Carbon Footprinting
While at Aspiration, my primary focus was establishing Aspiration’s Sustainability Services team, concentrating on carbon calculations, measurement, and mitigations. These services were strategically delivered through both direct-to-consumer (D2C) channels and business-to-business (B2B) partnerships, aiming to forge a Sustainability-as-a-Service line of business for Aspiration.
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We fostered impactful collaborations with significant partners such as Lyft, Sonos, Fareportal, Lime, and others, envisioning a robust network for sustainable solutions. An essential milestone was the acquisition of Carbon Insights in early 2022—a climate-tech company offering a unique tool capable of measuring the carbon footprint of any debit or credit card transaction.
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This technology empowered partners to measure their customers' carbon footprint in a B2B2C model. For instance, in a potential partnership with Expedia, the API could calculate the carbon footprint of each reservation, encompassing aspects like hotel stays, rental cars, and flights. This innovative approach utilized economic and emissions data from diverse industries and commodities to accurately compute emissions—a transformative step toward fostering sustainable practices within various sectors who historically were not known for their environmentalism.
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Unfortunately, the leadership at Aspiration changed with a new CEO being appointed at the end of 2022, and many on the team were let go to focus on other more proven and profitable projects.
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Article about Carbon Insights purchase: Click Here
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Plant Your Change
The first project I owned at Aspiration was Plant Your Change (PYC). This was a legacy product that allowed a user to opt in with their Aspiration card, or a linked credit or debit card issued by another financial institution. Once enrolled, every purchase was rounded to the nearest whole dollar. Aspiration then plants 1 tree for each round-up that occurs. Partners included: Eden Reforestation Projects, Arbor Day Foundation, One Tree Planted, and American Forests.
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PYC generated over $1 million in Annual Recurring Revenue (ARR) for Aspiration. Beyond its financial impact, PYC became a cornerstone of Aspiration's marketing strategy, resonating strongly with their customers. Additionally, it served as a foundational step towards subsequent carbon measurement and offsetting projects, presenting a relatable and tangible carbon-offsetting solution through tree planting.
PYC Website: Click Here
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