Planet earth has been given an opportunity to take a breather, some time out to recover from the human bruises to its life. We get so much from nature but do we give enough back?
With COVID-19 shutting down our ability to produce products, travel long distances or use flight travel we were reducing CO2 emissions. Enabling a short chance for our planet to heal. However, the atmospheric levels of CO2 have risen sharply despite lockdown measures. Solidifying our need to all take action in reducing our harmful footprints, and fast.
A way in which we can continue to reduce levels of CO2 is to consider what we are buying, and make choices based upon;
How much carbon dioxide is each product releasing?
What can be done to reduce that impact?
Starboard has been working on reducing our negative by-product to the planet for all the years that the business has been running. Firstly it began with reducing our impact, which in 2017 our first carbon footprint analysis showed that we released 4,600 tonnes of CO2. In 2018 we released 2,650 tonnes of CO2 through our way of working and in 2019 3,030 tonnes of CO2 was emitted. Comparisons between 2018 and 2019 showed no reduction, however, we are still much lower than our previous year in 2017.
Starboard works with Worldview International Foundation to plant mangrove trees in areas where these magical trees once thrived. Being able to reforest these trees not only means green areas come back, but it also means the biodiversity at all levels return. With biodiversity being a clear indication of climate change, due to how sensitive species are to changes, we can use this as a clear indicator of how much positive changes humans need to do in response to healing the planet.
So far half a million trees have been planted by Starboard. 263,397 of these are accounted for through our carbon footprint reports and event emission offsetting, where we planted between 10 and 20 times as many trees needed to absorb emissions. We have planted 20,000 mangroves to sink down the estimated amount of emissions we released since Starboard first became active in 1994. The remainder of 216,603 trees were planted by Starboard to engage with the climate park, to help them reach the common goal of planting for a better future of our world.
Now the Thor Heyerdahl Climate Park, where these mangrove trees have been planted, is at its full capacity. This now means we are supporting the movement to the next land of plantation within Myanmar. Worldview International Foundation has been in the process of securing new ground, finding areas where mangrove trees once stood, using their mighty power to sink the emissions created by humans, storing them deep into the ground once again.
We are ready to plant up the planet. Each board we produce, we plant one mangrove. One mangrove will absorb 1 tonne of Carbon Dioxide, the equivalent of the average board’s emissions being absorbed 10 times over. This is absorbed within its first 20 years of life and will continue to absorb for many years to come.
