How Terrapass Helps Individuals and Businesses Become More Carbon-Neutral

About Terrapass

The average American's carbon footprint, or the amount of carbon compounds emitted due to fossil fuel consumption, is 21.5 metric tons of CO2 each year compared to the global average of 4.9 metric tons. If you're like a growing population of global citizens, you've probably thought about your carbon footprint and how else your daily activities make an impact on the planet and how they're playing a role in climate change.

However, there may be some activities crucial to your daily life that may contribute to a large carbon footprint, such as food consumption, travel or commute, and energy usage that you've tried to cut back on as much as you can, but you still want a way to combat your fossil fuel usage and reduce your climate impact. That need is the heart of why Terrapass was founded.

Terrapass is a company that helps individuals and businesses fight climate change by providing resources that help you learn about your carbon footprint and by partnering with sustainable energy companies to provide consumers and corporations a way to purchase carbon offsets, renewable energy credits, and water restoration credits. Purchasing these credits and offsets essentially fund projects that reduce greenhouse gas emissions or restore water quality. After reducing your emissions all you can, the offsets that Terrapass offers are the next step in becoming as close to carbon-neutral as possible.

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All of Terrapass' carbon offsets are 100% verified third-party verifiers such as the Climate Action Reserve, and they keep their prices competitive with markets that share their same high standards. In their first year alone, Terrapass grew to over 2,400 members who reduced 36 million total pounds of CO2 from the atmosphere as a result of using the carbon offsets. Terrapass continues to implement new renewable energy programs and greenhouse gas destruction programs that you can learn more about here.

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Interview with Josh Levy, Sustainability Executive at Terrapass

How did you find yourself at Terrapass, and what was it like starting out?

"My professional background was not one of sustainability.  I worked for a decade in hospitality technology space.  As with many people, there came a moment that I really wanted to make a difference, especially as I am a father of two children.  I felt it was important to make some impact, and the best way that I could use my previous experience was to create more demand for renewables.  It also helped that I had a friend that had worked in the industry for 10+ years to educate me and give me some entry points."

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What are your personal life goals and how do they align with Terrapass's mission?

"As I stated before, I feel that if I can help create more demand for renewable’s (REC’s, Carbon Offsets, WRC’s) then I am helping make a difference.  I wanted to remove barriers for people and companies to access these, as well as educate more people on the benefits of these technologies.  This is exactly what Terrapass does for its customers both on the individual level as well on the corporate level."

What are your company's values and missions, and how do you incorporate them into your day-to-day?

"Terrapass is committed to delivering only the highest quality environmental products to our customers. We are proud to be the leading provider of carbon offsets from U.S.-based projects in terms of quality and transparency, for which we have received extensive recognition.  Day to day we follow these values whether we work with the City of Boston or the pet shop next door."

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What inspires you to keep doing what you're doing?

"That’s a tough question.  In one aspect my children and family inspire me to continue this work.  One of the greatest honors I have had was teaching my daughters 4th grade class how people and companies address their carbon footprint.  I was even lucky enough to convince the school to create a field trip to the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) in Colorado.  On the other side of that unfortunately, the point of where our planet stands in regards to a climate crisis, mass migrations of people based on climate change -- there is no lack of inspiration or motivation to do something.  It helps knowing that what I do is in some way making an impact."

‍What advice do you have for people who want to make a difference in this world?

"First, educate yourselves on how you can make changes in your daily lives and habits.  Second, vote, vote, vote for candidates that believe in climate change and have action plans. Third, advocate for the planet with your employers, schools, vendors, municipalities, etc.

We have great power as consumers, citizens, employees, and students.  Do not let the power go to waste.  More and more companies are taking notice that this topic is not going away and is important to who they depend on, their people."

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What have been Terrapass' accomplishments to this day, and how long has it been around?

"Launched in 2004, Terrapass partners with organizations to help them manage their sustainability goals. Our products & services provide consumers and businesses with opportunities to help reduce their environmental impact and water footprint. Together, our customers have reduced the equivalent of more than 2 billion pounds of carbon dioxide emissions by funding greenhouse gas reduction and renewable energy projects globally. We have had several awards:

• Greenopia said TerraPass is the best carbon offset retailer. They had especially nice things to say about our transparency (which is great because it’s something we take very seriously).
• We were the best North American offset provider in Environmental Finance’s survey of the voluntary carbon market.
• Readers of Environmental Finance and Carbon Finance voted our carbon origination team Best Offset Originator in North American Mandatory Markets.
• As if that weren’t enough, Treehugger has also nominated us in their Best of Green awards in the Travel and Nature category."

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Help Terrapass by learning how to calculate, conserve, and offset your carbon use at terrapass.com