Brewdog to plant a million trees in bid for carbon negativity

24 August, 2020

Brewdog claims to be the world’s first carbon negative international beer producer after announcing plans to plan a million trees in the Scottish Highlands.

The Scottish brewer has purchased 2,050 acres just north of Loch Lomond, and it will turn the site into “Brewdog Forest”.

It claims that it will be able to remove twice as much carbon from the air than it emits every single year. 

Brewdog co-founder James Watt said: “Our Carbon. Our Problem. So, we are going to fix it ourselves.   

“Huge change is needed right now, and we want to be a catalyst for that change in our industry and beyond. We fully acknowledge that we are a long way from perfect. However, we are determined to rapidly and fundamentally change everything as we work hard to ensure we have a positive impact on the planet.

“The scientific consensus is clear: we are sleepwalking off the edge of a cliff. Unless the world confronts the urgent carbon problem, science tells us that the results will be catastrophic. There has been too much bullshit for too long. Governments have proved completely inept in the face of this crisis. The change our world and society needs, has to come from progressive business and we want to play our role and nail our colours to the mast.”

Carbon offsetting is a controversial topic, as critics say it gives polluters a guilt-free pass to keep emitting CO2, while carbon reductions are often not as effective as promised.

However, Brewdog has already taken significant steps to reduce its carbon footprint during the brewing process and across its business, and it has now worked with leading climate change expert Mike Berners Lee on its carbon removal plan.

Lee, author of There is no Planet B and founder of Small World Consulting, was full of praise for the brewer.

He said: “After decades of inaction, we have a full-on climate crisis on our hands. The scale and speed of the change we now need is enormous, and cuts right across politics, business and every corner of society.

“The good news is that if we are smart about our transition, we can make our lives better at the same time as making them more sustainable. With the actions laid out in this report, Brewdog is giving some of the leadership the world so badly needs.

“They are raising the bar for the business world, both in their strong carbon cutting action and their straight talking. Brewdog beer can represent another small nudge for a better world.”

David Robertson, director at Scottish Woodlands, added that Brewdog Forest will be “one of the largest native woodlands created in the UK for many years”.





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