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Ecologi - Our story

In October 2018 while walking to work, Elliot picked up his morning coffee and wondered, what if he instead spent his coffee money on climate action? 
As a keen ‘armchair environmentalist’ and self-confessed nerd, his research took him down a few rabbit holes: what impact would this have if 10% of the world did this? Why aren’t we using our loose change to help get out of the crisis? How can we ensure the climate projects deliver on their promises?
The answers were encouraging. On the face of it, funding climate solutions can be successful, there are enough climate solutions readily available to reverse climate change, and the world’s pocket change is substantial enough to fund this dream.
So that’s how it started, a subscription service to reverse climate change. As such a simple idea we were shocked to find there wasn’t a subscription service for the planet. We’re surrounded by Netflix and Spotify type subscriptions &#8211; surely there must be room in the market for something that could change the world.
We began as a family and friend business. Elliot is experienced in product and development, and his wife Lucy is a website designer who is a deft hand with illustration and branding. They were joined by their friend Alex, a talented developer and entrepreneur who had just finished building a subscription product of his own. Soon to follow were Rob and Ian both experienced business owners. 
The idea lends itself to being a charity; we certainly weren’t in it for money. But it didn’t take long to realise that it’s a very different path to the “high growth” route undertaken by the most famous household brands that receive startup investment. With the climate crisis, there isn’t the luxury of time to scale organically, non-profits don’t appear overnight like AirBnB and Uber. How then, can we walk the tightrope between our purpose and being investible.
We felt we had the right values between us to navigate this and started as we meant to go on: radical transparency, leaning on third-party certifications, putting planet ahead of profit, and legally forming as a social enterprise. We felt if we could convince our naturally skeptical selves then we could have a shot at being great custodians of the mission we were on.
Getting Ecologi off the ground was brutal. We had full-time jobs. Lucy and Elliot had an 18 month old who didn’t like sleeping. And, Alex was living on a boat with very little internet. But we knew we were sitting on a great idea, so we made time where we didn&#8217;t think we had it. A big help was that alongside us, we had an online group of volunteers and specialists who kept the project alive and kicking.
We are named ‘Ecologi’ because there are two great threats to humanity. One is global heating, but the other is loss of biodiversity (by <a href="https://www.stockholmresilience.org/research/planetary-boundaries/the-nine-planetary-boundaries.html">some accounts</a> an even more pressing existential problem). The issues are linked, and if we play our cards right, the solutions that we support can address both through strongly supporting natural climate solutions and the <a href="https://sdgs.un.org/goals">Sustainable Development Goals</a>. 
 
What we are most proud about Ecologi is that we provide much-needed hope to those who are feeling helpless about the climate crisis. With a few taps of a button and a bit of pocket change (whether you’re a business or individual) you’re able to contribute positively in a whole new way. And it adds up too, if you have as many subscription members as, say, Netflix, then that’s in theory a huge slice of the <a href="https://ecologi.com/collective-action">global emissions reduced</a>. 
A few years on and we can call this a movement. Routinely planting 100,000 trees a day, funding dozens of climate solutions, and in our <a href="https://ecologi.com/articles/blog/ecologi-impact-report-2021">2021 Impact Report</a> find that our community is capable of moving the needle on a global scale &#8211; equivalent to 0.02% of the world’s total emissions (factoring in future tree growth and survival rate).
We’ve had a dream start, so we are setting our sights on one day reducing half of the world’s projected emissions by 2040. That’s a big vision. We know that. But it is possible. Behind Ecologi is a team of passionate people working together, with ‘heart’ as a core value of ours. 
Join us, we won’t let you or the planet down.

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On the ground in Kenya with Eden Reforestation Projects

Nothing beats seeing our impact in real life. Since June 2021, we’ve been the sole funding partner of a project restoring a vast area of degraded forest in the hills of Western Kenya. It’s one of the largest projects we’ve supported to date, and in September 2022 we were lucky enough to visit the site, meet our tree planting partners from <a href="https://www.edenprojects.org/">Eden Reforestation Projects</a> face to face, and see all that amazing impact for ourselves.
<h3>A trusted partner </h3>
At Ecologi, we only work with reforestation partners who we trust to plant trees responsibly. So you can be sure that the money you contribute to these amazing projects will genuinely make a real difference in restoring forest ecosystems and supporting livelihoods.
We’ve now got <a href="https://ecologi.com/articles/blog/get-to-know-our-reforestation-partners">10 incredible reforestation partners</a>, who operate planting sites across 16 countries. It’s vital to us we partner with like-minded organisations who implement community-led projects that both enhance biodiversity and improve the lives of local people. So our partners go through a rigorous diligence process to check they’re the right fit. Once onboarded, we work closely with our partners to ensure that the projects we implement together are long-lasting and impactful. We cherish our relationships with our reforestation partners &#8211; after all, we couldn’t do this without them!

