Delicious Coffee, Sustainable Shipping
How we’re offsetting emissions from our online orders
Sustainability at Blue Bottle means caring for people and the planet. When our U.S. cafes temporarily closed in 2020 due to COVID-19, care for our guests motivated us to provide complimentary shipping throughout the U.S. But while shipping was free, we knew the environment paid a price.
As we connected our community to Blue Bottle Coffee at home, we felt strongly that sustainability should not take a back seat. This is why we operate an annual retrospective program to offset the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions associated with shipping your online orders throughout the U.S. Following the close of each calendar year, we audit our actual shipping activity to calculate and compensate for our GHG footprint.
In 2020, this meant we made financial contributions toward a methane digester at Scenic View Dairy, located an hour’s drive from Grand Rapids, Michigan. In 2021, we supported a project to improve forest management in Minnesota. In 2022, we supported grassland restoration in China’s Qinghai Three-River Source Region. And in 2023, we supported the provision of affordable, high-performing stoves to communities in Honduras that historically have had limited access to energy.
In 2024, Blue Bottle instead pursued brand-wide carbon neutrality. That milestone drove Blue Bottle to focus its sustainability efforts where impact and opportunity were greatest, in coffee Origins, while maintaining our commitment to offset the greenhouse gas emissions associated with online store orders shipped throughout the U.S.
In 2025, Blue Bottle supported a community-based project reforesting degraded grasslands in Tanzania.
The project employed local Tanzanians to plant multiple species with a focus on native species. The reforestation effort incorporated conservation principles to protect soil and water while promoting biodiversity through the management of indigenous flora and fauna as well as through enrichment plantings of indigenous species and fruits where possible.
The project supports local employment and infrastructure development, including improvements to local communities’ water supply. This project is verified by Verra.
Overall, in 2025, Blue Bottle’s U.S. e-commerce shipping offsets had the same carbon impact as growing 1,819 tree seedlings for 10 years, taking 25 gas-powered cars off the road for one year, or not using 255 barrels of oil. It’s a small step, but one we hope will let you enjoy your online purchases that much more, knowing they are healthier for the planet.
Most Recent Completed Reporting Year: 2025 Calendar Year US Ecommerce Shipping to Consumers Footprint
Offset Registry & Project ID: Verra (VCS), Project ID 142
Project Name & Type: Reforestation of degraded grasslands in Uchindile & Mapanda, Tanzania; Afforestation, Reforestation, and Revegetation (ARR).
Protocol/Methodology Used: AR-AM0005
Emissions Reductions vs. Removals: In accordance with Verra ARR standards, 100% of the credits retired for this cycle represent greenhouse gas removals from the atmosphere achieved through biomass growth and soil organic carbon sequestration via the planting of native tree species.
Durability & Reversal Risk Management: 99 years. Reversal risks are mitigated via a centralized buffer pool maintained by the Verra registry.
Third-Party Verification: The underlying offset project is independently verified to Verra standards by an accredited third-party validator. Blue Bottle's annual shipping activity dataset is audited by an independent third party using standard ground-shipping emission factors prior to credit procurement.
Registry Retirement Records: Verifiable public records of our retired credits can be accessed on the Verra Registry under Retirement ID 10716-242904856-242904965-VCS-VCU-264-VER-TZ-14-142-28122013-27102020-0.