Krystal partners with Ecologi to take action on climate change

At seventeen years of age, Krystal founder and CEO, Simon Blackler, found himself wrestling with an existential quandary: how could he justify his existence? After much deliberation, only one answer felt intrinsically complete: if he could use his time to leave the world in a better condition than he found it, then his life must have had value.

Simon figured that if he built a successful business it could attract the necessary resources (employees and cash) and continue as a force for good long after he was gone. It was from this deep-seated desire to leave a lasting legacy for positive change that Krystal was born. (Krystal because crystals are associated with quality, transparency and value. Spelled with a “K” to help differentiate it in the search engines).

Coming from a web hosting company, this may seem like clever branding, paying lip service or a PR exercise. The difference is this was part of our DNA long before it was cool and we actually walk the walk!

Since our inception we’ve hosted charities for free and have supported over 500 to date. We run our entire business on 100% renewable energy and reward our staff, who all work from home for doing the same. We fund a Trees for Life grove in the Scottish Highlands. We’re proud to stand up and be counted among those who care and take action to improve society and reverse climate change. For us, it’s more than creating an ethical brand, it’s our reason for being. Our best effort to try and balance out the negative effect that human activity is having on our planet.

Partnering to prevent climate catastrophe

Climate change is a fact, and has the potential to be a global catastrophe. Yet the ecological collapse that it can bring about is entirely avoidable, if we all work together. This month, we signed up with Ecologi - a Bristol, UK-based organisation that has a mission to turn the tide on carbon emissions and avert the catastrophe that awaits us if the problems of global warming and poverty are ignored.

With their help, we’re working to create a climate-positive workforce, reduce our carbon footprint, fund Gold Standard sustainability projects and help to plant trees all over the world.

We’ve enrolled all 50 of our remote-working staff (we’ve worked from home for 17 years!) with their monthly climate positive subscriptions. Each month that subscription plants 12 trees per month and supports the offsetting of 1 tonne of CO2 per employee. We’ve also elected to plant an additional tree in the UK per member of staff each month.

Finally, to kick off the start of our relationship in style we planted an additional 100,000 trees!

Take a look at our Ecologi profile to see our stats and forest, we’re currently 6th place but plan to climb the leaderboard over the next few months. Who knew that doing good could be so much fun?! If you’d like to join in then we’d encourage you to register your own business or community, or if you’d like you can add to our grove (if you do - thank you!).

Planting trees for our future

Studies show that photosynthetic carbon capture by trees is likely to be among our most effective strategies to limit the rise of carbon dioxide levels in our atmosphere – a key driver of global warming. The restoration of natural forests is also fundamental to the prevention of ecological collapse. Ecologi, in partnership with The Eden Reforestation Project, plants thousands of trees around the world every day. So far, they’ve funded the planting of 6.4 million trees and counting.[1]

Solutions for positive change

Empowering people and businesses to challenge their carbon footprint and reduce carbon pollution, Ecologi also helps fund the world’s best climate crisis solutions. They choose the very best CO2 reduction projects with Gold Standard certification to make the most impact. In fact, 85% of all funding raised by Ecologi partners goes towards planet-saving projects that are in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.[2]

And it’s not just the natural environment that benefits. A big part of Ecologi’s ethos is to ensure that climate solutions also generate co-benefits in other spheres – helping to establish self-sufficient, sustainable local economies, and provide stable jobs to those that Ecologi and its partners employ. Reforestation offers steady employment and income to local people, providing sustainable and fulfilling job roles as planters, forest guards and site managers.

So, not only do Ecologi and its partners help to fund climate crisis solutions, they also help alleviate extreme poverty within impacted communities. What’s more, the employment of the local community also fosters a deep connection between the villagers and the land. Reforesting and protecting the land encourages the villagers to invest in the success and growth of trees, which they begin to care for. It’s this cycle of sustainable, positive action that Ecologi’s work is founded upon.

[3]

How we’ve helped so far

The valuable work that Ecologi undertakes resonates perfectly with our own ethos, so we’re extremely proud to support them on our journey to be climate positive.

As of January 19th, we’ve planted 100,774 real trees in our Ecologi forest. What’s incredible is that Ecologi’s management and allocation of funds is so well organised they can break down the details of exactly which projects we're supporting and show us how our funding directly impacts atmospheric CO2 levels.

For example, we know that the majority (100,424) of our planted trees are Mangroves, and are planted in a specific site in Madagascar. Mangrove trees are particularly important, as they capture up to four times as much carbon per acre than tropical rainforests.[4] Three-quarters of tropical fish also rely on their root systems for nurseries and shelter.

The Madagascar reforesting site:

[5]

And it’s not only the planting of trees. Other projects we’re funding include the preservation of the Mesoamerican Biological Corridor in Guatemala, and providing clean energy through hydropower in Kanungu, Uganda.

We’re excited to see what more we can do to help through our partnership with Ecologi. It’s an ongoing effort that’s rewarding on many levels.

---

Footnote

[1] Ecologi - Impact Report

[2] Ecologi - FAQ

[3] Eden Reforestation Projects

[4] Ecologi - FAQ

[5] Eden Reforestation Projects