Today We’re Climate Neutral Certified

Happy Earth Day, everyone. I hope that wherever you are, you’re able to get outside today and enjoy our incredible planet. Here at Brook Farm Veterinary Center, we’re not only celebrating the first spring flowers, but also the fact that we’re officially Climate Neutral Certified. The reality is that even after facing an unprecedented global pandemic (and everything else 2021 threw at us), climate change is the single biggest threat to humanity - but we have the tools to stop it. The process to become Climate Neutral Certified is a months-long effort to measure, offset, and reduce our carbon footprint. These are actions that all brands - and individuals - can and should take now to “flatten the curve” of carbon emissions.

Sustainability and the environment have been part of our DNA since day one, and today we’re thrilled that we’re able to join hundreds of Climate Neutral Certified brands in taking meaningful action for the climate.

Why now?

It’s no secret that 2021 was a challenging year for business. In the face of unexpected obstacles, radical pivots, and new ways of working, we’ve learned that we are able to face big challenges as individuals, a team, and a society. Globally, we emit almost 60 billion tonnes of greenhouse gasses every year. These are the emissions that cause climate change, and our industry is responsible for a decent chunk of these emissions due to the resources required to provide medical care to our patients.

If we don’t take responsibility for this problem now, then there’s no way we’ll hit the 2050 goals science tells us we need to achieve. These are make-or-break goals. Reach them, and we avoid the devastating effects of climate change. Miss them, and life on Earth will change for billions of people – forever.

We’re acting now because scientifically-vetted solutions to climate change exist, and they are accessible to brands like ours.  As Evan Kanouse, our Hospital Director and Managing Partner put it, “We understand that carbon emissions are the root cause of climate change, and we at Brook Farm understand how our activities lead to greenhouse gas emissions. All that’s left to do is connect the dots!”

How did we get here?

We are connecting the dots by doing our share to eliminate carbon emissions. We worked with Climate Neutral as we measured and offset last year's carbon emissions, and identified ways to reduce future emissions. This process took a significant amount of time and resources from our team, but ultimately it’s a reasonable cost compared to the thread of climate change. Bella Todaro, Director of Carbon Measurement at Climate Neutral, told us that "Our brands dedicated thousands of hours to understanding and addressing their climate impacts through the certification process.” All of those hours went to meeting the same standard for each brand:

Measure

We measured our carbon footprint at 300 tonnes. To arrive at this number, we looked at all of the emissions created from making and delivering our products/services, including our supply chain emissions, employee commuting, business travel, and utility bills.

Brook Farm Veterinary Center measured Scope 1, 2 and 3 cradle-to-customer emissions following categories and approaches established in the Climate Neutral standards.

GHG Scope 1

1 tCO2e

GHG Scope 2

147 tCO2e

GHG Scope 3

152 tCO2e

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Offset

We offset these emissions by purchasing $$4,225.00 worth of verified carbon credits. We purchased 200 tonnes of Agrocortex Forestry Carbon Offsets ‍and 100 tonnes of Clinton Landfill Gas Carbon Offsets.

Learn More: https://www.climateneutral.org/brand/brook-farm-vet

Reduce

Last, but not least, we created Reduction Action Plans to help lower our emissions over the next 12-24 months.

• We have implemented microfiber cleaning cloths to reduce single-use paper towel usage.
• We have switched to 100% recycled and unbleached paper towels.
• We have switched to 100% recycled toilet paper and facial tissues.
• We have purchased recycling bins to encourage our team to separate and recycle any plastic packaging, plastic bottles, and cans they accumulate.
• We purchased 200 tonnes of Agrocortex Forestry Carbon Offsets
  More Info: https://offsetra.com/projects/agrocortex-redd‍
• We purchased 100 tonnes of Clinton Landfill Gas Carbon Offsets
  More Info: https://terrapass.com/project/clinton-landfill-2-gas-collection-and-combustion-project
• We are working with the non-profit BEF: https://www.b-e-f.org/

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I’m sharing the details of our process for two reasons: 1) Our clients deserve transparency, and I want to show how we’re working to live up to our claims of climate responsibility. 2) I hope that other brands will see what we did and become inspired to take action.

What does it mean to be Climate Neutral Certified?

Starting today, our products will bear the Climate Neutral Certified label. Climate Neutral is a nonprofit committed to solving climate change by making carbon neutrality simple and accessible. The label is shorthand for the process outlined above. Austin Whitman, CEO of Climate Neutral says, “Consumers hold massive power to shape the economy, and their power is exerted through the actions of the brands they support. With our climate label, we’re helping consumers find the brands that are willing to invest immediately in climate solutions.”

The hundreds of brands certifying this year all go through the same process to measure, offset, and reduce their emissions. Together, Climate Neutral Certified companies are working to eliminate more than 1,000,000 tonnes of carbon emissions - and we’re just getting started! These companies offer products and services across a wide range of industries, from apparel to media. Next time you’re considering a new product, keep an eye out for the Climate Neutral Certified label! To learn more about Climate Neutral and other brands committed to climate action, visit climateneutral.org.

To The Future

We’re thrilled to be in good company with this year’s Climate Neutral Certified brands. We believe in Climate Neutral’s mission of taking action now to solve a problem that we understand to be an urgent threat. We’re glad you’re with us for the journey #ProudBrookFarmers.

Let’s work together to tackle climate change faster.

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