Calvert Goes Carbon-Neutral, So Can You
Calvert has been working to make a dent in climate change by addressing our company's own carbon emissions. Specifically, we have developed a corporate environmental program to make Calvert's offices "carbon-neutral." As part of this program, Calvert is acknowledging our climate impacts, reducing our energy use where possible, and offsetting the remainder of what we do use. Even a financial company like Calvert can take action by offsetting the emissions we contribute through our use of electricity. Initially, we targeted offsets of our office emissions, but in 2006 we expanded the program to include employee business travel, whether by car, plane, or train. We also look for opportunities to make our events and meetings carbon neutral. In fact, Calvert offset 177 metric tons of carbon to cover employee business travel in 2006. This is roughly equivalent to taking 38 passenger cars off the road for a year. In addition to estimating and tracking our own emissions, we look to reduce our energy usage. For example, in a recent overhaul of our office space, we included light-sensors to automatically turn off lights when offices or conference rooms are not in use.
We are encouraging our shareholders and employees to take similar actions in their own lives.
What are Carbon Offsets?
Carbon offsets - also called renewable energy certificates and 'green tags' - represent the reduction of carbon dioxide emissions (CO2) in one location to offset the CO2 produced in another, like your home or car. For instance, a clean, zero CO2 wind farm in Kansas can offset the carbon dioxide produced by a coal-fired power plant near your home. Carbon offsets help support a clean, renewable energy market, which further helps develop the technology. Calvert is partnering with Carbonfund.Org, a local, non-profit organization, to estimate our own carbon emissions and offset these emissions through the retirement of renewable energy certificates. Carbonfund.org projects can be found at: www.carbonfund.org/projects.php
What Can I Do?
Like Calvert, you may have personally taken steps to reduce your own emissions. Perhaps you bike, metro, or carpool to work. You may also turn off the lights when not in use, turn down your air conditioning, or look to install an electronic thermostat in your home. Now you can do even more.
Carbonfund.org provides an easy and effective way to neutralize your own carbon emissions, whether through home electricity use, driving, flying, or heating your home. Any event or plans that require transportation can also be offset so that guests know they are attending a carbon neutral occasion.
Some Typical Annual Offsets:
* Zero Carbon addresses the emissions created in the manufacturing of products we use in our daily lives.
The Calvert Advantage
If you sign-up as a recurring contributor from our link to Carbonfund.org, at either the direct person offset level ($4.58 a month) or Zero Carbon offset level ($8.25 a month), you will receive a 10% discount- more than one month a year for free!
Click here to make a difference in climate change today!