Carbon neutrality, also referred to as having a net zero carbon footprint, refers to a party’s achievement of a balance between the amount of carbon it emits and the carbon emissions it offsets. Purchasing carbon credits, along with strategies to reduce carbon emissions, is how carbon neutrality is typically achieved.
Source: Wikipedia

Carbon emissions cause climate change. The Paris Agreement “aims to respond to the global climate change threat by keeping a global temperature rise this century well below 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels…”. In order to reach this goal, all organizations need to significantly reduce their carbon emissions. For those emissions that cannot be reduced, carbon offsetting is a valid way to meet targets. You can easily become carbon neutral and do your part to fight global climate change.

With one carbon credit, you are able to offset the carbon dioxide emission (CO2e) equivalents that the manufacture and shipment of a new computer would create. This carbon credit offsets the carbon it takes to produce the computer from cradle-to-gate.

End-of-First-Life™ (EOFL™) is a term used to highlight that technology has more than one life or use. Through the process of refurbishment and resale, the CO2Neutral™ program facilitates a “second life” for end-of-life technology that would otherwise be retired from use and either recycled or sent to landfill.

Yes! If you elect to purchase refurbished technology, you can apply a carbon credit to make it CO2Neutral™.

Each registered carbon credit is assigned a serial number and, once applied to offset emissions, is retired from the CleanProjects® Registry – no further action is required. They are not transferable or re-useable once they are retired.

The carbon market is divided into two segments.

The first segment is the compliance carbon market, which includes government-regulated programs (e.g., the Climate Change Mitigation and Low Carbon Economy Act) that require countries and large industries to reduce their emissions. Carbon offsets sold through these programs are regulated to ensure a certain level of quality and to enforce restrictions on project types and locations.

The second segment is the voluntary carbon market. As its name suggests, the voluntary market covers carbon offset trading that is not required by government regulation as a part of mandatory greenhouse gas reduction programs. The voluntary market serves individuals, businesses, and organizations that aren’t legally required by governments to reduce their emissions, but choose to voluntarily take responsibility for their climate impact. Some well-known businesses and organizations that are voluntarily purchasing carbon offsets to reduce their carbon footprint include HSBC, Nike, Co-Operators Inc., and Bank of Montreal.

EOFL™ products are collected and securely shipped to Tech Data. There, they are triaged based on condition, age, and resale potential. Next, all data-bearing units are wiped according to NIST 800-88 Guidelines for Media Sanitization. Data wipe certificates that correspond to each device’s serial number are generated and provided. A legal copy of Microsoft Windows 10 is loaded onto the units that are resold into various markets, including education, online, and small/medium-sized businesses. Technology that cannot be refurbished is sent to the CO2Neutral™ program’s EPRA-approved recycler, eCycle Solutions for environmentally sound recycling.

We have a dedicated sales team that finds value in all types of technology. Assets such as desktops, notebooks, servers, printers, smartphones, networking, storage, etc all have resale value.

Going carbon neutral is an easy way to take responsibility for the greenhouse gas emissions we create every time we drive our cars, take a plane, or turn on our computers. It’s based on the principle that, since climate change is a global problem, an emission reduction made elsewhere has the same positive effect as one made locally.
Source: David Suzuki Foundation

A carbon credit represents a measurement of reduced carbon emissions achieved by one party, which can be purchased and used to compensate (offset) the emissions of another party.
Source: David Suzuki Foundation

By collecting, refurbishing and reselling End-of-First-Life™ technology, the CO2Neutral™ program reduces the need for new technology. Thus, the carbon dioxide emissions (CO2e) associated with the production and manufacturing of new technology (e.g., extracting of raw materials, manufacturing, shipping, etc.) are never incurred. The entire refurbishment and resale process is documented and verified, after which carbon credits are generated and registered with the Canadian Standards Association (CSA).

Data protection is the top priority of the CO2Neutral™ program. As part of the program, data security is divided into four areas:

1. Transportation: Complete security, from pick-up to drop-off (optional).
2. Storage: ISO-certified processing facility (9001:2015) with 24/7 video surveillance and guard monitoring.
3. Data Wipe: NIST 800-88-compliant wipe for all data bearing devices, and full de-branding. Wipe certificates provided.
4. Data Destruction: Assets destined for recycling destroyed. Certificates of destruction provided.

The program’s carbon credits are registered and serialized as Verified Emission Reductions/Removals (VERRs) with the CleanProjects® Registry, operated by the Canadian Standards Association (CSA). Certificates for carbon credits are issued. All offsets are generated in accordance with ISO 14064-2 and independently verified in accordance with ISO 14064-3 standards.

Yes! You can get in touch with us for more information on purchasing carbon credits.

Only compliant carbon credits can be used in the cap and trade program. The CO2Neutral™ carbon credits are voluntary credits, which many companies use worldwide to help reduce their overall carbon footprint.

Generally, it will depend on the age and condition of the product. This is why it is important to place your EOFL™ unit into a reuse program as soon as you have finished with it.

Technology that cannot be refurbished is secured by Tech Data and sent for recycling by the CO2Neutral™ program’s EPRA-approved recycler, eCycle Solutions.