Carbon dioxide and methane gas are invisible and odourless to humans. But, in order to protect the Earth from the worst effects of global warming, we must first identify the sources of these climatic pollutants and put a halt to their production. In recent years, leading IT companies and other corporations have outlined plans to do just that.
When done correctly, calculating emissions and determining how to decarbonize activities while still making a profit is a demanding challenge.
Carbon Direct, a consultancy and investment organisation, is assisting companies in charting these greener paths, most notably in assisting Microsoft in developing a plan to become carbon negative by the end of the decade. Alaska Airlines and Shopify are two more publicly disclosed clients.
Carbon Direct was founded in 2019 by Jonathan Goldberg, the CEO. Globally, the company employs around 70 people, with aspirations to expand that number in the next year.
While the business has aided in the development of customised carbon-cutting plans for large corporate clients, it is also working on tools that can be used by the general public. Danan Margason, who formerly worked at marketing analytics firm Tune, is establishing a second, engineering-focused office in Seattle.
Carbon Direct invests in firms that are removing carbon from the environment or stripping it from industrial processes, in addition to counselling businesses on how to reduce their carbon footprints.
We have spoken with Goldberg and Margason to learn more about Carbon Direct and the fight against climate change. For clarity and length, the questions and answers have been changed.