🍃 This is a DISASTER dressed as progress.

Did you know?

Every minute, 51 trees are burned at Drax power station in England.

Not every day. Not every hour. Every. Single. Minute.

And here’s the part that’s even more infuriating, this is considered a smart renewable energy solution.

On paper, it ticks the right boxes. It’s labeled carbon neutral, it receives massive government subsidies, and it’s marketed as an alternative to fossil fuels. 

But dig a little deeper, and you will find a system that is anything but sustainable.

Drax alone emits 12 million tonnes of CO2 every single year. Yet these emissions don’t count toward the UK’s official carbon footprint.

Why? Because burning trees is classified as carbon neutral.

Except it’s not.

Here’s what’s really happening:

- 27 million trees are burned every year to fuel biomass energy.

- 6.5 million tonnes of wood pellets are used annually, the majority imported from overseas.

- 12 million tonnes of CO2 are released into the atmosphere every single year, carbon that had been stored for decades.

It takes between 30 and 80 years to grow enough trees to absorb that CO2 again.

That’s three to eight decades before we even begin to break even.

This isn’t progress. This isn’t innovation. This is a disaster.

The big idea:

The original idea behind biomass energy wasn’t entirely flawed. 

The logic went something like this:

If we burn wood for energy and replant trees, the carbon cycle balances out.

But reality doesn’t work that neatly.

Burning trees releases carbon immediately. 

Regrowing forests to reabsorb that carbon takes decades if it even happens at all.

And instead of phasing out biomass in favour of real renewables like solar, wind, and green hydrogen, we’re pouring billions into keeping this flawed system alive.

In 2021 alone, Drax received £893 million in government subsidies to keep burning forests.

That’s £2 million per day to accelerate deforestation and pump out emissions.

Forests that should be left standing are being cut down, shipped across the Atlantic, and burned for energy in the UK. 

And somehow, we’re calling this a climate solution?

This is a smoke and mirrors distraction that keeps us locked into outdated systems.

Thinking about going green? NOW’S your chance.

 I’ve got a few spaces left to work with me next month.

These spots always fill up quickly, so if you’re interested, reply to this email with the word SUSTAINABILITY and let’s get started.

Tip of the week:

If we’re serious about cutting emissions and tackling climate change, we need to move away from false solutions and start investing in real ones.

Here’s what actually needs to happen:

1. Phase out subsidising biomass as a long-term solution. 

It was meant to be a temporary stepping stone, not the final answer.

2. Redirect funding to true renewables like wind, solar, and green hydrogen. 

These don’t rely on cutting down forests or creating emissions up front.

3. Hold policymakers accountable. 

Governments need to put public money where it actually counts.

Burning trees isn’t the answer.

It’s just another excuse to delay real action.

The world doesn’t need more delays, excuses, or false solutions.

It’s time to move on.

Interested in continuing this conversation? Send me a DM on LinkedIn or reply to this email.

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Best,
Jasper