Can You Shop Carbon Negative? YES, YOU CAN!

One of the big worries about the world today is climate change. While there is political back and forth about the causes, responsibility, and necessary responses, everyday individuals generally recognize that the environment is not as good as it used to be, and that we need to do something about making it better for ourselves and our children. Without getting into political debates, Emu Therapy wants to play its part in helping to leave the Earth better than we found it because we believe in the magic of nature, and that means taking steps to reduce impacts that damage the environment. 

The Carbon Equation 

Carbon dioxide is a gas that we all emit every day as we live and breathe - literally. Certain other activities create more carbon dioxide, like burning wood, coal, or petroleum fuels. Scientists have known for a long time that carbon dioxide traps heat in the Earth's atmosphere, which impacts the overall climate of the planet. In recent years, people and industries have adopted terminology around carbon dioxide as an equation - are you adding to the carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, keeping it even, or reducing it? For many, carbon neutral is a reasonable goal, indicating that someone is keeping the carbon dioxide level even rather than adding to it. If the carbon dioxide level is a problem, then at least we're not making it worse. To reduce the overall carbon dioxide level would be considered carbon negative, and is what some see as necessary to really make a difference in how our world will look for generations to come.

Efforts We're Making 

Emu Therapy currently works with a company called EcoCart to offer our customers the option to contribute toward projects that actively reduce the carbon dioxide output into the atmosphere. Some of these efforts focus on cutting down activities that release carbon into the air, while others work to remove carbon dioxide that is already there. For example, planting trees helps because they take in carbon dioxide and release oxygen naturally. Reducing the number of trees that are cut down keeps more of the exchange of gasses happening. Limiting the burning of fuels also limits the amount of carbon dioxide that is added to the atmosphere.

EcoCart has figured out how much carbon each item we sell creates during its production and shipping. By adding a small extra cost to your order, you can support projects that cancel out this carbon impact, making the process environmentally neutral. They even have the option to add higher amounts to your order so that you can go beyond neutral into carbon-negative territory, which they call climate-positive! This lets eco-conscious shoppers make purchases without worrying about harming the planet, and gives them the option to make a positive change, instead.

Carbon Offset Projects 

Over the years, working with EcoCart has allowed us to support a variety of meaningful projects around the world. We started with water purification projects in Laos and Cambodia. These efforts provided ceramic water filters made by local workers to help reduce the need for cutting down trees and burning wood to boil water for safe drinking, cooking, and bathing. We have also supported the Dempsey Ridge Wind Project in our own backyard - Oklahoma - giving jobs to people in our home state and providing more access to renewable energy.

Today, EcoCart backs forestry projects worldwide, from South America to Africa to Southeast Asia. These projects protect existing trees that provide us with oxygen while absorbing carbon dioxide, and they also work to restore natural land, improving the health of our environment. As older projects are completed, new ones emerge, and EcoCart continues to focus on the pressing environmental needs to make a lasting difference.