SEDGE IS CO2 NEUTRAL, HERE YOU CAN READ HOW

SEDGE wants to make sure that the future looks brighter for future generations. But contributing to a better future is often easier said than done. Because how exactly do you do that? And what really makes the difference?

Because our straws are made from the gray sedge reed, the Vietnamese government has an extra reason – together with local entrepreneurs – to build new reed beds. In this way we support the local economy, restore the area and protect endangered species. Awesome right?

But let’s be honest: before our straws end up in your drinks, they have a long way to go. By land and by sea. A journey that inevitably leads to CO2 emissions. And that gave us an itchy feeling. A pinching shoe. Because CO2, we don’t help our planet with that.

To find out exactly how big our ecological footprint is, we turned to BOS+. A Flemish non-profit organization that is committed to more and better forest. Whether they could help us with those polluting emissions? Yes! How? By planting trees. Trees that convert our CO2 into O2. From dirty air to clean air. How many trees? Well …

We were able to make a thorough analysis using the Treecological calculator, made by BOS+ and Ecolife. The calculation that followed showed that for every container full of straws shipped, we emit a total of two tons of CO2.

Two tons of CO2. What should we imagine with such an abstract concept?

By way of comparison: the average emissions for one passenger on a single Brussels-New York flight is about two tons. Driving a diesel car about 9000 km, with an average consumption of 6 liters per 100 km, is also good for two tons. And to compensate for two tons of emissions, SEDGE has to plant 110m² of forest. This is roughly equivalent to 37 trees in a newly planted forest.

Only: planting a tree costs money. Two, three, five more trees. Let alone half a forest. And yet… Yet we think it’s only normal that we take our responsibility in this. That we pay BOS+ to create more forest and thus more clean air. That the straws in our drinks take on even more meaning. Not just to ease our itchy feeling, but also to show you that SEDGE means it. That we, as a sustainable company, really want to contribute to a better future for generations to come. And that every choice – big or small – matters.

Would you like to know more about our collaboration with BOS+? Check out the organization’s website or test yourself how much CO2 you emit when you move. A spoiler: the average CO2 emission of a Belgian is about 8 tons per year.