<h3>Our visit to Kenya </h3>
It’s hard to believe, but our trip to Kenya was the first time we’d visited an international planting site since we were founded in 2019. We wanted to go much sooner, but the complications and restrictions of the COVID-19 pandemic meant that this was the first time we could make the trip safely. Still, better late than never, and the delays meant the team were absolutely raring to go when they set off to visit <a href="https://www.edenprojects.org/">Eden Reforestation Projects</a> in Kenya in September 2022. 
We set out to observe the project and see what was happening on the ground, and in doing so, evaluate its progress and success. It’s important to us we monitor and evaluate all the projects we support, to make sure that we’re funding the biggest impact possible in these beautiful ecosystems.

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KENYA BLOG

To put it simply, we were absolutely blown away by what we saw and experienced. The sheer magnitude of area encompassed by the Kass FM project, which is fully funded by Ecologi, along with the warmth and spirit of the planting and nursery staff upon our arrival, was truly unforgettable.
Having spent so long working remotely, moments like these make it all worthwhile. Over the trip, our team on the ground visited the Kass FM planting site, as well as two nurseries where seedlings for the project are grown &#8211; Nkoben and Tendwet.

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Importantly, we got to meet and engage with local staff members, discussing everything from planting techniques and species variety, to how working for Eden has quite literally changed their lives. Connecting in person allowed us to learn more about their monitoring and evaluation processes too, and ultimately strengthened our relationship with an incredible planting partner.   
But don’t just take our word for it, check out the video below to get a glimpse of the impact our community is funding.
<div class="ecologi-video-full-width"><iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/zFzRYDsrZ_M" width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></div>

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Where are my trees?

When you fund tree planting through Ecologi, you’re supporting a range of incredible reforestation and ecosystem restoration projects. Ecologi’s method of distributing the donations we receive means the positive impact of our community is being felt all around the world. In this blog we’re going to shed some light on exactly how your money is spread across the projects we support, and why we’ve chosen to do it this way.
First things first, if you fund UK, US, or Australian trees, the projects linked with these trees on your profile are exactly where those trees will be (or, in the case of UK trees, have already been) planted. 
For all the other trees funded by the Ecologi community, we have a slightly different system. Due to the projects we support having varying costs associated with them (depending on geographic location, types of tree planted, price of land etc), we combine trees from all core* projects into one funding pot. When you buy a tree from this pot, you are randomly assigned one of these trees, and this is what appears on your profile.

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Ecologi’s method of distributing trees allows us to fund a range of different types of reforestation and ecosystem restoration projects. The benefits of spreading our funding across all these projects include:
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<li aria-level="1">More affordable prices</li>
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We want everyone to be able to play their part in protecting our planet, regardless of their budget. Ecologi’s system for grouping trees from different projects into one funding pot means we’re able to offer a price per tree that is affordable for everyone. Together, we’re able to fund projects all over the world at a variety of price-points, meaning the positive impact of your money is felt in many more communities than it may otherwise have been. 
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<li aria-level="1">Supporting projects and communities all over the world</li>
</ul>
There are so many wonderful reforestation and ecosystem restoration projects out there that bring unique sets of benefits to local people, biodiversity, and our planet. As a member of the Ecologi community, you are part of the solution for getting vital funding to all the projects that need and deserve it most. From mangrove projects in Madagascar providing important habitat for terrestrial and marine species and protecting communities from coastal flooding, to forest restoration projects in the high Andes providing water security for millions of people and helping to support vulnerable species such as Spectacled Bears and Andean Condors, your money goes a long way, in more ways than one!
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<li aria-level="1">Less risk</li>
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Supporting a variety of projects means that trees funded by the Ecologi community are at less risk. While every project we fund goes through our rigorous risk assessment process, and we ensure that every necessary action is taken to protect the trees, when you’re working with nature there is always some risk. By spreading the trees we fund across many sites around the world we are helping to minimise the threat of natural hazards. For example, if we were only funding one project and a fire swept through the site, a large proportion of the trees we had funded would likely be damaged or killed. However, by spreading the trees we’re funding across many sites, we’re ensuring that, should such an event occur, it would only impact a small proportion of the trees funded by the Ecologi community.

