According to the United Nations, “net zero” basically means that, by 2050, greenhouse gas emissions will be cut as close to zero as possible, with any remaining emissions re-absorbed from the atmosphere by oceans and forests. We also have a check-in point in 2030, with emissions needing to be reduced by 45%, per the Paris Agreement.  

Let’s explore some of the more common terminology relating to your carbon footprint. 

Net Zero Emissions — This is striking a balance between the whole amount of greenhouse gasses released into--and the amount removed--from the atmosphere. 

Carbon Neutral — Any carbon dioxide (CO2) released into the atmosphere by an individual or company needs to be balanced / offset by an equivalent amount removed.  

Climate Positive — This goes beyond Carbon Neutral, offsetting more CO2 emissions than released. 

Commonly referred to as the “Race to Zero” this United Nations-backed global campaign combines the efforts of 1049 cities, 67 regions, 5,227 companies, 1039 educational institutions, 3,000 hospitals, 52 healthcare institutions and 441 financial institutions to reach a state of Climate Positive. Did you notice the last category...financial institutions? Banking is a huge part of that category, and as reported by the BBC, most world banks are directly contributing to the climate crisis. But how? If you’re reading this then you likely know that traditional banks have for decades been surreptitiously investing trillions of customer deposits into dangerous fossil fuel investments. 

By banking with Ando, you not only have the ability to take back control of your money with our guarantee that we’ll only invest it in projects and companies committed to fighting climate change, but you can actually become Climate Positive. According to Bank.Green, Ando is a leader in sustainable banking, with an unwavering commitment to the environment and everyday actions people can take, like embracing sustainable transportation, regenerative agriculture, and clean, renewable energy. 

As Ando Founder and CEO JP McNeil puts it, sustainably banking with Ando “is the fastest, most efficient, and effective way to direct trillions of dollars toward stopping the effects of global warming and creating the sustainable future we envision for ourselves, our kids and all future generations.” Even better, with Ando’s new Impact Center, each user can, at a glance, see a wealth of information about their positive impact on the environment, how they can earn money while cutting their emissions, and how increased account activity can reduce their carbon footprint all the way to being Carbon Positive. 

We like to think that banking with Ando is the easiest way to fight climate change. Think about it—being environmentally responsible usually means opting-out of something—using fossil fuels, eating meat, taking shorter showers, etc. But you can’t opt-out of banking...you have to do it somewhere, so it may as well be with Ando where you can enjoy streamlined mobile banking and all the premium features you want, all for free. And just by doing that, you’re having arguably the biggest, most positive impact on the planet of any single environmental act. And oh yeah—you can earn some cash along the way. 

So, while reaching a state of being Climate Positive will take some effort, this is one of those rare instances in life where there’s simply no downside. You get the best in everyday banking and you enable us to help the companies we invest in (over $28 million and counting) to succeed in their green endeavors, and that benefits everyone. If you’re already an Ando customer (and there 60,000+ of you), thanks for joining us on this journey, and please visit your Impact Center for more fun and information. And if you’re new to Ando, we hope you’ll consider coming along for the ride—we're (climate) positive you won’t regret it!