Let’s face it: climate change is almost impossible to stop. Our planet is getting warmer. We cannot prevent it. All we can do is mitigate the consequences. To achieve that, we all have to act, not just you and me, but especially the big “players”.

Everything is suddenly carbon-neutral

What was “sustainable” a few years ago is now “carbon-neutral”. However, the inflationary use of the term does not mean that all companies are suddenly actively protecting the climate and aware of their responsibility. Climate-neutral products simply sell better because we as consumers are becoming more sensitive to the climate and want to do our part to protect it. And since we can hardly do without toothpaste, we reach for the climate-neutral version.

Why is carbon-neutral not necessarily sustainable and environmentally friendly?

Being carbon-neutral does not automatically mean that a company is sustainable or environmentally friendly. It doesn’t even mean that they have actually taken action to protect the climate. Instead, a company can call itself carbon-neutral if it offsets the emissions it causes.

To put it bluntly, all a car manufacturer has to do is plant enough trees and its car is carbon-neutral.

How do I know which companies are truly carbon-neutral?

Of course, there are manufacturers, producers, and service providers (and hotels, of course) that are actually trying to make a positive difference. That means they’re not just planting trees or investing in renewable energy projects on the African continent. Climate neutrality starts at home, in the company.

One example of successful climate protection is the Creativhotel Luise in the Bavarian city of Erlangen. Before planting any trees, hotel manager Ben Förtsch and his team look for ways to reduce emissions. To accomplish this, the hotel’s carbon footprint is calculated annually and the potential for savings is examined. For example, the hotel has its own photovoltaic system for electricity. The rest of the electricity comes from hydroelectric power plants.

Like the Creativhotel, the Naturresort Schindelbruch has been awarded the Viabono environmental seal. Viabono is an independent seal of approval for environmentally, climate and nature-friendly hotels with a special focus on climate protection. As a Climate Hotel Partner, the Naturresort Schindelbruch also determines its CO2 footprint annually – and regularly ranks among the best.. This is only possible if the hotel’s own emissions have been reduced as far as possible, for example through renewable energies (photovoltaics, geothermal energy, hydropower), but also through heat recovery, energy-saving lighting, and efficient thermal insulation.

First reduce, then offset

It is not possible to completely avoid CO2 emissions. In virtually all areas of our lives, there are unavoidable emissions that cannot be eliminated. But it is only now that compensation (also known as tree planting) comes into play. That is after you have done everything you can to reduce your own emissions as much as possible. Then the question doesn’t arise whether offsetting is a kind of modern indulgence trade to ease one’s conscience.

How can you offset your emissions?

You have probably heard of organizations like Atmosfair and ClimatePartner. They are often mentioned in connection with air travel and carbon offsetting because we as private citizens can also offset our emissions.

We do not want to go into the topic of flying and the related discussion of whether to fly, where to fly, how long to fly, etc. in this article. However, if you’re interested in learning more about it, you might want to check out this blog post where we looked at the socio-economic impacts of air tourism.

Emissions can be offset in a number of ways. The best known is planting trees. But there is also the possibility that the money you spend on offsetting is invested in renewable energy projects. Berghotel Rehlegg, for example, offsets some of its emissions by building humus (i.e. storing CO2 in the soil). This has the double effect of making agriculturally depleted soils usable again.

How useful is planting trees to offset CO2?

All three featured hotels offset some or all of their emissions by planting trees in the Climate Forest in Panama. In this way, the local rainforest is protected and expanded. This is a gold standard project of Klima-Hotels, an association of hotels that are actively involved in climate protection. The Creativhotel Luise and the Naturresort Schindelbruch have even planted more trees than they actually need and can therefore call themselves climate positive. They compensate for more emissions than they cause.

But are trees the most sensible way to offset CO2? At first glance, it would seem so. But trees only store CO2 as long as they grow. This means that when trees are planted, they need care for the first few years to grow and thrive. If the tree dies, there is no compensation unless it is replaced. Furthermore, in the event of a forest fire, for example, the stored CO2 is released again.

As you can see, planting trees for climate protection is a double-edged sword. However, in Panama, in addition to climate protection, it also has the function of creating jobs and educational opportunities for the local population, as well as preserving the rainforest and creating a new habitat for animals and plants.

Get informed!

Carbon-neutral is a word that often promises more than it delivers. Not everything is climate neutral. So take a closer look at the product, research the company, and find out what the company’s commitment to climate protection really is, and whether the product is also convincing in other respects (recycling, fair production). Seals and labels such as Viabono or Green Pearls® can help you. With Green Pearls®, you will also find the protective measures of our partners clearly listed on the respective microsite. So, you have everything at a glance 😉

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