Cleaning up our atmosphere
Our goal is to clean up excess greenhouse gas from our atmosphere.
There are three types of greenhouse gas that need to be cleaned up: carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide.
As of today the majority of suppliers of greenhouse gas removal focus on carbon dioxide removal. So we are starting there. We work with a range of suppliers who use different, proven, independently verified methods to remove carbon dioxide from our atmosphere.
This carefully balanced portfolio approach to purchasing atmospheric cleanup simplifies the process for our community, reduces project risk by avoiding over-reliance on a single provider or method, and enables us to support more expensive, scalable technologies without making the cost prohibitive.
Currently, our method mix includes Biomass Sinking, Enhanced Rock Weathering (ERW), Biochar and Direct Air Capture (DAC). The carbon removal field is rapidly evolving, we expect the methods we support to change over time as the industry grows.
Every method and supplier we partner with is rigorously assessed using our Impact Framework to ensure effectiveness and integrity. We focus on methods that are; permanent, additional and fast.
Biomass Sinking
Plants absorb carbon dioxide through photosynthesis, which helps keep the air clean. So, the more plants we have, the cleaner the air, right? Well, it’s a bit more complicated. When plants die, most of the carbon dioxide they’ve stored gets released back into the atmosphere as they break down.
Imagine a garden at the end of summer: flowers wilting, leaves falling, and cold nights setting in. As the plants decompose, the combination of oxygen and tiny organisms (microbes) causes carbon dioxide to be released. But, if plants are kept in a place without oxygen, this process slows down, and the carbon stays trapped.
Places without oxygen are called anoxic environments. Some large bodies of water naturally lack oxygen, making them perfect for storing plant material and keeping carbon dioxide trapped for thousands of years, preventing it from returning to the atmosphere.
Biomass Sinking is a method that uses plants and trees to capture carbon dioxide and then sinks them into oxygen-free waters. This slows down the process of decomposition, locking the carbon away. By using existing farming and forestry methods, we believe this approach can be scaled up to remove massive amounts of carbon dioxide while promoting sustainable practices.
Enhanced Rock Weathering
Rock weathering is a natural process that has been removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere for millions of years, already responsible for capturing 1 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide annually. Here’s how it works: when rainwater mixes with carbon dioxide in the air, it forms a weak acid (carbonic acid). This acid reacts with rocks and soil, turning the carbon dioxide into solid carbonates, safely locking it away for good.
Enhanced Rock Weathering speeds this up. By crushing silicate rocks into a fine powder, we increase their surface area, accelerating the process. This powder is then spread on farmland, using existing farming practices without harming the land. As the rock breaks down, it also releases valuable nutrients like calcium, potassium, and magnesium, boosting soil health and reducing the need for fertilisers.
In short, it’s a win-win: capturing carbon dioxide while enriching the soil.
Biochar
Biochar is one of the safest, most durable & fastest ways to draw down carbon.
It is a carbon-rich, black substance that looks a lot like charcoal. Biochar is created by heating organic materials like wood, leaves and straw to high temperatures without oxygen (a process known as pyrolysis). This method locks carbon into a stable form that resists decomposition, allowing it to be sequestered in the soil for over a century. Not only is biochar a fast and reliable way to remove carbon, but it also improves soil health.
When added to soil, biochar acts like a sponge, retaining water and nutrients while supporting microbial and fungal life. This enhances soil structure, reduces run-off, and promotes healthier plant growth for the long term.
Direct Air Capture (DAC)
Using large fans and chemical processes, Direct Air Capture plants remove atmospheric carbon dioxide which can either be permanently stored underground or used to produce a range of commercial products such as building materials or fuels.
The large fans suck air into the plant where is passes over material that reacts with the carbon dioxide, capturing it in the material, before the cleaned air is released back into the atmosphere.
The materials are then subjected to heat or electricity to release the carbon dioxide which is collected to be used or stored.
A Direct Air Capture plant can remove as much carbon dioxide as a tropical forest that takes up 40 times more land.
Our blended portfolio approach to climate clean up
We understand that most of our members aren’t climate experts, so asking them to choose which new methods to support, without first carefully selecting and vetting them, wouldn’t be ideal for two key reasons:
It places the burden of research on customers, requiring them to navigate the complexities of various climate solutions.
It risks focusing on cheaper, less effective options, leaving essential technologies underfunded and driving up costs for everyone.
At Glad, each season's climate clean-up pot is used to purchase atmospheric clean up from a carefully selected portfolio of methods and suppliers. Think of it like a pension fund - experts manage the details to secure a brighter future. Similarly, being a member of the Glad community helps create a cleaner future with less pollution in our atmosphere.
Just as there’s no one-size-fits-all approach to investing for retirement, there’s no single solution to the climate clean up problem. The excess greenhouse gas we’ve emitted comes from many sources, so we need a variety of clean up methods to address it. That’s why we use a portfolio approach - simplifying the process for our community members while supporting the development of emerging clean up technologies.
Your Questions Answered
Still got a burning question? - we’ve answered a lot more in our Frequently Asked Questions.
