Carbon offsetting projects - 2019

Here at Shred Station, one of our top priorities is the measurement and control of our environmental impacts. For instance, we have zero tolerance for landfill, recycle 100% of the paper we shred at UK paper mills, are powered by solar, operate a low-emission fleet of shredding vehicles, and offer a Shred a Tonne, Plant a Tree scheme.

Recently, though, we decided to do more.

Working with Climate Impact Partners (formerly Natural Capital Partners), we have been able to assess our annual emissions and offset these to zero. As a result, Shred Station achieved CarbonNeutral company certification. The journey to receiving this certification meant investing more in renewables and committing to a carbon offsetting project. The project we chose was the Uganda Community Reforestation Project.

Climate Impact Partners

Climate Impact Partners is an organisation that delivers solutions that have positive impacts on carbon and renewable energy. Not only this, but the company also partners with more than 350 projects in 32 countries, including the Uganda Community Reforestation Project. We chose to support this project as part of our CarbonNeutral company certification.

What is the Uganda Community Reforestation Project?

The Uganda Community Reforestation Project allows farmers in four districts in southwest Uganda to voluntarily enrol in a reforestation programme. If the farmers want to volunteer, they can plant as many trees as they can reasonably afford, while keeping the rest of their land for agricultural purposes. Farmers who enrol receive money for the trees they grow successfully. They also receive education about water stewardship, health and well-being, economic growth, food security, and energy access.

Many areas in Uganda, now home to the project, were previously deforested for settlement purposes, dating back generations. Nearby trees were also chopped down as fuel to boil water in an attempt to make it safer to drink. As a result, many areas in Uganda were stripped of natural biodiversity.

Farmers involved with the project receive yearly payments for each tree they plant successfully, and additional income as their trees grow. As the project areas have grown, tree and plant cover have increased. This has meant habitats for important pollinators, such as bees, as well as local wildlife, have also increased.

The project doesn’t just reward farmers for reforestation either; it also encourages sustainable development. The project delivers education and training in conservation farming methods. This includes teaching farmers about tree spacing, agroforestry, composting and crop rotation to maximise land fertility. They also receive tuition in business techniques to maximise the yield of the land. With surplus food to sell, participants have been able to increase their income and improve their quality of life.

Joyce Myrangi

Joyce is one of the farmers who participates in the programme.

One of the great things about this project is that it aims to further gender equality in Uganda. Farming groups must use a rotating leadership structure to involve both men and women in the management of the projects. As a result, women take on managerial responsibility and are offered the chance to break away from traditional household roles. With the additional income, as in Joyce’s story, families are able to improve their standard of living and education.

Why did Shred Station choose this project?

We chose this project as we know the importance of reforestation for the health of our planet, as well as the positive impacts it can have on less economically developed communities.

The project meets 10 of the 17 Global Goals for Sustainable Development, which are:

• 1 – No Poverty

• 2 – Zero Hunger

• 3 – Good Health and Wellbeing

• 4 – Quality Education

• 5 – Gender Equality

• 6 – Clean Water and Sanitation

• 8 – Decent Work, Good Jobs, and Economic Growth

• 10 – Reduced Inequalities

• 13 – Climate Action / Protect the Planet

• & 15 – Life on Land.

Our commitment to this project in Uganda this year will mean enough trees are planted to offset the 1,214 tonnes of CO2 emissions that Shred Station is accountable for. Our carbon emissions are already quite low, thanks to numerous existing commitments to sustainability. However, reducing our carbon emissions to net-zero is imperative to our core values. We believe that more businesses should work towards total carbon neutrality and take the necessary steps to protect our planet’s depleting resources.

See our full list of accreditations and our latest greenhouse gas assessment on our accreditations page.