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The subject of environmental protection has many technical terms. We've compiled the most important here for you.
CLIMATE PARTNER
ClimatePartner is an independent company that conducts climate protection consultation for many companies and NGOs. Among other things, ClimatePartner calculates products' CO2 footprint or companies' greenhouse gas balance.
When calculating CO2 footprints, not just direct costs for production are examined, but also the costs of product parts and raw materials suppliers. ClimatePartner aims to determine all the figures based on the current state of scientific research.
CO2 footprint
The CO2 footprint is the amount of CO2 greenhouse gas that a person, a household, or the manufacture of a product produces across the entire value-added chain. We all leave traces behind on our way through everyday life—regardless of what we do, almost everything consumes energy and thus produces CO2.
No product in the world can be created without leaving behind a CO2 footprint. So energy is also used to manufacture the Original Printy 4.0. However Trodat saves valuable resources and up to 49%* CO2, because up to 65%* post-consumer recycled plastic is used during production. Trodat compensates for the unavoidable residue of CO2 production by investing in climate-protection projects recommended by the WWF®.
*Eco-black and eco-grey. Lower percentage for other colours.
System boundary
To be able to calculate a product's CO2 footprint, it first must be determined where in the production chain to begin calculation. Are the production of raw materials and their transport counted in this?
'Cradle to gate" is one popular way to look at the life cycle—everything from cradle to factory gate. Here raw materials production contributes to the footprint as does the transporting of raw materials to the factory, on-site production, and transportation of the finished product to the warehouse.
Whenever possible, the calculations were carried out with Trodat primary data on an annual basis and with manufacturer's data. In the last step, secondary data from recognised databases, for instance Ecoinvent , were drawn upon.
Calculation
There is currently no legally binding standard for determining CO2 footprints. ClimatePartner bases its calculations on the internationally recognised Greenhouse Gas Protocol, which pursues the following principles:
- Relevance: during the calculation, a distinction is to be drawn between decision-relevant, or emission sources material for the company in the concrete individual case under consideration, and other emission sources.
- Completeness: emission sources classified as material are to be completely recorded.
- Consistency: methods once selected should be strictly adhered to.
- Transparency: data and methods used, as well as the assumptions made, are to be given clearly and understandably.
- Accuracy: the calculation is to be carried out so that it leads to a sufficiently accurate result.
Emissions trading
The possibility of trading emissions was defined as part of the Kyoto protocol . The aim of trading is to reduce global emissions as soon and as economically as sensible.
Companies that cause a great deal of CO2 emissions can purchase emissions certificates. They thereby finance climate protection projects in developing and emerging countries. This tactic has two advantages: emissions are compensated for and developing countries profit from the technology transfer.
Emissions trading does not of course absolve from the ethical obligation to reduce CO2 emissions in principle. Thus the company policy: 'avoid emissions wherever possible; reduce unavoidable emissions, and only compensate for in the last step' applies.
Gold Standard Projects
Projects that companies can support as part of emissions trading can be further restricted: Gold Standard projects don't just aim for emissions compensation, but also promote participating countries.
Gold Standard projects must work in the area of renewable energies and energy efficiency. In addition, they're more strictly audited than normal projects. Furthermore, social criteria are also adhered to with the Gold Standard. The WWF® supports only Gold Standard projects.
Climate neutrality
A product is climate neutral if it doesn't alter the atmosphere's CO2 balance either by not causing emissions itself (very rare) or by neutralizing the product's CO2 footprint through compensating measures.
Greenhouse gases such as CO2 have effects on the global climate. Their damage isn't limited to the country of origin. Therefore countermeasures need not occur in the country of origin. The climatological effects from location A can also be neutralized at location B. So where CO2 emissions can't be reduced any further, the possibility exists of investing in climate protection projects to compensate for the damage.
Trodat has investigated the production chain closely to determine whether CO2 can be saved. Trodat compensates unavoidable CO2 emissions with investments in Gold Standard climate protection project recommended by the WWF®. These must adhere to strict requirements. Among other things, no projects are supported in industrialized countries, only those in 'southern hemisphere' countries that couldn't otherwise be realized.
Post-consumer Recycled plastic
 Old computer cases, refrigerator doors, and mobile phone covers—many plastic can be collected and reprocessed. The EU Directive on Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) produces smaller rubbish mountains and CO2 emissions from recycled plastics are smaller than from newly manufactured plastics.
Because Trodat uses up to 65%* post-consumer recycled plastic for the Original Printy 4.0, not only are valuable resources saved during production, but up to 49%* CO2 as well.
*Eco-black and eco-grey. Lower percentage for other colours.
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