Alkemists Offsets CO2 Emissions

Alkemists Pharmaceuticals (Costa Mesa, CA) is on its way to becoming a carbon-neutral analytical laboratory by offsetting 100% of its CO2 emissions, the company said on July 30.

“Today, it is difficult not to be aware of the imbalances we have inadvertently created for our planet,” said Alkemists Pharmaceuticals lab manager Elan Sudberg. “As a contributing factor in the various environmental issues, I feel that it is our responsibility to be accountable in some way.”

Sudberg said that by working with Green Mountain Energy Co. (Austin), Alkemists has been able to calculate a CO2 emissions footprint of 31 metric tons for the lab’s annual electricity, refrigerant, and natural gas usage, along with emissions caused by employee commuting and corporate air travel.

The company will offset all of its 2007 and 2008 electricity- and refrigerant-related CO2 emissions by purchasing renewable energy credits from wind sources. It also plans to offset 100% of the emissions created during those years by natural gas usage, employee commuting, and corporate air travel by purchasing forest sequestration offsets.

“Going carbon neutral is a great and incredibly simple way to move forward in a meaningful attempt to undo the harmful byproducts of operating an analytical laboratory,” said Sudberg. “In fact, we are going above and beyond our calculated emissions by working with the Arbor Day Foundation and their Rain Forest Rescue and Reforestation Program.”