Net-zero liquor company offsets emissions through Blue Carbon projects

Hand-crafted on the Isle of Wight using ten ethically sourced botanicals, Mermaid Gin and Vodka has been granted Net Zero by sustainability firm Good Business

Spotted: The sustainable liquor company Mermaid is supporting carbon positive projects to offset its emissions. The first project actively promotes Blue Carbon initiatives, which are ocean-based projects to mitigate climate change by preserving carbon-capturing ecosystems.

Mermaid gins and Mermaid Salt Vodka are already presented in plastic-free bottles which are 100 per cent recyclable: the stopper is made from sustainably sourced cork and wood and even the seal is plant-based and biodegradable.

The first is a  partnership with “The Ocean Foundation”, an extensive seagrass growing project to preserve the Jobos Bay Reserve, which is a vital nature reserve in Puerto Rico. The ecosystem is not only home to seagrass beds, coral reefs and mangroves — it is also a habitat for endangered manatees and hawksbill turtles. 

In addition, the project improves the water quality for local people and supports local dive fishermen whose income has been tampered by recent hurricanes.

“We’ve always been passionate about protecting both our island and the planet, so Net Zero is just another stage in our sustainability journey. We have ambitious goals and are going to be announcing more initiatives that will give us even greater momentum in this crucial area”, says Xavier Baker, co-founder and distiller.

The second collaboration joins “With One Seed”, a community forestry program in East Timor that replants forests “one seed at a time”. It is working with subsistence farming communities to replant their forests, end poverty and hunger, deliver open education and to create regional partnerships.

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