Reducing my carbon footprint

One of my business goals is to have very little impact on the environment. The most environmentally friendly fashion is recycled, creating fashion from waste. But is it possible for a new fashion range to be eco friendly?
Here are some of the ways my product is so far...
-I use environmentally safe and low impact textiles like organic cottons, hemp, soya fibres or bamboo.
-I switched to green power that uses renewable green energy resources like wind, solar or water -I use where possible Australian made textiles and local manufactures to reduce carbon in transit
-I try to minimise packaging by designing reusable product bags from fabric wastage
-My business cards and swing tags are printed on recycled paper
-I email invoices and orders instead of fax or print
-I have PDF look books
But I use energy in nearly everything I do, from ordering fabric to making garments and getting them to the retailer. And until I have an own solar and wind energised factory, and hybrid car :) How can I offset this energy I use? One way is to find out our carbon footprint, go carbon neutral, and carbon offset, 'Yeah yeah I know' you say.. or 'What the?' Well if it’s the latter. I've googled and discovered. Here is some explanation from the Carbon Reduction Institute website:

A Carbon Footprint is the total amount of Carbon Dioxide(CO2) and other Greenhouse Gases (GHG) emitted over the full life cycle of a product or service or in a financial year for a business. A Carbon Footprint is usually expressed as kilograms of CO2 equivalents, which accounts for the different global warming effects of different Greenhouse Gases





Carbon neutral means that you have calculated and accounted for all of your carbon climate change impact; you have investigated reducing your carbon footprint and you also purchase carbon credits to offset your unavoidable greenhouse gas emissions.

Carbon offsetting is a mechanism whereby individuals pay a third party to reduce the same amount of greenhouse gases from entering the atmosphere that they have added to it. Carbon offsetting is achieved through tree plantations, which absorb the amount of carbon emitted; buying energy from renewable sources that don’t emit CO2, and energy efficiency projects that reduce energy usage and hence the emissions associated with energy usage.

Accredited organisations for carbon offset


Greenfleet is the first not-for-profit forestry offset organisation to become an Approved Abatement Provider under the Federal Government’s Greenhouse Friendly™ initiative. Investment in Greenfleet projects generating approved Greenhouse Friendly™ offsets will make a real difference in the fight against climate change.


Carbon N
eutral are they are a non for profit organisation who have planet around 30 million trees in the past 30 years. For only $19 per tonne or around $3 per tree, Carbon Neutral will help you to offset your carbon dioxide emissions by planting native trees on your behalf.

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