Carbon Neutral
What is Carbon Neutrality?
Being carbon neutral involves calculating the winery’s total climate-damaging emissions, reducing ("mitigating") them where possible, and then taking responsibility for the remaining footprint by investing in carbon credits.
Measurement
Our partners, the Mendocino Wine Co. along with the California Climate Action Registry to calculate their
annual greenhouse gas emissions. The Registry provides leadership on climate change by developing and promoting credible, accurate, and consistent green house gas reporting standards and tools for organizations to measure, monitor, third-party verify and reduce their GHG emissions consistently across industry sectors and geographical borders. With this information the winery was able to take specific steps to mitigate and offset their emissions including:
- Using 100%, non-polluting, green energy (onsite solar & purchased wind)
- Employee education
- Completion of an energy-efficiency audit in partnership with Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E)
- Winery and warehouse lighting retrofit
- Replacing old machinery with energy efficient models
- Investing in further tank insulation
- Replacing incandescent bulbs with fluorescents in the office, tasting room & winery
- Using bio-diesel in company vehicles and farm equipment (It is biodegradable and non-toxic)
Offsets
Ourvineyard sponsors a diverse portfolio of carbon programs focused on biogas capture, wind power and forest conservation within its own bioregion. Partners must have proven track records, provide information on specific projects and have third-party certification.
For our partners, going carbon neutral is the equivalent of turning off the power for 66 homes or removing 87 cars off of the road for an entire year.
