goal of going carbon neutral by 2015 and got to work. They enlisted Vancouver-based company, Climate Smart, to calculate their total annual emissions: 576 tonnes of greenhouse gas.

In 2011, we were excited to receive a call from Counter Culture about helping them offset their emissions through our clean cookstove projects. The idea of working directly with one of Counter Culture’s coffee cooperatives to build cookstoves was an ideal carbon offset opportunity and we were honored to help such a progressive company meet their sustainability goals.

Together, we will provide 76 COMSA Coffee Cooperative members in Marcala, La Paz, Honduras with clean cookstoves, saving these families a significant amount of money on fuelwood costs while, at the same time, greatly reducing indoor air pollution in their homes and deforestation rates in the area. Each Justa cookstove model that we build saves 1.5 tons of carbon emissions per year. Over the stove’s minimum projected lifespan of 5 years, that equates to 7.5 tons of carbon.

We look forward to working with Counter Culture Coffee well into the future and we are proud to be their offset partner, working together to meet an important carbon neutrality goal.

To learn more about Counter Culture Coffee’s sustainability programs click here.

From fuelwood and emissions studies conducted by independent monitors, each of TWP’s Justa clean cookstoves saves 1.5 tons of carbon emissions per year.

Support Tribal Renewabale Energy When You Offset Your Impact

Every year, each of our solar air heaters  prevents 1.39 tons of carbon emissions from being generated by its combustible alternatives. When you contribute to this renewable energy Carbon Offset option, you help not only our environment, but also the struggling families that will now receive free, clean heat from the sun. To learn more or to purchase carbon offsets today please click here.

How do we calculate your offset?

Calculations for CO₂ Offsetting by Solar Heaters

Your carbon offset purchase goes into a dedicated fund at Trees, Water & People to build “carbon offset heaters.” Once we have sold 28 tons of carbon offsets (the total lifetime of avoided emissions for one heater), that means we have enough money to build a solar air heater collector panel. We combine these carbon offsets funds, which supply the collector panel, with existing funds to pay for the remainder of the heater kit and its installation. That means that, thanks to you, our “carbon offset heaters” will be up and running, preventing the use of carbon-based fuels, and heating homes of families in need. We would not be able to build these heaters without your contribution!

Our “carbon offset heaters” only go to homes that would otherwise get heat from electricity or fire wood, both very common heat-sources on Native American reservations, where we distribute almost all of our systems. The average carbon dioxide emissions avoided by using solar air heaters instead of wood or electricity is 3,072 pounds annually according to the Rural Renewable Energy Alliance (http://www.rreal.org/solar-assistance/pricing/). At 2,204 pounds per metric ton, that means our heaters avoid 1.39 metric tons of carbon dioxide each year. Barring any damage, our collector panels have a 20 year lifespan, leading to a total of 27.8 metric tons of carbon dioxide avoided in a panel’s lifetime.

Jam Cruise10 Carbon Offsets

Every year Jam Cruise passengers and Positive Legacy donate funds to Trees, Water & People‘s projects to offset the miles they’ve traveled to get to the cruise, and the emissions from the cruise itself.  Proceeds from this program go to funding reforestation work and cookstoves in Central America and Haiti.  This year 100% of the funds will go to starting a tree nursery with Sustainable Organic Integrated Livelihoods at their compost site in Northern Haiti.

Benefit people and the planet at Jam Cruise 10!

One hundred percent of carbon offsets sold for Jam Cruise 10 will benefit the northern community of Limonade, Haiti, where Trees, Water & People and our partner SOIL (www.oursoil.org) are working together to launch a 10,000 seedling nursery that will reforest the surrounding north coast.

Last year, more than 400 passengers offest their carbon, making Clould 9 and Jam Cruise passengers one of Trees, Water & People’s largest carbon offset partners!

TWP Teams up with Rodelle Vanilla to Bring Clean Cookstoves to Ugandan Farmers

* Source: Thank you to Dennis Marrero for his wonderful story about this partnership and for providing the above graphics to the public. Please visit http://foodspring.com/content/rocketstoves/ for the full story.

TWP Goes Platinum in the Climate Wise Program

TWP has been a member of the City of Fort Collins Climate Wise Program since 2007.  Now, in 2011, we have reached the highest level within the program: Platinum Partner!

