Reduce your company’s carbon footprint

For this first edition of Top 5, we chatted with Brenna Foster, Chief Comms Officer at the Berlin-based startup Klima, about how companies of all sizes can reduce their carbon footprints.

Klima is an app that enables every person on planet earth to become carbon neutral — by calculating their footprint in minutes, funding climate projects that capture or reduce the same emissions elsewhere, and learning how to reduce their footprint in the long run, one lifestyle change at a time.

Klima’s theory of change? We can transform individual action into collective impact on a global scale. Brenna shared the top five ways you can take action today to reduce your company’s carbon footprint:

1. Start by measuring and analyzing greenhouse gas emissions.

Services like Planetly help you calculate your company’s emissions so you can create an informed strategy for reducing as much as possible.

2. Switch to package-free office supplies.

Plastic = petroleum, and so much plastic is used in packaging. Switching to package-free supplies helps keep oil in the ground where it belongs. Luckily there are several services out there offering everything from sponges to office plants in recyclable packaging.

3. Reduce waste.

We all want the latest and greatest tech, but see how long you can go without an upgrade. Recycle your old office electronics, and consider setting up an e-waste collection point in your office. (Everyone has a pair of broken headphones somewhere that they don’t know what to do with, right?)

4. Incentivize a green lifestyle.

Offer a public transportation pass, bike subscription, or extra days off when traveling long distances by train instead of plane. If it makes sense for your business and employees, you might also give them the option to work remotely for some (or all!) of the time. Sustainable employee perks don’t only help the environment, they help attract great talent. Studies show that job seekers are more likely to choose employers with values that align with their own.

5. Switch to renewable energy.

Your office (or home, if that’s where you work) consumes a lot of energy simply by keeping the lights on, and it’s likely there’s a green energy provider in your area. Make the switch, and you’ll support the sustainable industry while cutting back on CO2.

Bonus tip! You can also consider offsetting your employees’ emissions: With services like Klima, you can quickly and easily offset the footprint of your entire workforce. Through monthly subscriptions, the Klima community plants trees, promotes green energy projects, and improves lives around the globe. Reach out to hi@klima.com for more info!