In 2004, Polar joined the Chicago Climate Exchange (CCX) so we could be involved in the development of climate initiatives and help drive awareness of environmental matters throughout our industry and communities where we employ people.

We take environmental stewardship very seriously and, although we are a recycling company, we recognize that some of the material we recycle may be better off being destroyed. The materials that are voluntarily destroyed are of very harmful ozone depleting substances that are also very potent High Green House gases absorption materials.  By destroying these materials we make way for the newer lower impact material.

In honor of Music City and Belmont University’s hosting of a 2008 Presidential Debate, Polar Technology retired credits equaling this amount to mitigate the carbon footprint of every single person who traveled to Nashville for the debate.  This means that you visited and left no carbon footprint behind.

Description of the program

Through our actions, we have earned credits on the CCX.  The money earned by those credits is invested in alternative power initiatives to reduce the amount of CO2 that is emitted into the atmosphere.  It has been calculated that those individuals attending the Belmont Debate created over 6,000 TONS of CO2 (3,000 pounds/person). 

How Your Carbon Footprint was Calculated

There were two different calculators used to determine the approximate Carbon footprint for travel.  Terrapass (www.terrapass.com) was used to calculate the travel portion of the trip.  We used the longest round-trip airfare to/from Nashville to get the largest footprint.

Food calculations were obtained from www.eatlowcarbon.org.  We did not calculate snacks or alcoholic beverages in determining the carbon produced from meals.  Each meal has a point value.  2,000 points = 4.4 pounds of CO2.

Air Travel, LAX-BNA-LAX:		996 pounds of CO2
Car Rental, 100 miles of local travel:		50 pounds of CO2
Hotel, 3 nights accommodations:		188 pounds of CO2
Total Travel:		1,234 pounds of CO2

Breakfast (Bacon, Eggs, Toast):		844 points x 3 meals
Lunch (Turkey Sandwich & Salad):		1,248 points x 3 meals
Dinner (Salmon & Baked Potato):		1,119 points x 3 meals
Total Points: 9,633 Points/2000=4.8165x4.4=21.1926 pounds of CO2

Total Conservative CO2 Footprint:	1,255.1926 pounds of CO2/person
Total Credits Provided:	3,000 pounds of CO2/person

About the Chicago Climate Exchange (CCX)

CCX launched in 2003, is the world’s first and North America’s only active voluntary, legally binding integrated trading system to reduce emissions of all six major greenhouse gases (GHGs), with offset projects worldwide.  (More)

CO2 Offsets

A carbon offset is a financial instrument representing a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. Although there are six primary categories of greenhouse gases…carbon offsets are measured in metric tons of carbon dioxide-equivalent (CO2e). One carbon offset represents the reduction of one metric ton of carbon dioxide, or its equivalent in other greenhouse gases.  (More)