Straffan Wines recognize that energy conservation and climate change are the key issues of today, and to reduce our impact on the climate we have put in place a waste recycling plan, invested in fuel efficient vehicles and have been offsetting the carbon emissions from our business since early 2007. All of our operations within Ireland (logistics, office electricity) and our business travel (flights, sales rep mileage) are offset by helping to fund projects in renewable energy, energy efficiency and reforestation. This undertaking makes Straffan Wines the first climate neutral wine importer and one of the first climate neutral companies in Ireland.
This carbon offsetting initiative has been achieved through Climate Care. For more information, visit www.climatecare.org.
Example projects include:
Efficient stoves in Honduras
Climate Care is working in Honduras to make fuel efficient cooking stoves available in some of the poorest communities. This supports conservation by reducing the wood needed for cooking. It also benefits the householders by removing smoke from the kitchen and dramatically cutting the health risk from wood smoke.
Each stove reduces carbon dioxide emissions by around 1.5 tonnes per year, compared to an open wood fire.
The project is expected to save 7,000 tonnes of CO2.
Renewable power for schools in India
Climate Care is funding a project to introduce school stoves that run off a new renewable fuel source, replacing stoves that use fossil fuel LPG. Crop waste is being used to make biomass briquettes for the stoves, providing an extra income to farmers. For the schools this is good news because the new renewable fuel is cheaper. The stove has also proved popular with pupils, who prefer the taste of the food!
This project is expected to save 11,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions.
Restoring Rainforests in Uganda
Climate Care is funding part of a forest restoration programme in the Kibale National Park in Uganda. The project aims to re-create a rainforest canopy by planting and managing 30 species of local trees. The area is an important wildlife habitat – with one of the highest number of primate species in the world - and the project provides employment for local communities.
Each hectare of rainforest that is restored is expected to absorb 400 tonnes of CO2.
