Businesses step up to the plate on carbon reductions

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The day will come when mandates are put in place to regulate carbon emissions, but smart businesses aren’t waiting for state or federal regulation. Forward-thinking companies recognize that it makes good business sense to keep track of their carbon, invest in energy efficiency and respond to consumer demand for more sustainable products.

This week, the Oregon wine industry announced that fourteen wineries representing about 20 percent of Oregon’s wine production have completed the Carbon Neutral Challenge and have stepped forward as leaders in addressing climate change. These leaders are profiled at www.cncwine.org.

Participation in this program means that each winery has measured greenhouse gas emissions from their operations and made changes to business practices to reduce their carbon footprint. The investments in retrofitting lighting systems, tank insulation, temperature controls and installing solar panels will pay for themselves in reduced energy costs even as they cut carbon.

These wineries also recognize the business sense of supporting emissions reduction projects beyond their own company. They have jointly invested in dairy farms in the region to capture methane — a potent greenhouse gas — before it is released into the atmosphere. The investment is an offset equal to the remaining emissions from their winery operations. The offset is calculated and verified by an independent organization to ensure its benefit to our global climate.

While the wine industry is not a major carbon emitter in the state, it is directly impacted by climate change. Pinot noir grapes may be at risk because of the fruit’s sensitivity to changes in temperatures. By tracking, reducing and offsetting the carbon emissions from their wine operations, these leaders are showing the world that taking responsibility for climate change can be a winning business strategy and are part of a growing movement to build a low-carbon future for Oregon.

Wineries are not alone in their commitment to climate solutions. A dozen nurseries have committed to a Climate Friendly Nurseries Project run by Oregon Environmental Council and the Oregon Association of Nurseries. Also, the Northwest Food Processors Association has set a goal to reduce the sector’s energy use by 25 percent over the next 10 years remain competitive.

Let’s hope that the leadership actions of the Oregon wineries, nurseries and food processors will inspire other industrial sectors to work together to find cost effective ways to reduce energy usage and carbon output and keep Oregon ahead of the curve in a low-carbon economy.

Andrea Durbin is the executive director of the Oregon Environmental Council.