A couple weeks ago, local carbon-offset sales organization
Carbonzero announced the purchase of 10,000
ERUs from a British Columbia reforestation project from
Carbon Friendly. It is the first forestry project in the growing company's portfolio, and a diversification that demonstrates the growing success of the enterprise.
Founded five years ago by company President Howie Chong "out of the basement of his parents house," according to Carbonzero COO Dan Fraleigh, the company has grown steadily as awareness of global warming has led to an increase in interest in carbon offsetting. Fraleigh says the company has doubled its staff to 8-10 employees in the past year and seen business grow by "a couple hundred per cent" during the same period -- a year in which a
Suzuki Foundation study ranked Carbonzero the number one offsetting firm in Canada.
Fraleigh says it is the careful standards that helped the company achieve that recognition that have previously kept it out of the forestry project market. "The standards just weren't there [previously] for us to ensure the carbon reductions were there year after year," he says.
Among the company's most high-profile clients recently is TD North America, who purchased enough credits from carbonzero and other vendors to
declare their global operations carbon neutral. Fraleigh says that in the immediate future, the company plans a relaunch of its website and branding.
Writer: Edward Keenan
Source: Dan Fraleigh, Chief Operations Officer, Carbonzero