Isle of Wight Distillery’s Flagship Brand Certified Net Zero - One Year After Going Plastic-Free
After a year of being plastic-free, Mermaid has achieved another goal - becoming a Net Zero brand, joining a growing, progressive, community of organisations in the UK.
Certified as Net Zero by sustainability firm Good Business and taking account of the PAS 2050 standard, Mermaid is now off-setting its emissions through support of two carbon positive projects. This includes one that actively promotes the concept of ‘Blue Carbon’ - ocean-based initiatives that preserve carbon-capturing ecosystems.
The first, working with ‘The Ocean Foundation’, is an extensive seagrass growing project to preserve the Jobos Bay Reserve, one of the most important nature reserves in Puerto Rico. The stunning ecosystem is dominated by seagrass beds, coral reefs and mangroves and is a habitat for endangered manatees and hawksbill turtles.
Aside from benefiting the natural world, the project also provides better water quality for local people and much-needed income for local dive fishermen, whose livelihoods have been devastated by recent hurricanes.
The second project supported is ‘With One Seed’, a community forestry social enterprise in East Timor that works to replant forests, one seed at a time. As well as creating initiatives to support environments, it also aims to educate and work towards fighting poverty and hunger.
Xavier Baker, Co-founder and distiller, said: “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.”
Mermaid gins and Mermaid Salt Vodka are presented in plastic-free bottles which are 100% recyclable - even the seal is plant-based and biodegradable, while the stopper is made from sustainably sourced cork and wood.