Designtex operates carbon neutral for the seventh year in a row, funding a project in Ethiopia.
Designtex is thrilled to announce another partnership with Native Energy, a leading provider of impact investments and carbon reduction services, for the seventh year in a row. Designtex is supporting the Ethiopia Clean Water Project, which intends to install 1,500 Hydraid Filters in the Sidama Zone, Ethiopia – reducing greenhouse gas pollution and bringing clean air and water to Sidama families. Designtex is pleased toreport that the Ethiopia Clean Water Project additionally offsets greenhouse gas emissions associated with its business resulting in a net-zero footprint.
The Sidama Zone in Ethiopia is among the regions of Sub-Saharan Africa with the least access to clean water and sanitation resources. Home to a community of coffee farmers and their families, seventy-five percent of the people in the Ethiopia Clean Water Project drink raw water from rivers, lakes and rain pits. Consuming untreated water causes waterborne illness, which is the leading cause of death for young children. Many boil water to purify it, but this requires burning unsustainably harvested wood, leading to widespread deforestation. It also creates significant indoor air pollution and contributes to climate change by unlocking the carbon stored in the wood. The Hydraid water filters use a simple, proven technology to provide safe drinking water to the community while reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
Designtex assessed its full operational footprint for the past year at 3,912 CO2 e (carbon equivalent). Funding the Ethiopia Clean Water Project will offset the total emissions. Furthermore, this water purification project will benefit 8,500+ people by bringing 65,500+ liters of clean waterper day to the community. Deidre Hoguet, Designtex Director of Sustainability and Material Exploration says, “Designtex is excited to support the Ethiopia Clean Water Project in 2016. Access to clean water is a major global health concern, and this project alleviates the problem with a local solution. At the same time it reduces carbon emissions, which is a benefit to the global atmosphere that we all share.”
This is the seventh consecutive year that Designtex has operated as a carbon neutral company. Learn more about all ten carbon reduction projects Designtex has supported since 2010.
About Designtex Designtex is the leading company in the development, design and manufacturing of applied materials for the built environment. For over fifty years, *Designtex has been providing innovative materials to customers around the world. Throughout each step of product development and manufacturing, Designtex strives to ensure their textiles, wall coverings and digitally imaged materials have a reduced environmental impact. Designtex is a Steelcase company, headquartered in New York City, with over 100 national and international locations.
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