CO2 offsetting has had a bad reputation in recent years. Many environmental groups view this practice with skepticism, arguing that it allows polluters to “greenwash” their image without addressing the root causes of their emissions.
It’s not so much that the principle itself is bad. Rather, activists fear that due to the lack of regulation and third-party verification, multinational companies will view the practice as good PR rather than a force for actual environmental improvements.
Due to this impasse, discussions about corporate CO2 solutions are stalling. However, Pachama offers a new path forward.
The order
The California-based company leverages the power of satellite imagery and LiDAR technology to generate accurate, real-time CO2 removal measurements. This way, companies, investors and consumers can be confident that they are investing in high-quality, nature-based carbon projects.
Simply put, Pachama works with ethical and effective carbon removal projects to accurately report where carbon credits are being used and what is being done to improve sequestration efforts. By reopening the dialogue on compensation, Pachama aims to shake up the industry and build a new relationship between business and nature.
To do this successfully, Pachama needed a new brand, marketing materials, an introductory video and a new website. So they reached outHow&How Studioa brand and design agency based in London and Los Angeles.
New graphic language
The studio adopted FNDR’s inspiring brand strategy and pursued the idea of ”seeing carbon in action.” Through a new graphic language used on Pachama’s website and UX, they pursued two goals: to make visible the invisible process of carbon sequestration and to amplify and celebrate the beauty of the natural world.
This included creating a visual language that highlights colors and textures. The palette is derived from LiDAR tech scans, which use color to show the height of a tree.
They processed these LiDAR colors into a rainbow palette, referencing the natural iridescence of beetles, birds, shells and leaves. This shows the symbiosis between natural wonders and Pachama’s impressive technology.
Practical applications
How&How used this palette for various practical applications, such as a marking device for mapping afforested areas; pointillist tree graphics to visualize carbon sequestration; and structural landscape maps depicting Pachama’s scanning technology.
They combined these devices with expressive typography, layers of glass, and a circular language repeated throughout the brand to represent transparency, layered information, and the zooming in and out of landscapes and details.
These elements work across the digital realm, where our emphasis on clarity creates a user interface that feels light and breathable, like clean air.
“Working with H&H to renew our brand has been an absolute pleasure,” says Diego Saez-Gil, co-founder and CEO of Pachama. “They took the time to deeply understand our vision and philosophy and then brought it to life with magical beauty.”
“H&H has worked really hard on every aspect of our visual identity, ensuring every detail is exquisite,” he adds. “Her sophisticated taste, cultural understanding and work ethic make her a very special partner to work with if you want to build a generational brand.”