When we say orders will be “carbon neutral” (“net zero” is another term you’ll hear), that means that we will eliminate, capture, or otherwise mitigate all of the carbon emissions created from making your company's products and shipping them to your customer's door.

Carbon neutral shipping refers to a retailer’s practice of eliminating the environmental damage from shipping a specific package by offsetting the footprint through carbon offsetting projects.

Carbon offsets are a practical and effective way to reduce the effects of climate change by funding wind, solar, and other renewable energy projects. You can see the projects we support here.

When you pay a bit extra to make your order carbon neutral, you fund projects that reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions like protecting forests or building wind farms. Carbon offsets let you pay to reduce the global GHG total instead of making radical or impossible reductions of your own.

But not all carbon offset projects are created equal. EcoCart's projects offer laboratory and field testing with third-party verification and site visits to ensure the most accurate calculation of greenhouse gas reductions. These credits are measured in metric tons (tonnes) of carbon dioxide equivalents (mtCO₂e). EcoCart then evaluates the implementation of the methodology and confirms that the project uses the majority of the proceeds from carbon for growth and not profit.

The best way to slow climate change is to not release carbon emissions in the first place. There are many ways to reduce your carbon footprint, but it's impossible to eliminate it completely. For reducing climate impact that can't be eliminated, high-quality carbon offsets are the most credible and impactful tool.

Carbon offsets work by way of paying for others to reduce emissions or absorb carbon dioxide in an effort to compensate for your own emissions. Not all carbon offsets are created equal, so there are third-party agencies and nonprofits that work to independently verify claims made by carbon offsetting projects. Carbon offsets that are verified by organizations like the American Carbon Registry, Gold Standard, and VERRA have been scientifically proven to reduce carbon in the atmosphere. While carbon offsets are far from a perfect solution to human-generated carbon emissions, by offsetting the emissions associated with shipping and e-commerce, there is a net positive result on the environment, which works to reduce the impact of climate change.

When a package is carbon neutral it means that there was not any net new carbon produced when that package was shipped and delivered to its final destination. Any package emits carbon on it’s journey to your door, especially when it’s being transported via delivery truck, air, or freight. A carbon neutral package does not emit any excess carbon because the carbon created from shipping this package is offset by purchasing carbon offsets that fund carbon offsetting projects.

When we say orders will be “carbon neutral” (“net zero” is another term you’ll hear), that means that we will eliminate, capture, or otherwise mitigate all of the carbon emissions created from making your company's products and shipping them to your customer's door.

When you buy an offset, you fund projects that reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions like protecting forests or building wind farms. Carbon offsets let you pay to reduce the global GHG total instead of making radical or impossible reductions of your own.

You can think of it like a "donation" to a project that will reduce harmful carbon dioxide from the environment, and it will not at all impact your shipping whatsoever.

Oftentimes, protecting existing trees is better for the planet than planting new ones. Of course, that doesn’t mean don’t plant trees, just that we should focus first on protecting the ones that already exist. Think of a newly planted tree like a child. It has the potential to help stop climate change once it grows up and matures, but that takes decades. And in the meantime, there’s a lot working against it. Young trees are small, which means they can’t hold much carbon, even combined with thousands of other small trees. It takes newly planted trees at least 10 years to reach their maximum carbon sequestration rate—the point at which they can absorb the most tons of carbon from the atmosphere each year. Young trees are weaker and need to be nurtured. You can’t just plant it and forget it. How many trees survive is more important than how many trees are planted.