Carbon-Negative

Our Intentions

Some brands use fancy buzzwords about sustainability without making a meaningful difference for the planet. After years of studying the science of climate change at Georgetown and founding climate-tech startup Hydrova, I knew I wanted to take a different approach. Launching Avala as carbon-negative from day one is an ambitious goal, but we’re fully committed to doing it the right way. Here’s how we’re achieving it, backed by science:

Step 1: Stopping CO₂ at the Source

Solar Energy Investing

To reverse the effects of climate change, first we need to stop CO₂ emissions at the source. Renewable energy projects like solar do exactly that by replacing the need for fossil fuels in our electricity grid.

The problem is: investment in renewable energy isn't happening fast enough (see graphic for reference). That's where we want to help at Avala.

Our Unique Strategy

If you look at the sustainability pages of most other brands that are "investing in renewables" (even some I admire), you'll see that they're actually just purchasing Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs). RECs are pieces of paper that existing renewable power plants sell. When a company purchases an REC, they aren't directly creating any new renewable energy. This was something I knew I wanted to do differently at Avala.

Partnering with Energea

With Avala's partner Energea, we’re investing in solar energy projects directly. This means that every dollar spent actually deploys new solar panels that wouldn't otherwise exist. This is more expensive than RECs up front, but creates the biggest impact over time because a) we divert more CO₂ emissions by funding new solar projects and b) we are purchasing profitable assets that pay dividends over time; this gives us exponential growth in the capital we have to fund our climate efforts - I call it sustainable sustainability.

Step 2: Removing CO₂ already Produced

Funding Forestry Projects

Reversing the effects of climate change requires both preventing CO₂ emissions and achieving net CO₂ removal. That's why I felt it was essential for Avala to launch as a carbon-negative brand. To accomplish this, we are funding rigorously vetted forestry projects that remove CO₂ while also protecting biodiverse wildlife and ecosystems. Our partner Carbon Direct is a science-first carbon management firm and a World Economic Forum partner that has helped its clients commit to removing over 100 million tonnes of CO₂ from the atmosphere. With a team of 70+ climate scientists, every project they offer is evaluated thoroughly against the following criteria.

Criteria

  1. Additionality: The project's carbon removal would not have occurred without carbon finance — no rewarding business-as-usual.
  2. Measurement, monitoring, reporting & verification (MMRV): Carbon removal is quantified in a repeatable, verifiable way, with long-term monitoring plans in place.
  3. Durability: Removed carbon stays stored over time, with mechanisms to mitigate any risk of reversal.
  4. Environmental harms & benefits: The project minimizes environmental harms and actively restores ecosystems and biodiversity.
  5. Social harms, benefits & environmental justice: The project prevents new harms to local communities and distributes meaningful benefits to the people closest to the land.
  6. Leakage: Carbon benefits aren't simply shifted elsewhere — the project accounts for emissions that could be displaced outside its boundaries.

Every ton of CO₂ removed is certified by top third-party registries including Verra and the Climate Action Reserve.

Projects We've Helped Support

  1. Central Kalimantan Peatlands — Indonesia. Peatlands store 20x more carbon than typical forests, and this project protects a vast tract that was slated for conversion into palm oil estates. It creates a physical buffer along Tanjung Puting National Park and safeguards 5 critically endangered species, 12 endangered species, and 37 vulnerable species — including 5% of the world's total orangutan population.
  2. TIST Kenya Afforestation & Reforestation — Kenya. A 20-year-old smallholder-led project where farmers have restored over 22,000 hectares of degraded land. The restored forest reconnects critical wildlife corridors bordering Mount Kenya and Aberdare National Parks, protecting critically endangered species like the black rhino and Hunter's antelope.
  3. Petcacab Improved Forest Management — Quintana Roo, Mexico. A 100% Indigenous Mayan ejido is shifting from commercial timber harvesting to long-term forest conservation. The project also restores habitat for endangered species like the black howler and spider monkey.
  4. Salto de Camellones Improved Forest Management — Durango, Mexico. In Mexico's highland pine and fir forests, this ejido uses carbon finance to fund wildfire prevention, reforestation, and illegal logging surveillance — protecting threatened species like the green macaw, thick-billed parrot, and greater long-nosed bat.

Step 3: Building a More Sustainable Future

Our mission is to remove more CO₂ than we produce, acting as a CO₂ vacuum cleaner for the planet. To accomplish this at scale, we will need to go beyond Step 1 and 2 to create a fully carbon-negative supply chain. This involves everything from from how we cultivate raw materials, to how we power our factories, to how we transport our goods. Avala will continue to expand our efforts into these areas by pioneering frontier climate solutions.

Have a solution that can accelerate Avala towards these goals? We'd love to hear from you below!

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