Cities are filled with parked cars. They remain unused 96% of the time, and on average, each car is used by only 1.3 people. If we become better at sharing cars in our cities, we could quickly halve the number of cars while taking better care of our planet. That’s why GoMore wants to help people share cars.
In recent years, there has been a clear change in the car rental market, according to Anders Jelstrup Besenbacher, who runs GoMore Sweden. Due to inflation, more people want to save money, and car owners are becoming more aware of the costs of owning a car. GoMore offers a solution where car owners can make money from their cars but keep them when needed.
“Additionally, it has become trendy to rent instead of own, which contributes to a more sustainable use of resources,” says Anders Jelstrup Besenbacher.
Insurance during the whole rental period
For those skeptical about renting out their car to strangers, GoMore wants to emphasize that their partnership with an insurance company offers comprehensive protection throughout the rental period. Additionally, car owners can decline requests if they feel unsure, and many cars are equipped with GoMore Keyless, making the whole process smooth and easy.
Looking ahead, GoMore has recently expanded to its seventh country, Estonia, and plans for continued expansion. In Sweden, the goal is to reach more cities so that even more people can benefit from the opportunities to rent out and rent cars via GoMore. This expansion will help more people experience the benefits of the sharing economy while promoting more sustainable and economical car use.
GoClimate team members send their postcards from different vacation spots and activities, sharing their best sustainability tips for this summer.
Greetings from Öland, a large island in the Baltic Sea For as long as I can remember, I’ve returned to the same spots in nature around my family’s summer house. When I was a kid, my grandparents brought us there, now it’s my parents who lead the way and one day maybe I’ll bring my grandchildren there.
Every time I come back to the same views, the same sounds of birds and insects and the same smells in the air, I’m reminded of how precious these places are to me. Their beauty powers my will to keep on fighting climate change.
– Pia, GoClimate team
Greetings from Dalsland in the western part of Sweden
During summertime, I love visiting all the flea markets and second hand stores that pop up for the season. Whether it’s in a barn in the countryside or at a parking lot in the city. The last couple of years my family and I have been renovating an old country house, built in the 18th century, and we made it a sport to only use second hand materials and furniture doing so.
While discovering original materials like beautiful hardwood floors and updating the worn-out kitchen with a second hand one given to us by a neighbor, we make the old house shine up and hopefully last another hundred years.
– Desirée, GoClimate team
Greetings from Abisko National Park!
It is easy to forget the hidden gems near you.
A couple of years ago I wanted to find places to visit without needing to travel far away, yet see something completely different from my day to day surroundings. That’s when I decided to visit all national parks in Sweden.
One of them is Abisko. The trail Kungsleden starts right at the train station. We followed the trail through the whole national park and then went off-trail for a couple of days. The early July days gave us rushing streams, newly minted flowers, lots of snow and majestic sceneries.
– Carl, GoClimate team
I’m doing three trips this summer that I’m super excited about – all to destinations easily accessible by train; beautiful scenic Lofoten, and (hopefully) sunny city breaks to Berlin and Copenhagen. To explore and have new experiences doesn’t have to take a toll on the climate – and as an added bonus, I can easily bring my dogs!
– Tove, GoClimate team
Biking is one of my favorite activities. I get to spend time outdoors, it offers a great way of slow traveling ensuring I don’t miss out on a nice spot due to passing too fast and still it’s much faster than walking.
There are also many fun bike parks in Sweden that my whole family can enjoy without having to travel that far.
We are super happy that members and customers of GoClimate has supported yet another Gold Standard certified climate project, this time a wind project in Vietnam.
The renewable energy revolution is ongoing, but we need more speed and scale to be able to stop climate change in time. Finance to projects like this makes it more financially attractive to build renewable energy instead of increasing fossil fuel use. This is exactly the type of initiative that takes us to the path of stopping climate change.
Thank you everyone that contriubuted!
The project
Vietnam’s reliance on fossil fuels for electricity is being challenged by renewable projects like the Wind Power Plant Thanh Hai. Located in Thanh Hai commune, Thanh Phu district, Ben Tre province, this offshore wind farm has a total capacity of 110 MW and an annual electricity output of 356.95 GWh.
Project Overview: Thanh Hai Wind Power Plant
Location: Viet Nam Type: Wind Power Certification: Gold Standard
Certified Sustainable Development Goals
7. Affordable and Clean Energy The project generates clean energy, reducing reliance on fossil fuels.
8. Decent Work and Economic Growth Creation of jobs and boosting the local economy.
13. Climate Action Significant reduction in greenhouse gas emissions.
The Solution
The Thanh Hai Wind Power Plant involves constructing an offshore wind farm with turbines of 4.25-4.5 MW capacity each, installed in four phases. The generated electricity is exported to the national grid, enhancing Vietnam’s renewable energy infrastructure.
