Get to know more about Carbon Neutral!

Carbon Neutral gives back to our planet by offering carbon reduction and offset solutions to organisations worldwide! We had the pleasure of chatting with Michael from Carbon Neutral to tell us a little bit more about it and its impact.

When did Carbon Neutral start up? 

Carbon Neutral initially started as a charity in 2001 as a response to the growing global concern about climate change. As the years followed, demand kept growing for businesses to evaluate their carbon footprint and engage carbon offset services to be more socially responsible. That’s why in 2013, Carbon Neutral underwent a complete restructuring to become a private company specialising in carbon advisory and reforestation offset services.

What was your mission at the start of your company?

When we first started the company, our mission was to connect with organisations that were seeking to offset their carbon footprint and contribute to habitat restoration efforts. Since then, our mission has evolved to see the development of our flagship biodiverse reforestation project, the Yarra Yarra Biodiversity Corridor.

Thanks to the large-scale effort required for the Yarra Yarra Biodiversity Corridor, innovation and refined planting techniques, we have been able to produce our own quality reforestation offsets and implement our Plant-a-Tree Program. 

How does partnering with Carbon Neutral help the environment?

At Carbon Neutral, we don’t just plant trees, we are growing ecosystems. We have created Australia’s largest biodiverse reforestation carbon sink by planting over 30 million trees and shrubs in the Yarra Yarra Biodiversity Corridor, which is growing every day.

What is carbon offsetting and how does it work?

Carbon offsetting is the process of making up for carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas emissions that you’re responsible for. To compensate for it, there are schemes designed to make equivalent reductions of greenhouse gases e.g. if you were responsible for emitting  one tonne of carbon emissions organisations like carbon neutral will ensure to remove one tonne of carbon or its equivalent in other greenhouse gases.

Can you tell us more about your Yarra Yarra Biodiversity Corridor Plant-a-Tree Program? 

Carbon Neutral’s Plant-a-Tree program forms an integral part of the award-winning Yarra Yarra Biodiversity Corridor. This ambitious broad scale reforestation project is helping to reconnect small patches of vegetation to create a green corridor and helping restore the precious flora and fauna biodiversity of this fragile landscape.

Carbon Neutral plants a mix of biodiverse native species (usually between 40-50 species every year), meaning they don’t introduce any species that are not naturally occurring in the region. This usually happens once a year in the winter time after the first winter rains, which gives the seeds and seedlings the best possible start. 

How are the trees protected?

The trees are protected by a 100 year carbon covenant and carbon right, meaning the trees are safeguarded for ‘a lifetime’.

What has been your impact to date?

To date Carbon Neutral has planted more than 30 million trees and shrubs across the Corridor, restoring more than 13,500 hectares of cleared, degraded land.

How do you recommend businesses get started with Carbon Offsetting or your Plant-a-Tree program?

Get in touch with the team at Carbon Neutral. The company’s team of highly experienced professionals are happy to guide prospective clients through the process to make sure that the products and services provided are the right choice for businesses and individuals.

As of late, Carbon Neutral has introduced a more thorough and robust set of measuring tools. Historically, the business has offered carbon footprint measurement services and now regularly provides life cycle assessments and Economic Social and Corporate Governance (ESG) measuring services.