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Photography by Hou Junwei
Custos is spearheading efforts to make businesses more environmentally friendly, teaming up with Systex to lead the charge. You've probably heard about carbon footprints, but have you ever thought about carbon handprints?
Your carbon footprint measures the greenhouse gases you produce, while your carbon handprint showcases the positive steps you take to reduce and to avoid CO2 emissions from the air. When we talk about saving the planet, our minds often go straight to cutting down on CO2. But here's the thing: even small actions from everyday people can have a big impact. However, as of now, companies can only earn carbon credits by taking actions that reduce their carbon footprint, such as investing in renewable energy sources or implementing energy-efficient technologies.
While big regulations on carbon emissions primarily focuses on industries, they often overlook everyday’s decision and responsibility. That's where the idea of a carbon handprint comes in. It helps us see and understand how much we're helping by doing simple things, like switching from a plastic bottle to a reusable mug. That is why Custos envisions a future where individual actions, like switching from a plastic bottle to a reusable mug, can be recognized as carbon credits. This shift would empower everyone to actively contribute to combating climate change collectively, extending the responsibility beyond just big corporations and governments.
The Custos Journey: Engineering a Greener Future
That's why Thomas Yap, CEO, and Jerel Lim, COO, founded Custos, an enterprise software providing infrastructure and data intelligence for carbon reduction from green lifestyles.
While the founders are Singaporean, they chose to kick-start their idea in Taiwan instead. Yap explained, "When we discussed our startup idea, people told us it was good, but Singapore might not be the best fit. Repairing items like umbrellas or shoes is nearly impossible there. In contrast, Taiwan's population is more interested in ecology and green energies, making it a more suitable first market for Custos. It's a fact that carbon-neutral products often come with a higher price tag than traditional ones. If consumers aren't environmentally conscious, they may simply choose not to use or buy them."