The Impact
Environmental Benefits: With a gross annual electricity output of 356.95 GWh, the project substantially cuts down greenhouse gas emissions by reducing dependence on fossil fuels.
Economic Growth: The project supports local economies through job creation and infrastructure development.
Sustainable Development: By generating affordable and clean energy, the project aligns with global sustainability goals and sets a precedent for future renewable projects in the region.
Supported by Gold Standard certification, the Thanh Hai Wind Power Project is a step towards a sustainable energy future for Vietnam.
Ingmar Rentzhog from the media platform We Don’t Have Time talks about the campaign #MoveTheMoney
Keeping track of money is one of the most important measures a company can take to reduce its climate impact. We spoke with Ingmar Rentzhog from the media platform We Don’t Have Time, which works for climate action and advocates making a difference for the climate by moving money.
“What many companies don’t realize is that their biggest climate footprint doesn’t come from their own operations, but from the company’s bank accounts and pension funds for their employees, as well as from other financial investments. This doesn’t apply to companies in the steel and concrete industries, for example, but for many other companies, it’s actually the money that is the culprit,” says Ingmar Rentzhog, We Don’t Have Time.
Ingmar refers to the latest Carbon Bankroll report, which shows that the total carbon emissions for some companies in the service and ICT sectors would more than double if emissions from cash in the bank were included.
“The main reason is probably that the knowledge about the climate impact of money is far too low, both among companies, politicians, and individuals. That’s why We Don’t Have Time launched the Move The Money campaign, to raise awareness and increase knowledge about this. The more large established organisations that move their money away from companies that refuse to transition, the more it opens up for political regulation. It is much easier for politicians to regulate something when large financial institutions do not have a financial interest in that activity,” continues Ingmar Rentzhog.
Ingmar Rentzhog’s top three tips for those who want to climate-proof their company’s money management:
Make the company’s cash sustainable by moving the money to a bank that has phased out or is about to phase out lending and investments in fossil fuels.
Do the same with your employees’ pension funds.
Communicate widely that you have done this and why it is so important.
At wedonthavetime.org/movethemoney, you can find concrete help on how your company can proceed, and there is also a database of how much banks have invested in fossil assets.
“I wish everyone realized how deep the climate crisis actually is and how little time we have to act to prevent the worst scenarios. I also wish everyone knew how incredibly easy it is to make a big impact by simply moving money,” concludes Ingmar Rentzhog.
Christoffer Linder, Sustainability Project Manager at Conapto.
Conapto offers secure and flexible data center colocation as well as cloud connectivity – all with a focus on sustainability. Switching to renewable electricity, recycling heat from data centers, and recycling electronics are just some of the initiatives Conapto is pursuing to become a more sustainable company.
“Prioritizing sustainability is not only important for Conapto but also for our customers and society at large. Thanks to our great partnership with GoClimate, which enables us to become even more knowledgeable about sustainability issues, we can become CO2 transparent and together create a more sustainable colocation industry with a healthy future mindset,” says Christoffer Linder, Sustainability Project Manager at Conapto.
Strive to reduce emissions
Since the beginning of its journey in 2008, with the establishment of the data center Stockholm 2 South and the decision to focus on sustainability issues, Conapto has continuously strived to reduce its emissions. This commitment led to a switch from Fortum to Vattenfall in 2021, which enables the use of 100% renewable energy from water and wind, as well as the ability to match energy consumption on an hourly basis through Vattenfall’s 24/7 matching system.
This system displays production hour by hour and not only increases transparency but also ensures that Conapto can fulfill its commitment to 100% renewable electricity every hour of the day, all year round. The only exception is during potential power cuts, where backup generators are used. Since 2022, the company has invested in new generators that enable the use of Ecopar diesel, a more environmentally friendly alternative to traditional diesel.
Energy in the data halls is being reused as heat
Another central part of Conapto’s sustainability work is their focus on heat recovery. The collaboration with Stockholm Exergi and Sollentuna Energi and Miljö enables the redirection of residual heat from the data center back to the local district heating network, which contributes to, among other things, recycled and cost-effective heat for residential homes. The goal is to reuse up to 90% of the energy fed into the data halls.
Conapto’s sustainability initiatives also extend to its environmental and energy management systems, which are certified according to ISO 14001 and ISO 50001. The certifications testify to Conapto’s systematic approach to integrating environmental and energy management into their operations, facilitating continuous improvement of energy performance.In addition to these measures, Conapto also recycles electronics in collaboration with Stena Recycling, which has saved more than 350 000 tons of CO2 since 2020.
