Environmental Responsibility
Carbon Reduction
Since 2008, Creative Foods has taken steps to minimise its carbon footprint and has offset 7,460 tonnes of carbon dioxide by working with co2balance on their African Energy Efficient Stove Project, supporting clean water in Uganda and environmental projects in Brazil and India.
Tonnes of carbon dioxide offset:
- Uganda Borehole Project - 522 tCO₂
- Brazilian Forestry Project - 1,172 tCO₂
- Kenyan Improved Cook Stove Project - 3,422 tCO₂
- Indian Wind Power Project - 2,344 tCO₂
Clean Water For Life in Uganda
The project is based around the rehabilitation of boreholes in Northern Uganda, supplying families with fresh clean water. The co2balance community borehole project is unique in that it concentrates on finding existing but damaged water supplies and boreholes and repairs them to restore clean water supplies to the community. Utilizing carbon finance as a long term funding mechanism ensures security for the continuation of the borehole safeguarding the community into the future. Once a borehole is in operation, providing clean water without the need to boil it, co2balance are able to generate carbon credits. By monitoring the amount of clean water delivered each day as a result of the maintenance project, co2balance can calculate the fuel saved by not having to boil water to purify it. These fuel savings result in CO2 emission reductions, which are independently verified and then registered as carbon credits.
Access to safe drinking water is a serious issue in Africa effecting the health and well-being of local communities. A survey by the International Institute for Environment and Development (2009) revealed that there are an estimated 50,000 defective water supply installations (IIED 2009). In addition, it was estimated that 40-50% of hand pumps in sub-saharan Africa were not working (Diwi Consult & BIDR, 1994).
Adongo Fiona says "My name is Adongo Fiona, I am 13 years old and I study in Telela Primary School. I am in level 3 and my best subject is science. I want to be a nurse when I finish school. I am happy for this borehole because I no longer have to travel long distances to collect water for our household. We no longer suffer from diseases like diarrhoea and typhoid because the water is clean. Thank you for this water."
The carbon offsetting that has taken place thanks to Creative Foods has resulted in numerous impacts to the local communities within Uganda as follows:
- CO₂ prevented - 522 tCO₂
- Wood saved - 369 tonnes
- Total people impacted - 298
- Clean water supplied - 651,860 litres
African Energy Efficient Stove Project
The Kenyan Energy Efficient Stove Project builds energy saving cooking stoves for families along the coastal region of Mombasa in Kenya. These stoves replace fuel intensive, open fires and reduces the amount of firewood needed for cooking by over 50%, thereby preventing the release of carbon emissions through the reduction in burning firewood.
The reduced need for firewood helps to prevent deforestation, creating knock on benefits to the wildlife in terms of habitat and flood prevention. It is also a healthier method of cooking as it reduces in-door smoke by half. In-door smoke is a serious problem in Africa and the World Health Organisation named it the "kitchen killer", as it is responsible for 2 million deaths in Africa a year.
As well as benefiting the environment, the energy efficient stove project also has social and financial benefits for the community. The stoves are built locally to create employment, reducing the need and therefore the time spent collecting firewood as well as reducing the impact on deforestation.
The offsetting commitment made by Creative Foods has resulted in numerous impacts to the local communities in Kenya as follows:
- CO₂ prevented - 3,422 tCO₂
- Wood saved - 2,756 tonnes
- No. of stoves - 1,056
- Time saved - 70,971 hours / 8,871 working days
- Total people impacted - 5,703
The Brazilian Forestry Project
This project is located in the Amazon Rainforest and is based around the avoidance of deforestation and sustainable forestry management.
The protection of the rainforest avoids the release of carbon emissions, with the trees acting as a natural “sponge” by absorbing carbon dioxide. As well as carbon savings the project supports the Amazon’s rich biodiversity of plants and wildlife.
The project has developed technical forestry schools aimed at the education of local youngsters as well as working with the State Park to develop initiatives and create local forest fire brigades.
The Indian Wind Power Project
This project is based around the construction of numerous wind turbines placed strategically to create clean green energy. The turbines are installed in different areas of India, including the Tamil Nadu where turbines are installed in different passes (Aralvaimozhi, Senkottah and Palghat passes), where wind speed is constant.
The project generates electricity using renewable energy based on wind power which is supplied to the state grid. It displays the electricity which would have otherwise been generated from the fossil fuel fired power plants connected to the grid. The local community has benefited from job creation, improved road connectivity and local business opportunities.
