We’re excited to announce that Mindful QA is officially a carbon neutral business! We purchased carbon offsets to balance our expected annual carbon emissions (and a little extra, to be safe).

In case you’re interested, we thought we’d share some details below about what carbon offsets are. We’ve also included information on how you can become a carbon neutral business, or buy carbon offset credits for yourself as an individual.

Carbon Neutral Business (cartoon showing a giant sun with clouds and leaves behind it, and solar panels in front of it. Crtoon men and women in business casual are talking in front of the solar panels and pointing at the sun)Why Did Mindful QA Decide to Become a Carbon Neutral Business?

When we started Mindful QA, we knew we wanted our business to be a force for good as much as possible. While companies exist to make money, we believe there’s room for spreading good along the way.

How Can Businesses Reduce Their Carbon Footprint?

Luckily, there are many options for businesses to be more environmentally friendly! If you’re curious, here are some of the other actions a business can take to help (or at least avoid harming) the environment:

  • Letting your staff work from home. Okay, so this is considered a pretty big ask by many companies. We get it. But if you have reliable, communicative workers, productivity can be even higher than in an office. (See our article on 10 Advantages of Hiring Remote Workers.) With tools like Slack and Zoom, it can feel like your workers are within 100 feet even if they’re really 1,000 miles away. And avoiding commute-related pollution can make a huge dent in your business’s carbon footprint.
  • Getting energy-efficient web servers. Data centers now cause even more greenhouse gas emissions than airplanes. If you have your own data center, you can read some tips on making it more eco-friendly here. Otherwise, you can research web hosts that offer greener server options and see what feels right for you.
  • Conserving electricity in the office. There are many little (and big) things you can do to reduce your office’s electricity use. For example, this comprehensive list offers dozens of options. On top of being better for the environment, making some of these changes will also save you money!
  • Donating to environmental organizations. We donate 10% of our profits to non-profits and causes, including organizations focused on environmental conservation.

What Are Carbon Offsets?

Carbon offsets go towards projects that reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Some examples include wind power, forest management, and methane gas capture projects. The key is that the amount you pay for offsetting a certain amount of carbon dioxide emissions will be spent on a project that counters that exact amount of carbon dioxide.

Where Can I Buy Carbon Offsets?

There are several websites where you can easily purchase carbon offsets for yourself as an individual, or to become a carbon neutral business. Our favorite is CoTap, which is based in Oakland, CA. You can purchase carbon offsets on their website, or read their founder’s op-ed about why carbon offsets matter more than ever.

How Do I Calculate My Carbon Usage?

It’s easy! You can calculate your carbon offset using a simple online calculator on a carbon offset provider’s website. If you’re located in America, here’s one for individuals, and one for small and medium businesses.

How Much Do Carbon Offsets Cost?

It depends on your individual (or company’s) lifestyle and electricity usage. Luckily, it’s quick and easy to find out using the calculators above.

Carbon Neutral Businesses

More and more businesses are becoming carbon neutral (including some pretty big names, like Lyft). Carbon offsets are an individual choice, but we’re happy to be able to provide our clients an inclusive carbon neutral business option. If you’d like to learn more about our award-winning QA services or other causes we support, let’s talk!