Ben & Jerry’s Puts a Price on its Carbon

At Ben & Jerry’s, we know that to avoid the worst effects of climate change, we’ve got to shift our whole economy away from fossil fuels, and we have to start now. From individuals to businesses and nations, it’s the biggest problem we’ve had to solve— perhaps ever. And, we’re happy to add, getting it right will also be the biggest opportunity we’ve had— ever.

Just think: From our energy sources to the way we farm, every product and process has to become carbon neutral. We think putting a price on carbon pollution can help us make that transition. A carbon tax puts a price on all forms of carbon pollution, driving down the use of fossil fuels while providing revenue to advance efficiency and cleaner, greener technologies. In Canada, British Columbia already has seven years of positive carbon tax results. In the States, our home state Vermont is pushing to do the same

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We’re so committed to this idea that we’re launching our own internal carbon tax, instituting a price for every metric ton of our greenhouse gas emissions, from farm to landfill. Scientists agree that we need to curb emissions by at least 80% by mid-century to avoid completely overheating our planet. We’ve set our own targets for reducing emissions on the same science based glide slope.

Using the recent Lifecycle Analysis that gave us a cow-to-cone picture of our carbon footprint, we’ll be putting the funds from our tax to jumpstart programs we’re already working on. The dairy component counts for 42% of the overall lifecycle emissions of our ice cream, so we’ll start by working with farmers to develop and implement carbon footprint-reducing strategies.

We think it’s a pretty ambitious plan, not to toot our own cone. But we can’t do it alone— it’s going to take all you ice cream lovers, to spread the message, and the policies of forward-thinking states like Vermont, to really make this work. We need governments everywhere to commit to putting a price on carbon pollution, and turn investment in dirty carbon into the clean energy future we all want.