What Is Carbon-Neutral Shipping?

Carbon-neutral shipping has become a common USP not only for our company but for others across the globe as businesses strive to become more sustainable. 

At Wave Case, we want to empower our customers to make more sustainable choices when it comes to spending their hard-earned money. That’s why we want you to understand exactly what carbon-neutral shipping means.

What does carbon-neutral shipping mean?

Carbon-neutral shipping is a shipping process where the net amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions released into the atmosphere is equivalent to the amount of CO2 that has been offset or mitigated through various measures i.e. a company has been able to balance out the carbon emissions created with the transportation of goods, making the overall impact on the environment "carbon neutral" or "carbon zero."

How does carbon-neutral shipping work?

Measurement of Emissions: The first step involves the business measuring the total greenhouse gas emissions generated throughout the shipping process. This includes emissions from vehicles, such as ships, planes, or trucks, as well as any indirect emissions from associated activities like packaging and handling.

Offsetting Emissions: Once the emissions are measured, a business makes steps to offset or mitigate them. This can be achieved through investing in projects that reduce or capture an equivalent amount of CO2, like reforestation projects, renewable energy initiatives, or capture projects.

Carbon Credits and Offsetting Programs: Companies engaged in carbon-neutral shipping may purchase carbon credits from projects that reduce emissions elsewhere. These credits represent the equivalent amount of CO2 that has been avoided or removed from the atmosphere. The financial support helps fund projects that contribute to environmental sustainability.

Renewable Energy Sources: Some companies choose to power their transportation with renewable energy sources, such as electric vehicles or vessels, to minimise the carbon footprint associated with the energy used for transportation.

Why should customers choose companies with carbon-neutral shipping?

While it’s often a selling point highlighted in marketing, why should you care that a business is operating carbon-neutral shipping? Well, here are just a couple of reasons:

Environmental Impact: Carbon-neutral shipping helps reduce the environmental impact caused by the transportation of goods. By offsetting or reducing the carbon emissions generated during shipping, customers will contribute to efforts to combat climate change and promote sustainability.

Reduced Carbon Footprint: Transportation, especially in the shipping industry, is a significant source of greenhouse gas emissions. Choosing carbon-neutral shipping options reduces the overall carbon footprint associated with the delivery of products, contributing to a lower environmental impact.

Consumer Values: Many customers are becoming more environmentally conscious and are looking for ways to align what they choose to buy with their values. Opting for carbon-neutral shipping is a way for individuals to support businesses that share their commitment to sustainability.

Encouraging Sustainable Practices: By choosing carbon-neutral shipping options, customers send a market signal to businesses that sustainability matters. This encourages companies to adopt more environmentally friendly practices and explore other initiatives to reduce their overall carbon footprint.

Why should businesses strive for carbon-neutral shipping?

If we’ve sold it to you as a user, let us sell it to you as a business, too. Here are the reasons companies should begin seriously looking at how to offer carbon-neutral shipping of their products:

Environmental Responsibility: Adopting carbon-neutral shipping reflects a commitment to the environment. By offsetting the carbon emissions associated with transportation, businesses contribute to global efforts to combat climate change and reduce their overall environmental impact.

Meeting Consumer Demand: Customers are shifting towards preferring sustainable and eco-friendly products and services. Offering carbon-neutral shipping marries up with the values of environmentally conscious consumers, meeting their expectations and potentially attracting a larger customer base.

Competitive Advantage: Businesses that position themselves as environmentally responsible and adopt sustainable practices gain a competitive advantage. Carbon-neutral shipping can be a key differentiator in a crowded market, influencing consumers to choose one company over another based on its commitment to sustainability.

How does Wave Case provide carbon-neutral shipping?

We have worked closely with the brilliant Climate Partner to calculate the estimated CO2 that is produced when shipping your orders -  we then offset this by supporting Plastic Bank, the Worldwide Clean Ocean project.

It is estimated that over 8 million tons of plastic waste end up in the sea every year. The shocking reality is, that by 2050, there will be more plastic in the oceans than fish. 

Due to various socio-economic factors, developing countries often lack the infrastructure for proper waste disposal and this is where our friends Plastic Bank come in! In countries such as Haiti, Indonesia, Brazil and the Philippines, people collect plastic waste and can then at local collection points, they can exchange their collected plastic for money, food, drinking water, mobile phone credit or even to pay for school fees. The initiative is fantastic as it ensures less plastic ends up in the sea and instead, the plastic is recycled and turned into so-called Social Plastic, which serves as raw material for new products such as packaging. 

Alongside being active in the fight against plastic pollution, the Worldwide Clean Ocean Project offset carbon via two Climate Partner Gold Standard projects: a wind farm in the Philippines and a wind power project in Aruba. For each compensated tonne of CO2, 10 kg of plastic waste is collected.