And what to expect from me on this website
When and Why I Went All-In on Environmental Sustainability
My journey into sustainability took off in 2018 when a colleague of mine and I noticed that a plant we bred had a remarkable ability to capture and sequester carbon dioxide far better than others.
At the same time, I also saw how vulnerable nature was to man-made carbon emissions. I felt that I had to go all-in to try to help solve the climate crisis.
I’ve always had a deep connection with the land. I grew up in a farming family in mid-Michigan. We enjoyed working the land and were fortunate to be successful at it. We also enjoyed other outdoor activities, so when we weren’t on the farm, we were either in the woods or in a boat on one of the Great Lakes. I wanted to preserve the environment that I’ve been lucky to grow up in.
I also thought that, to make a real impact, I needed to offer businesses a means to reduce their carbon footprint and become more climate friendly. That’s when I founded Dynamic Carbon Credits.
Dynamic develops nature-based carbon capture and sequestration projects and offers carbon credits based on the projects.
We started the business with the simple idea that we would “do things the right way.” One of the first things we did was to engage with a professor at Michigan State University’s School of Agriculture & Natural Resources, and through him, a group of professors at other Midwest universities, to test our plants. They confirmed our initial findings.
We didn’t stop there. Next, we created our own method and equipment to process our carbon-sequestering plants into biochar. When we introduced our biochar back into soil, it not only improved its fertility, and it locked carbon away for the long term.
We continue to work with universities and spend on internal R&D to develop and improve our plants’ abilities to capture and sequester GHG’s, as well as regenerate soil, in different types of ecosystems.
In order to “do things the right way,” we wanted to control our projects through a process we simply call “from seed to certification.” It means that we know exactly what we’re planting and where, the baseline carbon measure of the project, how we provide additionality to that baseline, and how and when to test our results. By keeping control – from seed to certification – we can control the quality of the project, MRV (measurement, reporting, verification) and certification with a reputable carbon credit registry.
Regardless of us doing things the right way, it hasn’t been easy. As everyone in this industry knows, there have been significant ups-and-downs.
Recently, however, the U.S. government released a statement of “policy and principles” to promote participation in voluntary carbon markets, including for use against Scope 3 emissions for companies’ suppliers.
Today, Dynamic Carbon Credits stands ready to lead the market. We built a strong, science-based foundation, continue to innovate, working tirelessly with scientists, researchers, and industry leaders to refine our methods and expand our impact. From local farms to global boardrooms, we are driving change by demonstrating that profitable business can also be a force for environmental good.
What to expect from me
I decided to start writing about the industry following the U.S. announcement in support of the voluntary carbon credits market. For me, it marked a turning point, and the chance for our industry to make the type of positive impact on the environment that everyone had originally hoped for.
But we have a long way to go and need to act fast. We’re all experiencing the effects of global climate change. With that as a backdrop, here’s what to expect from me.
My unvarnished opinions on sustainability and the carbon credits market. I’m an advocate and practitioner of nature-based carbon capture and sequestration, so not everyone will agree with what I write. I also think that carbon credits provide much-needed, fast and simple way for organizations to make a positive impact on the environment. In all cases, I’ll give you my thinking on topics that I write about.
I’ll write when I have something to say. I don’t have a specific schedule of when I’ll write, but when I do, it’s because I’ve either been thinking about the topic and felt that I needed to share my thoughts on it, or because a news event prompted me to write.
I want people to talk, and most importantly do something, about climate change. I’ll share my thoughts on social media, so please join in the conversation. It’s also important that we all do whatever we can to help curb climate change, so if you have a good idea, please share it.