Our very loyal contributor, the very experienced and highly regarded British brewer, teacher and beer writer Tim O’Rourke has very kindly submitted this article with his observations on current trends towards zero net carbon emissions in the brewing and distilling industries. As Tim’s article very informatively starts with a basic review of what sustainability actually is and means, what the carbon footprint of beer is made up of, how it’s calculated, and what lies behind the differences from brewery to brewery, it serves as the perfect intro to all the other, very diverse articles on more specific aspects of our industries’ journey towards tomorrow’s carbon and climate neutral breweries.
Environmental pollution and climate change is the biggest challenge facing the planet, and consumers expect every producer to manufacture in a sustainable way.
All industries pollute. The brewing and distilling industries contribute less than some heavy industries but still make a significant contribution to pollution and climate change.
Manufacturing involves using resources and adding value to produce a product that customers want.
