New Belgium Brewing to Cut CO2 Emissions by 25% Per Barrel

After finding that one six-pack of Fat Tire emits nearly 3,200 grams of CO2 from its raw and packaging materials to transportation to the brewery – comprising about half (48 percent) of its overall footprint – New Belgium Brewing said it hopes to reduce that number by 25 percent per barrel by 2015.

The CO2 figures come from a GHG life cycle assessment that the brewery conducted with the help of the Climate Conservancy.

Other highlights from New Belgium’s first corporate sustainability report (PDF):

– The Colorado brewery uses 4 gallons of water to make 1 gallon of beer, which is 20 percent less water use than the industry average (5 gallons of water per 1 gallon of beer). Still, it hopes to achieve a 10 percent reduction (3.5 gallons) by finding additional efficiencies in its production process.

– In 2007, New Belgium recycled 73 percent of its waste (812,000 pounds) and put 295,000 pounds of waste into landfills.

– 100% of the company’s electricity comes from renewable sources, via a mix of green power from its local utility, wind RECs, and its proprietary water treatment plant – which can generate up to 15 percent of the company’s electrical needs. (In 2007, the company cut phrasing from marketing claims that said it relied completely on wind power, in response to criticism from a former employee.)The next CSR report will be released in May.

Last year Chief Branding Officer Greg Owsley talked about the company’s achievements in sustainability and the insights gained from an environmental life cycle analysis of Fat Tire.