Conapto’s business model is an excellent example of how companies can operate sustainably by reducing their climate impact while offering high-quality services. We hope that their integration of environmentally friendly solutions across their operations can serve as inspiration for other companies in the industry!
This project, supported by the GoClimate community, improves health conditions and quality of life on top of fighting climate change in Zambian households. Consumption of local wood fuel is reduced by up to 70% with these improved cookstoves. This leads to a range of positive effects, both for the environment and for people’s health.
The stoves save 4.67 tonnes of wood per household per year. This equates to a considerable reduction in deforestation, which in turn helps preserve biodiversity and protect ecosystems.
Thanks to using less wood fuel this project contributes to that 549,123 less tonnes of CO2e have been released into the atmosphere during six months (its last monitored period June-December 2023).
This project is an excellent example of how climate action can be combined with improved health, increased gender equality, and sustainable development. The project started in 2021 and so far 99% of project households reported a reduction in smoke (or particulate matter) after the introduction of the stoves. 99.5 % reported time savings; female beneficiaries may use time saved collecting fuel or cooking to pursue other education or economic activities. By addressing multiple challenges simultaneously, the project creates a positive change that benefits both people and the environment in Zambia.
Background
Over 700 million Africans cook on three-stone fires. It’s an inefficient type of cooking when it comes to both the amount of wood fuel needed and the time it takes to collect and cook on these fires.
On top of that the smoke from open fires causes 600,000 premature deaths each year in Africa. It’s the second-highest health risk on the continent.
Comments from the participants in the project
Almost 100,000 stoves have been distributed across Zambia within this project. The improved cookstoves are replacing inefficient, traditional 3-stone fires. Most participants collect wood for free while a few of them buy it. They cook both inside and outside the home which is made easy with these portable cookstoves. Positive comments from participants include that the cookstoves use less wood, cook faster, are stable and safer, produce less smoke and are user friendly. A few of the participants still use an alternative stove, mostly the 3-stones fires as a complement, something that has been taken into account when calculating the emission reductions of this project. The only change requested from participants was to produce a stove which can accommodate two pots.
How do the improved cooking stoves (ICS) work?
The cookstoves have an improved heat transfer from the combustion chamber to the cooking pot. It saves both cooking and fuel collection time.
The design of the stoves optimizes the combustion chamber shape, amount of fuel and air flow through the stove. Thermal energy is maximized by reducing the thermal mass of the stove minimizing heat loss through the sides and bottom of the stove. The cooking surface is positioned at the optimal distance from the fire providing optimal gas flow needed for efficient heat transfer.
Good Health and Wellbeing (3) – 99% of households participating in the project reported a reduced smoke and thus improved indoor air quality. According to WHO, women and children disproportionately bear the greatest health burden from polluting fuels in homes as they typically take care of household chores such as cooking and spend more time exposed to harmful smoke from polluting stoves.
Gender Equality (5) – time savings for women who do not have to collect as much fuel and get access to a faster cooking method. Firewood collectors among the participants in this project are mainly female. The average time saved for fuel wood collection was calculated to 3.2 hours a week and time saved for cooking was around 2.5 hours a day on average.
Affordable and clean energy (7)
Decent work and Economic Growth (8) – in 2023 16 people (11 male and 5 female) were employed in VPA (Voluntary Project Activity) 1 and 3 in Zambia. They are working in the permanent office and as monitoring staff. Since all distribution of cooking stoves is done now, the number of employees is lower than during the first year.
Responsible Consumption and Production (12) – wood fuel savings due to the higher thermal efficiency of the burning stoves. In total each distributed stove saves 4.67 tonnes of wood per year.
Climate action (13) – during the last monitored period June-December 2023 there has been an emission reduction of 549,123 tonnes of CO2e.
Project facts
Project name: TASC Clean Cooking POA – VPA 3 (Zambia) Certification: Gold Standard Project start: 2021 Area: The project is implemented across Zambia and not limited to any specific provinces. Number of distributed stoves: 99,785 Wood savings per stove and year: 4.67 tonnes Last monitoring period: June-December 2023 Crediting period: 15 years (5 years, twice renewable) Funding: There is no public funding. This project is funded only by the private sector.
Choose the train instead of flying, look for ecolabels when booking accommodation and rent equipment while on adventures. That’s some of the tips in our guide towards a more sustainable vacation.
