Brooklyn, NY – November 17, 2015 – BioLite, a Brooklyn-based social enterprise, announced today that it will erase the entire carbon history of its organization and fully commit to a carbon neutral future.
“When we make products, we produce carbon, and that affects us all,” said Jonathan Cedar, BioLite co-founder and CEO. “It was time for us to take responsibility for our own practices and follow the same calls to environmental stewardship we ask of our customers every day.”
BioLite undertook an internal carbon analysis, evaluated the organization from 2012-2014, and identified an aggregate emissions footprint of 2,921 tons, looking at both manufacturing and operations. BioLite will use this data to identify opportunities to streamline logistics, packaging, and other areas that can utilize less carbon intensive methods. To complement these reduction efforts, the company will offset its emissions through a solution truly unique to BioLite – replacing smoky open fires with clean cookstoves.
Forty-three percent (43%) of the planet still cooks over open wood fires, creating CO2 and other toxic emissions that are harmful to both public health and the climate. When BioLite replaces a fire with its revolutionary BioLite HomeStove, CO2 emissions are cut in half and smoke is reduced by up to 94%. The emission reductions from using these stoves are registered by the Gold Standard Foundation, the leading carbon accreditation body; for every ton of CO2e reduced, BioLite will receive a carbon credit. BioLite anticipates that for every ton of carbon the company has emitted through 2014, it has avoided sixteen tons through HomeStove distribution and use. The first of these credits are then retired to offset emissions from BioLite’s product manufacture and operations.
The balance of remaining credits present an interesting opportunity for BioLite in the future: “Our carbon credits enable BioLite to partner with other like-minded companies and institutions looking to create accountability for their carbon footprint,” said Cedar. “Sales of those credits can help us reduce the cost of HomeStove ownership in emerging markets, create easier access for low income customers and, in turn, prevent even more carbon in the future. It’s a really exciting cycle of impact, but before asking others to join our mission, it’s critical that we address our own carbon footprint first and foremost.”
As COP21 approaches, with world leaders discussing the challenge of lowering carbon emissions while meeting increased global energy demand, BioLite aims to serve as an example of market-based solutions that can inspire actionable change.
“We are small today, but if we start with the right practices now - along with the wave of B Corps, social enterprises, and mission minded companies out there - our impact can be felt at scale within a matter of years – that’s hope for the future.”
For more details, view the BioLite Corporate Sustainability Report 2012 – 2014. (BioLiteEnergy.com/Carbon)
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About BioLite
BioLite is a dynamic social enterprise that develops, manufactures, and markets consumer energy products for off grid communities around the world. The company creates breakthrough cooking, charging, and lighting solutions for both outdoor enthusiasts as well as rural families living in energy poverty. It is the recipient of numerous awards including the St. Andrews Prize for the Environment, Popular Science Best of What’s New, Nokia Health Tech Awards, and Fast Company Innovation by Design Awards. Headquartered in Brooklyn, NY, the company was founded in 2009 by Jonathan Cedar and Alec Drummond. It is a proud member of the Global Alliance for Clean Cookstoves. Discover more at BioLiteEnergy.com.
