We are proud to announce our partnership with non-profit Carbon Neutral Indiana this week that certifies Greenscape Geeks is a Carbon Neutral Business. Carbon Neutral Indiana (CNI) is an organization that seeks to help households and businesses account for their carbon footprints. It is an educational and fun way to bring the social cost of carbon to light. It also provides long-term carbon reduction solutions. 

Carbon neutrality is a starting point for anyone interested in taking responsibility for the climate change crisis. It means removing the same amount of greenhouse gases that you would contribute to the atmosphere. A dozen homeowners in Indiana have already done their assessments and made their pledges to reduce their carbon footprint. CNI hopes that the program extends beyond the Hoosier state to a nationwide effort.

How did Greenscape Geeks become carbon neutral?

Greenscape Geeks went through the 3-step process with the organization’s CEO, Daniel Poynter. 

First, we measured our footprint to get a total account of our carbon expenditure. Gas mileage, air travel, company waste generated, employee commuting, and office space electricity usage were just a few of the metrics we discussed in trying to account for going carbon neutral.

Second, we found ways to offset that carbon footprint. Our mission to use sustainable practices and environmentally friendly landscaping techniques gave us a real head start here. By planting trees, plants, and building ponds for aquatic life, we try to offset our daily footprint!

Third, we pledged to reduce our carbon footprint. Using supply chains, updating or replacing gas-powered equipment, and finding more sustainable materials to use are ways we could reduce our carbon footprint for Greenscape Geeks to go beyond neutral. We want to be a business that puts clean air and healthy soil back into the earth without the expense of carbon-heavy methods.

Why does it matter that Greenscape Geeks is a carbon neutral business?

This initiative matters to us because we want to strive to be business leaders regarding climate change. Talk about being in a perfect position with landscaping! CNI’s vision and mission are similar to ours in that we both want to see effective climate change action. The best way to enact change is to make education and involvement fun and rewarding for participants. We feel like we do a pretty good job of that with our pollinator plantings and water-conserving landscaping methods (like xeriscaping). It’s also worth mentioning our recent at-home-schooling lesson plans on Facebook to get parents and kids working together to discover something spectacular about the environment.

We’ll have more information about our partnership with CNI and how other businesses should join in the coming weeks. Be on the lookout for a Greenscape Geekout episode this month to hear more!

 

Greenscape Geeks is a central Indiana landscape architecture and landscape design, construction, and lawn maintenance company, serving Indianapolis (including Meridian Kessler, Herron Morton, Williams Creek, and Irvington), Carmel, Noblesville, Fishers, and Zionsville.