Planning a sustainable vacation can be a challenge. There are many factors to consider, and researching everything can be time consuming. What eco-labels should you look for when choosing a hotel? What is the best mode of travel, and how far can we get by using climate friendly alternatives? We’ve put together this guide full of tips for those who want to book a more sustainable vacation this summer.
Preparing for your adventure
Booking the Trip
Time, distance, money, and your climate budget. There are many things to consider when choosing type of transportation. Generally, trains are preferred over cars, and try to stay on the ground – the climate impact of flying is significant compared to other options.
If you must fly, consider the following:
To stay within planetary boundaries, you should not fly more than a short round trip every three years and a long round trip every eight years.
Try to minimize your flying. Fly shorter distances, stay longer at each location, take the train for part of the journey.
If you want to check the climate impact of your planned vacation, you can use the calculator on the website Travel and Climate.
Travel by train or bus
📍GLOBALLY
Rome2rio.com – This website helps you search for possible routes between any two places in the world. When possible, you get the option of bus and train presented.
📍EUROPE
All Aboard – Digital platform for travels by train.
Deutsche Bahn – German website that sells train tickets for big parts of Europe.
Trainline – Website for both train and bus tickets.
⭐️ Tip! If you do not find the route you’re looking for, try dividing it and search for smaller sections instead, that usually does the trick!
📍USA & CANADA
Amtrak.com – Search for travels in the US by train.
Viarail.ca/en – Search for travels in Canada by train.
Set aside time the evening before departure to go through your home and make sure as little as possible is drawing energy while you’re away. Unplug cords and turn off anything that uses power or generates heat. Remember that even standby mode consumes electricity and that it can add up if you’re away for an extended period.
During the Trip
Recycle even while on vacation
When leaving home and not having access to all your things, it can be easy to fall out of habits. But remember that it’s just as important to handle your waste properly while on the go. Turn it into a learning opportunity; what does waste sorting look like in this new place you’re visiting, whether it’s the neighboring municipality or another country? There might be new ways to be inspired by!
Use reusable items
Warm sunshine often comes with outdoor meals and picnics. Remember to pack reusable items, such as mugs, utensils, and plates, to avoid wasting nature’s resources during your picnic. Since January 1st of this year, all retailers of food and beverages in Sweden are required to offer reusable items.
Rent or borrow equipment
Does your vacation involve more adventurous activities where you need to use equipment or clothing that isn’t in your everyday wardrobe? Check if you can rent or borrow equipment and/or clothes locally. It’s often more convenient than buying, as it also minimizes your packing.
Be bold, ask questions and make demands
Sometimes you have to be the one who dares to ask to raise the issue. Dare to demand from the airline, hotel, or restaurant to take climate into consideration. Ask about their environmental policy and if the ingredients are locally sourced. Ask how they think about sustainable tourism in terms of social sustainability -for example, do the employees have collective agreements? The more people who ask the questions, the more important it becomes for actors in the tourism industry to live up to the demands.
Aylen Bertlin and her partner Gurgin travels a lot in their van.
Aylen Bertlin’s travel habits have transformed dramatically – from being a passionate traveler to completely giving up air travel. She reflects on her previous travel frequency: “There was this one year when I was abroad at least 10 times. In hindsight, I wonder what it was I was actually searching for.”
Opting out of flying has proven to offer benefits such as the ability to explore multiple cities along the way to the final destination. Train journeys to Berlin often include a stop in Malmö to enjoy a falafel or two. Similarly, when Aylen and her partner Gurgin travel by motorhome to southern Europe, making both planned and spontaneous stops to enrich the travel experience with new discoveries is a priority.
Workes well with a full-time job
Despite the challenge of managing time constraints, especially at the beginning when traveling by train requires more travel days, Aylen has found a balance that works well even with a full-time job.
“Even though the thought of skipping a spring trip to Cape Verde might feel like a near-death experience for many, I can guarantee that the journey takes on a whole different value if you just open the doors to, for example, train travel.”
This shift has not only led to a more sustainable travel style but also to a deeper appreciation for the essence of traveling and the values it can embody.
Aylen’s best tips for more sustainable traveling
Aylen shares her best tips for those who want to explore the world in a more sustainable way:
Start small: A short trip is an excellent first step. For example, a train journey to Berlin with Snälltåget is a perfect start.
Explore the options: There are many ways to travel. Consider a sailing trip if it suits you better, or use carpool groups to find car-sharing opportunities. When Aylen and her partner travel with their motorhome, they often look for fellow travelers.
Plan smart for long-distance train travel: Avoid journeys with many changes. Train delays are common and can lead to missed connections and involuntary overnight stays at train stations. Instead, plan sightseeing stops along the way.
