Planet Positive vs Carbon Neutral: Which Climate Strategy Is Best?

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Planet Positive vs Carbon Neutral: Which Climate Strategy Is Best?

As the climate changes and environmental worries grow, more people and businesses are looking for ways to help the planet. Two common ideas you might hear are “carbon neutral” and “planet positive.” They sound similar, but they focus on slightly different things. Let’s talk about what each one means and which one might be better for the future. You’ll also find helpful info over at planet-positive.org if you're interested in learning more.

First, let’s look at “carbon neutral.” This means trying to cancel out the carbon dioxide (CO₂) you create. People, companies, or even whole countries try to lower their carbon emissions as much as they can, and then “offset” the rest by planting trees or investing in clean energy. So if you release 10 units of CO₂, you make sure to remove or prevent 10 units elsewhere. This approach stops your overall impact from growing, but it doesn’t do much to fix what's already happened.

Now, “planet positive” goes a step beyond. Instead of just balancing things out, planet positive actions actually improve the environment. This could mean removing more carbon from the air than you produce, giving back to nature, restoring forests, or pushing cleaner ways to grow and use energy. It’s about leaving the planet in better shape than you found it.

So, which strategy is better? If we’re thinking long-term, planet positive wins. Why? Because we’re already dealing with too much CO₂ in the air. Carbon neutral helps slow things down, but planet positive helps reverse the damage.

Still, carbon neutral can be a good first step if you’re just starting out. It's easier to measure and more familiar to most people. But once you’ve got the hang of it, why stop at zero? Moving toward planet positive means we’re actively helping the Earth heal.

In short, both strategies are useful. What matters most is doing something. Whether you’re choosing sustainable products, using public transport, or supporting businesses that care about their impact, every choice adds up.

Think of being planet positive as going the extra mile — not just doing less harm, but doing more good. And right now, the planet could really use that kind of care.