Through environmental assessments and creative solutions, the Climate Wise Team helps businesses tackle modern-day business challenges that impact bottom lines and the quality of life in Fort Collins.  To date, the voluntary program has over 200 business partners.  Climate Wise staff work with these local partners to implement energy, water, transportation and waste reduction programs, saving each business money while, at the same time, greatly improving our local environment.

Trees, Water & People’s 2010 Accomplishments:

• Planted 805,093 trees = 161,000 tons of CO2
• Built 7,909 clean cookstoves = 59,318 tons of CO2
• Replaced 6 T-12 light bulbs with efficient T-8 bulbs
• Installed locking outdoor mailbox so that we could seal off the draft from our mail slot
• Saved 1,560 gallons of water a year by installing two low flow toilets
• Installed compost bins beneath all of our paper towel dispensers
• Relocated our bike rack to front, covered porch for safety, convenience, and to promote bike commuting

 

Travel With Purpose: Join us for the 2011 EcoTour to Honduras

A participant on the 2010 EcoTour helps plants trees in a local community.

Join Trees, Water & People for a service learning and cultural work tour to beautiful Honduras.  From August 6th-17th, we will be taking participants to the communities where we work, helping to plant trees and build clean cookstoves.  In addition, guests will visit the Mayan Ruins at Copan.  This is a great opportunity to practice your Spanish, build your resume, and connect with local communities.  The trip is designed so that each participant offsets their entire travel CO2 footprint through the reforestation and cookstove projects completed during the trip!

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We are Proud to Partner with Green Ride Colorado!

We have partnered with Green Ride Colorado, a Fort Collins-based transportation company, to offer carbon offsetting services to their passengers.  Through this new partnership, Green Ride customers can directly contribute to TWP’s reforestation programs in Central America and Haiti, while reducing their personal carbon footprint and providing the gift of nutrition and food security to communities in need.

For every Green Ride reservation made through the Trees, Water & People reservation portal (http://greenrideco.hudsonltd.net/res?USERIDENTRY=TREES&LOGON=GO), one fruit tree or Moringa tree will be planted in either Central America or Haiti.  Green Ride customers also have the option to donate as many as five trees for every reservation they make, providing a simple and innovative way for each passenger to make their travel even more environmentally friendly.

Ray Schofield and Bob Flynn, the founders and owners of Green Ride Colorado shared this statement:

“It is great to work with Trees, Water & People, an organization with great character and principles, and to offer Green Ride customers another way to make the world a better place to live.”

About Green Ride Colorado

Green Ride is a locally owned and operated transportation company, based in Fort Collins, Colorado, that provides convenient and affordable shuttle service between Laramie, Cheyenne, Fort Collins and Denver International Airport. Green Ride provides convenient, sustainable transportation services for Northern Colorado with friendly Green Team Members, advanced technology and an environmentally friendly operational model.  To learn more please visit http://www.greenrideco.com.

Planting for a better future in Haiti.

Offset Your Carbon Footprint with Trees, Water & People

Did you know the average American is responsible for generating 20 tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) each year?

Our annual carbon footprint is a tally of the total number of tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) our fossil fuel burning activities release into the atmosphere throughout the year.  And, we each have one!  Heating our homes with coal-fired power plants and driving petroleum-fueled vehicles all contribute to global climate change.  However, we can reduce our carbon footprint by offsetting our home and business carbon emissions with investments in projects that remove CO2 from the atmosphere or prevent it from getting there in the first place.

Trees, Water & People’s (TWP) community-based sustainable development projects focus on protecting and expanding forests in Central America and Haiti where deforestation is running rampant.  Using forest-saving stoves, which prevent the release of 1.5 tons of CO2 per stove per year, and tree planting, TWP has the ability to offset your personal and business carbon footprints.  By supporting TWP’s stove building and reforestation projects, you can offset all or part of your yearly output of CO₂.

Why offset with Trees, Water & People?

• Since 1998, TWP has implemented programs that help to fight global climate change.  With your offset purchase, you will help save forests in Central America and improve the health of families who traditionally cook over open fires.
• Our pricing is affordable, at only $10 per metric ton of CO2.
• We will help you calculate your emissions for just one category or for all aspects of your life, helping you to become totally carbon neutral.
• Your donation is tax-deductible.
• Offsets are a great gift for clients, friends, family, and yourself.

To offset your carbon footprint, call or email us today: (970) 484-3678 or twp@treeswaterpeople.org.  For more information on our carbon offset program please visit www.treeswaterpeople.org.

Enjoy TWP’s Spring 2010 Newsletter!

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