Blu-Nits, a new measurement unit on the impact of a product on the environment

Mitchell Cetuk

The word “blu-nit” comes from the joining of the words “blue” (for the planet) and “unit” (of measurement). The number of blu-nits attributed to a product equals the number of trees it would take to offset the CO2 emissions of that product in one day.

This is accomplished by assigning a blu-nit value to a product’s packaging. This, in turn, allows the consumer to immediately be aware of the impact of a given purchase on the environment. As the calorie count on a package in the supermarket immediately gives the consumer relevant information prior to purchase, so, too, the blu-nit value will allow the consumer to see the impact of the greenhouse gases released in the production, shipping and, storage of the item in question. Simply understood, our mission is to empower people to make decisions that are informed and shaped by knowledge of what the environmental cost is of that decision.

My light bulb moment

My name is Mitchell Cetuk and I am the Founder and CEO of the Blu-Nits organization. We are a non-profit organization whose mission it is to help consumers deepen their understanding of the impact of their own consumption practices.

The idea for Blu-Nits came from a “light-bulb” moment I had while working at a high-end steak house in New York City’s upper east side in 2014. While walking toward a customer with the meal that had been ordered, I reflected on the number of industries that had to intersect simultaneously to create this meal.

As I recall, the filet mignon was from Nebraska; the lettuce for the salad was from Pennsylvania; the almonds were from California; and the pasta was from Italy. In addition, the wine was from Spain.

Mitchell Cetuk, Founder, Blu-nit

The restaurant in question has earned its stellar reputation by sourcing the best ingredients from around the world every night. As I reflected on the carbon footprint of this meal, I intuitively understood that the impact of the growth of the food and the travel from all parts of the world to the guest’s table that night was considerable. I also understood that were I to attempt to calculate the impact on the environment using the tools available at the time to measure the greenhouse gases involved, I would not have what I considered a viable or more complete answer as to the real impact of the meal.

Blu-nit, the maths

What a blu-nit does to enhance and refine our understanding is this: add up all of the carbon dioxide and CO2 equivalents of all of the greenhouse gases required to create and ship a product and, then, divide that number by the amount of CO2 one adult tree can absorb in a day. The number of blu-nits attributed to a product equals the number of trees it would take to offset the CO2 emissions of that product in one day. (FYI, the number of CO2 one tree can absorb in a day is approximately .13140685 pounds per day.)

We settled on the tree to help us compute the impact of consumption practices because it is a universal symbol easily recognized and seen as a symbol of life in many cultures around the world. It is common knowledge that trees take in carbon dioxide found in the air and produce the oxygen we breathe. Using a symbol such as a tree that is at once known to be helpful to all who breathe and therefore, is already known to work on our behalf, makes blu-nits and its formula both easy to understand and appreciate.

Public Interest

We are encouraged by the public response to Blu-nits thus far. A recent survey showed overwhelming support for the idea that it is time for companies to support pro-environmental based initiatives as much as possible.

Since 2020, the Blu-Nits Organization has partnered with the locally sourced, seasonally driven restaurant Lighthouse BK in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, NY. We are working together on a pilot project which, when fully in place, will enable guests to see the blu-nit value for every item and ingredient on the menu, even as it changes every month. Guests at the restaurant will receive the total blu-nit value of their whole meal on their check. The guests will also be able to leave a donation for tree-planting organizations and other like environmentally engaged groups. This donation will be used to offset the emissions of their meal in real time, thus allowing the individual to “be the change they want to see in the world.”

One of the core values of Lighthouse is transparency. Blu-Nits are a great instrument for restaurants and businesses to share information in an open and concise manner. I love the idea of it as a business owner and as a consumer.”

Lighthouse BK’s founder and owner, Naama Tamirn:

We expect that the Blu-Nits organization will develop similar partnerships with other restaurants and expand into other industries such as fashion and auto over time. For more information about our organization and journey and how you can be involved, follow us on social media.

Over the last year, the Blu-Nit Organization became a non-profit in the state of New York.

We chose to become a non-profit because we believe that such work should not be motivated by profits. 

In addition, we want every business, regardless of how big or small, to be able to access and display the Blu-Nits symbol if it should choose to.

To know more about blue-nit, click here

Mitchell Cetuk is Founder of Blu-nit