BrewDog in bid to save the planet

Scottish brewer BrewDog plans to plant one million trees by 2020 to create its own forest as part of a carbon negative approach to business.

The company, based in Ellon near Aberdeen, founded by James Watt and Martin Dickie (above) says: “We have purchased 2,050 acres of land in the Scottish Highlands just north of Loch Lomond, which is currently used as grazing land.We are going to create 1,500 acres of broadleaf native woodlands and an eco system with the Woodland Carbon Code accreditation programme.”

BrewDog adds that as well as sequestering carbon, woodland creation also promotes biodiversity, natural flood attenuation and drives rural economic development. In addition to woodland creation and peat land restoration, the company will also create a sustainable BrewDog campsite at the location and run sustainability retreats and workshops in the BrewDog Forest.

It will tell its customers: “By drinking BrewDog beer, you’re genuinely having a positive impact on our planet.”

The brewery has worked with Mike Berners-Lee, professor at the Institute for Social Futures at Lancashire University, on mapping its carbon negative strategy. He says: “BrewDog is raising the bar for the business world, both in its strong carbon cutting and its straight talking.

“It’s been a joy to work with BrewDog on these first big steps in its transition. We have learned it’s no good waiting for our politicians to lead the way. And so far almost the entire business world has dragged its feet with a mixture of denial, greenwash, apathy and fear.”

BrewDog adds: “We now remove twice as much carbon from our atmosphere than we emit each year while simultaneously doing all we can to drive our emissions to zero.”

Brewery co-founder James Watt says: “At BrewDog we thought we were doing our bit for the planet. But after meeting David Attenborough and hearing him deliver a talk on climate change, we started doing much more research into the matter.

“And then it hit us, the blindingly stark realisation we were not doing anything like enough. In fact, we were massively contributing to the current problem our planet and our species are facing. The scientific consensus is clear – we are sleep walking off the edge of a cliff.

“We want to make BrewDog a catalyst for change in our industry and beyond.”