Understanding Our Carbon Footprint: Why Measuring Environmental Impact Matters

At Backyard Beans, we believe that great coffee should be paired with responsible business practices. That's why for the past 2 years, we've been proud to partner with We Are Neutral, an environmental nonprofit with nearly two decades of experience helping businesses understand, track, reduce, and take responsibility for their environmental impacts. 

What Is a Carbon Footprint? 

A carbon footprint measures the greenhouse gas emissions associated with an organization's activities. Greenhouse gas emissions are the release of heat-trapping gases into the atmosphere that cause warming. These emissions come from many sources, including electricity use, fuel consumption, transportation, waste generation, and the products and services we purchase. People often only think of carbon dioxide, but there are several other greenhouse gas pollutants like methane and nitrous oxide to take into account. 

Carbon footprints are reported as metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (tCO2e). This unit helps standardize emissions and allows for easier comparisons. Because the effectiveness of trapping heat differs among greenhouse gases, all greenhouse gases are converted to the equivalent amount of carbon dioxide. 

To measure a carbon footprint, an organization determines what components of its business operations would produce emissions and collects data related to those areas. This data is organized and translated into greenhouse gas emissions by applying multipliers called emission factors. 

By understanding our carbon footprint, we can make informed decisions that reduce our environmental impact while strengthening our commitment to long-term sustainability.

Why Measuring Environmental Impact Is Important 

In 2025, we completed our first comprehensive carbon footprint assessment with We Are Neutral to better understand the environmental impact of our operations. Measuring our carbon footprint provides valuable insight into the biggest sources of greenhouse gas emissions in our operations, and helps us identify opportunities to reduce them over time. 

For businesses committed to sustainability, measurement is the foundation of progress. Just like businesses track inventory, shipments, and finances, it’s important to measure our emissions to manage our carbon footprint. 

A carbon footprint assessment allows organizations to: 

• Understand where emissions originate 

• Identify opportunities for reduction 

• Set meaningful sustainability goals 

• Track progress over time 

• Demonstrate environmental accountability to customers, employees, and stakeholders 

The climate crisis and its impacts affect us all. Measuring environmental impact transforms sustainability from a concept into a strategy. This data provides the roadmap needed to make informed decisions and create lasting change. 

Our 2025 Carbon Footprint at a Glance 

Our 2025 carbon footprint was 1554.37 tCO2e. Our primary emissions drivers include purchased goods and services (76%), natural gas (6%), and electricity (5%). 

While these numbers help illustrate the scale of our impact, they also highlight the opportunity we have to make meaningful improvements and invest in solutions that support a healthier future.

Like many businesses, the majority of our footprint comes from our supply chain rather than our direct operations. Understanding this information helps us prioritize areas where changes can have the greatest impact. 

By identifying these hotspots, we can explore opportunities to work with suppliers, improve operational efficiency, and make purchasing decisions that align with our sustainability goals. 

To put things into perspective, our carbon footprint is equivalent to:

• 324 homes’ electricity use for one year 

• 3,958,296 miles driven by an average gasoline-powered passenger vehicle 

• 125,665,799 number of smartphones charged 

Looking Ahead 

Completing our carbon footprint assessment is an important milestone, but it is only the beginning. We are committed to continually learning, improving, and finding ways to reduce our environmental impact while serving the communities that support us. 

We're grateful to We Are Neutral for helping us measure our footprint year over year and for providing the tools and expertise needed to take meaningful action. 

Building a more sustainable future starts with understanding where we stand today. We encourage all businesses to measure their carbon footprints to understand how they contribute to the climate crisis and how they can manage their emissions. 

Offsetting 

Backyard Beans has also committed to offsetting 25% of their comprehensive environmental footprint through their partnership with We Are Neutral. This donation supports: 

Carbon Offset Credit Portfolio

• Afforestation and Reforestation
• Improved Forest Management
• Transportation Efficiency
• N20 Destruction via Adipic Acid
• Landfill Gas Capture and Destruction
• Waste Handling and Disposal

Sustainable Development Projects

• Local Tree Plantings
• Composting Organization Support
• Energy Upgrades for Low Income Families

Not all offsets are created equally. We Are Neutral rigorously assesses carbon credits and ensures that they align with our strict criteria before adding them to their portfolio. By staying up to date on current developments in the Voluntary Carbon Market, they are able to remain informed and follow best practices in this evolving space.