Eco-Cart Plugin to offset Carbon Footprint

Consumers in developing countries have a growing concern about their environmental impact. Yet, the average customer lacks access to information that could help them estimate their carbon footprint of the items they purchase. Dane Baker and Peter Twomey recognized this missing information and created EcoCart as a solution. EcoCart is a Google Chrome extension add on that allows users to offset the carbon footprint of their purchase.

Baker says, “EcoCart has now offset over 5 million lbs. of carbon dioxide. We now have over 3,000 people using the Chrome extension and are doubling user base every month.”

The Business Model Explained

Baker and Twomey created EcoCart to reduce and simplify consumers’ process to offset their carbon footprint through e-commerce. There’s a simple, three-step procedure to use EcoCart. Users download the startup’s Google Chrome extension to install it in the browser. Then, when shopping at participating EcoCart stores, the extension will pop up. One-click of the pop-up button will then make your order carbon neutral. EcoCart will then calculate the carbon footprint and then send the necessary amount of money to a project you specify to offset said impact. All of this is done at no extra cost to the consumer. EcoCart receives a commission from the stores they partner with to fund the consumer’s desired carbon offset project. An easy-to-use, convenient product could only be made possible by a talented team.

How do they estimate the carbon footprint of each product?

Before launching the product, they spent months coming up with a robust back-end database of product types and associated emissions. They started with the Higg Index and then layered in industry-specific lifecycle analyses. They worked with climatology PhDs. They keep upon updating there databases as the customer and their needs diversify

How do they select which Carbon Offset projects?

Their projects are certified by the six major carbon standards. They are triple-verified to maximize positive impacts on both the planet and the local communities where our projects are held. They are about forest protection and management, water filters, composting, wet land potection, bio gas plants, fuel efficient cook stove, solar gas plants etc.