Kelp and tropical forests: offsetting our footprint with two worthy organisations

To offset our carbon footprint for FY 2022, Arinex has supported two organisations; Canopy Blue Kelp Carbon Offset, based in Western Australia, and Rimba Raya Borneo REDD+, located in Borneo, Indonesia.

In this blog, we share a bit about the important work each organisation is doing.

Firstly, what is carbon offsetting?

Carbon offsetting is a way for individuals and businesses to mitigate the impact of their carbon emissions by supporting environmental projects that reduce or remove greenhouse gases from the atmosphere.

There are many organisations that offer carbon offsetting services and Arinex selects two through an all-staff vote. This year staff voted for Canopy Blue Kelp Carbon Offset in Western Australia and Rimba Raya Borneo REDD+ in Indonesia.

Canopy Blue Kelp Carbon Offset

This organisation offers carbon offset credits by supporting the growth and harvest of kelp forests. Kelp is a type of seaweed that grows quickly and absorbs large amounts of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Kelp forests also provide important habitats for marine species.

By promoting the growth of kelp forests, Canopy Blue helps to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and promotes the conservation of coastal ecosystems, while also supporting the local fishing industry.

Arinex’ support has helped to grow 30 kelp plants in the lab, before deploying them to the Kalbarri restoration area. This is equivalent to the retirement 30 tonnes of CO2.

Rimba Raya Borneo REDD+

Based in Borneo, Indonesia, Rimba Raya helps to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by protecting tropical forests, which are some of the largest carbon sinks on the planet. The organisation works with local communities to preserve and manage forested lands, which helps to reduce deforestation and the associated emissions.

The tropical forests provide critical habitats for endangered species such as the orangutan, the pygmy elephant and the sunda clouded leopard, and Rimba Raya’s carbon offset credits are verified by the Climate, Community and Biodiversity Standards, an independent organisation that certifies environmentally and socially responsible projects.

With the purchase of carbon credits, Arinex helped Rimba Raya to offset 280 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions.