Climate change. Carbon emissions. Rising sea levels. These things are on everyone’s mind. How can we do better? How can we be more efficient, cut waste, and keep the planet pristine?
Luckily, there are several companies that have taken up the charge and made it their mission to help cut carbon where it matters most—clothing, travel, and technology.
1. The Good Traveller is saying bon voyage to the travel industry’s carbon footprint.
Who doesn’t love a good vacation? Or maybe your job requires you to jet-set around the world? Regardless of why we travel, planes, trains, and automobiles contribute pretty heavily to greenhouse gases.
Enter The Good Traveller. On their site, you can easily calculate how many dollars it will take to offset the carbon produced by your trip. The company then uses your money to fund carbon offsetting projects all around the US. It’s as simple as online shopping—fighting climate change doesn’t get much easier than that.
2. Reformation has been carbon neutral since 2015.
As a women’s clothing brand, you might not think their efforts are much of a big deal, but here’s why carbon neutral clothing matters. According to the UN, the global clothing industry contributes 10% of all carbon emissions and burns more energy than aviation and shipping combined. This is due to long supply chains and the fact that production just never stops—gotta have that latest seasonal fashion, right?
This is why Reformation partners with Arcadia power to let their customers earn a $100 dollar store credit for switching to wind energy. On top of that, you can buy climate credits—a purchase that supports carbon-cutting projects through NativeEnergy. These are just two programs the company runs to let their customers take part in their carbon efforts. There’s a lot more action behind the scenes that the company is doing to cut carbon and waste in every step of their clothing chain.
3. Teracube is greening up the smartphone industry.
Between broken computers, out of date phones, and random gadgets, the tech industry is a wasteful one. While there are a few carbon-cutting tech companies in Europe, finding an eco-friendly smartphone elsewhere is pretty tough. Teracube hopes to change that with its hugely successful Kickstarter.
Over 135 million phones are thrown away annually in the US due to planned obsolescence (ever wonder why your phone breaks or becomes frustratingly slow after two years?). Teracube phones cut e-waste and carbon emissions by lasting twice as long as mainstream products and are compatible with nearly all the major carriers. Plus, you can pay to plant a tree for five dollars right on their site.
In today’s world where fighting carbon emissions is a critical issue for our future, companies like these are leading the way towards a better, greener life.