As part of our Climate Strategy, a 10-year plan to significantly reduce our carbon footprint, we made the decision to financially support high profile carbon offset programs that help balance out greenhouse gas emissions from our manufacturing and direct operations. These projects were specially chosen in areas where Open Farm sources ingredients or manufactures products. Not only do these projects offset our own carbon output, they have a number of other important co benefits, such as; contributing to the preservation of critically important ecosystems, protecting endangered animal and plant species, providing opportunities for education and economic growth, preserving carbon-rich grasslands, clean water reserves, and more.
We've carefully selected programs that can provide verified carbon offsets, meaning the projects are independently authenticated, follow industry best practices and standards, and wouldn't take place without financing.
Darkwoods Forest Conservation
At the Darkwoods Forest Conservation project in Canada, freshwater systems and at-risk species are being preserved, and carbon sequestration areas conserved at an unprecedented scale. This forest conservation project protects a Boreal Forest that is one of the most ecologically diverse areas in Canada, and home to 39 confirmed at-risk animal species. The project also plays a critical role in preserving freshwater streams, watersheds, and over 50 lakes.
Teak Afforestation & Forest Carbon Sequestration
In Mexico, the Teak Afforestation project creates plantations that sequester large amounts of carbon dioxide, helping to mitigate climate change. Forests are being grown from the ground up and will provide a sustainable source of Teak to markets that demand high quality wood products from well-managed plantation forests. Opportunities for decent jobs that provide social insurance benefit the local community.
Grasslands Portfolio
The carbon reserves found in grasslands are enormous, as the grasslands serve as a massive carbon sink. The Grasslands Portfolio preserves and protects vast areas of grassland in Colorado and Montana, which sequesters its carbon while protecting the homes of rare, threatened, and endangered species including long-horn cattle, rare dwarf milkweed, grizzly bears, badger, the swift fox, and grey wolves. With no hunting, commerce or recreation on the land, flora and fauna thrive naturally. Students from the local public school have access to the lands to learn about botany, zoology, and geology.
Sustainability has always been at the heart of our mission. We are continually improving our own practices, including setting, and working towards ambitious science-based targets to significantly reduce our greenhouse gas emissions by 42% over the next decade, in line with the 1.5C goals of the Paris Agreement on climate change.
Find out more about our Climate Strategy and Open Farm's commitment to carbon offset programs and decarbonization. You can also learn how to reduce your dog's carbon footprint and read more about Open Farm’s sustainability initiatives.