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We have tried to make the trees in our community members’ profiles representative of the way in which the trees we’re funding are actually distributed around the world. 
While the process of allocating trees to profiles is randomised, trees from certain projects are more likely to be selected and allocated to your profile than others, simply because there are more of them in the pot. This is why you’ll see trees on your profile associated with one of the projects in Madagascar, Mozambique, and Kenya fairly often, but very occasionally you’ll spot one associated with smaller projects such as those in Peru, Morocco, or Senegal for example.
While the trees from different projects do vary in price, they are all planted and nurtured by wonderful organisations with whom we are proud to work. You can learn more about these organisations in our blog post <a href="https://ecologi.com/articles/blog/get-to-know-our-reforestation-partners">here</a>. No matter which trees are randomly assigned to your profile, you can be sure that they are part of fantastic initiatives that have been hand-selected by us for the amazing benefits they are bringing to local people, local wildlife, and our planet. 
So, when it comes to the breakdown of projects at the top of your profile, the numbers show the total number of trees from each project that have been allocated to your profile. When the trees on everyone’s profiles are combined, the number of trees assigned to each project will total the number of trees we, collectively, have actually funded in each project.
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*Our core tree planting projects are where the majority of the trees that we fund are planted, in countries including Madagascar, Mozambique, Kenya, Uganda, Peru, and Morocco. For a full list of our core planting sites and more information about the projects we support, please visit <a href="https://ecologi.com/projects">ecologi.com/projects</a>.

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Our free carbon footprinting tool just got more accurate

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Built by Prof. Mike Berners-Lee

The story of our free carbon footprinting tool for small businesses just took another exciting turn. Ecologi Zero now uses the brand new and industry-leading dataset from Small World Consulting and carbon footprinting expert Prof. Mike Berners-Lee. 
Integrating the most robust and comprehensive carbon footprinting data available into our software means that thousands of UK-based small businesses can more accurately calculate emissions, supporting emissions reduction and their journey to  net-zero.

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Includes all seven greenhouse gases under the GHG Protocol

We’re one of the first to use this amazing new dataset, and it represents a real leap forward for Ecologi Zero. It gives a more accurate picture of supply chain emissions, which can often account for 90% or more of an organisation’s total emissions. It also includes all seven greenhouse gases under the GHG Protocol, where most other datasets only go up to six. 
The dataset harnesses the most up-to-date, consistent and robust economic and environmental data to produce the most realistic and globally comprehensive set of emissions factors. This dataset also accounts for 93% of global GDP and 89% of global emissions, while spanning 65 countries, allowing us to expand from the UK in the future.

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Partnering with Small World Consulting

This is a big update for us, and it’s been a long time in the works. <a href="https://www.sw-consulting.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Small World Consulting</a> has been working with Ecologi since the summer of last year to help refine our free carbon footprinting tool and remove the key barriers for small businesses, such cost, technology and skills. 
Our CEO, Elliot Coad said: “As recent UN reports have made clear, every fraction of a degree counts. Reducing emissions is the single most important action businesses can take. At Ecologi, we want to help businesses make more informed decisions about where and how to decarbonise their operations and supply chains &#8211; starting with more accurate and practical emissions calculations. Our fantastic collaboration with Mike and his team is helping to make carbon footprinting possible for every business, no matter how small. It’s a great privilege to be one of the first to use the Small World emissions dataset.”
Professor Mike Berners-Lee is one of the leading authorities in carbon accounting globally. His published works, including How Bad Are Bananas and There is No Planet B, are renowned for simplifying the complex field of carbon footprinting and guiding people on the actions they can take to collectively tackle climate change.
He said: “We are very happy to be helping Ecologi to enable companies to understand and reduce their emissions. And we are delighted for them to be early adopters of the multi-regional emissions model, which we have worked so hard on to ensure it is as up to date, transparent, robust and realistic as it can possibly be”. 
Our team of in-house carbon accountants will continue working closely with Mike and his team of experts at Small World Consulting on both new and existing features, to make our emissions assessments even more comprehensive in the future. The team will also provide ongoing database support to make sure Ecologi Zero uses the most recent and appropriate emissions data.
We’re currently onboarding businesses to the beta version Ecologi Zero. For more information and to find out if your business is eligible to sign up for free, click <a href="https://ecologi.com/business/zero" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.

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