Travel comfortably: For a pleasant journey, make sure to bring something to keep yourself occupied, such as a book, knitting, or a Game Boy. On longer trips, a pillow and a small sleeping bag are invaluable accessories.
Embrace the time: Many are deterred from sustainable travel due to the time it takes. Aylen emphasizes the importance of letting go of stress and seeing travel as a chance for contemplation, reflection, and making new acquaintances. A stressful vacation is not a real vacation.
Mia Border, a landscape architect at Edge and one of the firm’s driving forces in sustainability.
The landscape architects and engineers at Swedish firmEdge aims to encourage its employees to be mindful of their carbon footprint when traveling. Therefore, everyone receives a bonus when they choose environmentally friendly modes of transport, a benefit that has been utilized by over three-quarters of the staff.
“In a time of climate crisis, it’s necessary to act. Through our environmental bonus, we want to encourage and facilitate our employees to live more climate-smart, which also brings health benefits,” says Mia Border, a landscape architect at Edge and one of the firm’s driving forces in sustainability.
In the Lokstallsområdet area in Kirseberg, Malmö, one finds Edge, a company dedicated to designing the landscapes and urban spaces of the future. Known for their strong focus on sustainability, Edge’s philosophy is rooted in leaving each place they work with in better condition than they found it.
Mia Border shares insights about Edge’s vision: ‘Our work revolves around conscious choices for a sustainable future, where we combine vision with goodwill to benefit both individuals and society.’
Edge stands out with its comprehensive sustainability strategy, reflected not only in their projects but also in their corporate culture. They have implemented a comprehensive environmental policy for business travel, prioritizing train, bus, and carpooling over flights. Additionally, they have introduced unique climate benefits for their employees. These include reimbursement for business travel by bicycle and a special environmental bonus. This bonus rewards employees who choose environmentally friendly modes of transport and has been used by over three-quarters of the staff.
Want to encourage employees to live more climate friendly
Border explains the purpose behind the environmental bonus: “In a time of climate crisis, it’s necessary to act. Through our environmental bonus, we want to encourage and facilitate our employees to live more climate-smart, which also brings health benefits.”
It’s not just Edge’s projects that reflect their focus on sustainability, but also their internal culture and policies. Their efforts to reduce the company’s carbon footprint have not only led to a stronger team spirit among the staff but also to appreciation and recognition within the industry. The employees take pride in being part of a company that takes concrete steps towards a sustainable future, and this commitment permeates the entire organization.
Despite the financial and administrative costs that come with offering these climate benefits, Edge sees them as essential to driving society towards a sustainable future. Through their commitment to sustainability, both in their projects and internal policies, Edge stands as a shining example of how companies can play an active role in creating a more sustainable world.
At GoClimate, we prioritize quality and efficiency in our support for climate projects. Our rigorous selection process is based on the following criteria to ensure that every project we support truly contributes to climate improvements.
Certification: We require that an independent third party certifies the projects, guaranteeing that they meet continuously updated and increasingly higher standards.
Additionality: It’s crucial that the projects would not have been realized without funding from climate initiatives. This principle ensures that our investment leads to a real change.
Verification: The climate benefit of each project is verified by an independent third party, ensuring its efficiency and credibility.
Traceability: We ensure that funding is traceable through transparent and open databases. This prevents double counting and ensures the project’s uniqueness.
Durability: The projects must offer lasting effect, meaning the benefits do not disappear over time.
Contribution to Sustainable Development: Beyond the direct climate benefits, the projects should also contribute to sustainable development, such as creating job opportunities or contributing to cleaner air. It’s important that the projects do not contribute to negative social development where they are implemented.
At GoClimate, we focus on supporting the best climate projects. We have chosen to work only with projects certified by Gold Standard. This is because we believe that Gold Standard has the strictest and best requirements for climate projects.
What Makes Gold Standard So Special?
Stringent Requirements: Gold Standard has stricter rules compared to other standards. They ensure that the projects really need the money to be implemented and continue to make a difference.
Focus on the 1.5-Degree Target: Projects supported by Gold Standard are those that help us reach our global climate goals. This means that they do not support projects linked to fossil fuels or nuclear energy.
Updated Requirements: Gold Standard regularly updates its requirements to ensure that the money is used where it is most beneficial for the climate.
Our conclusion is that supporting Gold Standard-certified projects is the best way to make a difference right now. However, we are open to changing our approach if we find other ways to achieve even greater climate benefits in the future.
Please feel free to contact us if you think there’s something we’ve missed, as we are always open to learning more!
