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IMPLEMENT: SOIL HEALTH & CARBON SEQUESTRATION Healthy Soils are Essential for Vineyard Adaptation and Mitigation Maintaining and enhancing soil health is one of the most effective strategies for adapting to climate change impacts and addressing mitigation in a vineyard. Adaptation : Healthy soils can help address drought, excess precipitation and extreme heat. Management practices that increase organic matter, enhance soil structure, and reduce soil disturbance, especially during high rainfall events, can improve water availability and promote water storage and infiltration. Mitigation : Healthy soils sequester and store more atmospheric carbon. Soil amendments - including compost, biochar, and mulch - can help increase and retain soil organic carbon, and cover crops can also increase soil organic carbon. An added benefit to these climate smart practices is increased soil fertility, which improves plant health and resiliency to pests and disease pressure. The many benefits to healthy soils are the key reason it is an important part of any sustainable, regenerative, organic or biodynamic winegrowing approach. Priority Practices Quick Links: Optimizing Nitrogen Cover Crops Soil Amendments Reduced Tillage Non-Crop Vegetation & Carbon Carbon Sequestration: The capture and long-term storage of carbon dioxide (CO2 ) in plant material and soils. Plants are considered a “sink” for CO2 because they uptake CO2 during photosynthesis and store it in plant tissue such as leaves, wood, and roots. The burning of vines can release some of this carbon back into the atmosphere. Chipping and low smoke burning techniques used to produce biochar can significantly reduce these carbon loses. Optimizing Nitrogen is Vital to Reducing Vineyard GHG Emissions An important source of vineyard GHG emissions is the use of nitrogen fertilizers. When any nitrogen is added to soil, some of the applied nitrogen can be converted to N2 O. This can happen to any nitrogen-containing additive including synthetic fertilizers (e.g. nitrate and ammonium) and organic materials (e.g. green manures and pomace). All N2 O production associated with vineyards results from soil microbes using the nitrogen instead of the vines. Providing just enough nitrogen that vines need and timing nitrogen applications to ensure maximum uptake by roots can decrease N2 O emissions. Optimize Nitrogen Cover Crops are a Powerful Tool for Adaptation and Mitigation Cover crops can buffer the negative effects of extreme weather events — e.g., precipitation and flooding, along with heat waves. The use of cover crops can increase the storage of carbon in vineyard soils and decrease CO2 emissions. Perennial cover crops are most efficient at doing this because of their greater root production. In addition to increasing soil carbon, leguminous cover crops supply nitrogen to the soil, and may be used to decrease applications of synthetic fertilizers. Cover crops also decrease the offsite movement and loss of soil organic matter by erosion and nitrogen by leaching. Cover Crops Soil Amendments Soil Amendments Increase Water Storage Soil amendments such as compost, mulch and biochar can increase soil organic matter, water storage capacity and nutrient cycling. Compost can improve soil structure and increase soil water storage, with the level of impact dependant on the compost characteristics and the number and rate of applications. Mulch is effective as both a soil cover, improving soil water storage, and a means of increasing soil organic matter. Biochar has many positive benefits including on water and nutrient retention, improved soil structure and carbon sequestration. Reduced Tillage Helps with Mitigation and Adaptation The act of tilling soil can consume substantial quantities of fossil fuel. By breaking up soil aggregates, tillage increases soil emissions of CO2 and N2 O by mobilizing carbon and nitrogen, thus allowing microbes to access and consume previously protected organic matter. Each tillage pass causes some loss of soil-sequestered carbon. Decreases in tillage not only limit CO2 emissions but protects against the loss of organic matter through erosion which increases the soils ability to absorb excess precipitation. Reduced Tillage Non-Crop Vegetation Carbon Sequestration Potential Non-crop vegetation in and around vineyards such as buffer strips, hedgerows, natural woodlands, and riparian flora can also contribute to climate mitigation. The carbon stored in these woody long-lived perennial plants and the soil in these areas can represent a large source of sequestered carbon, significantly decreasing overall GHG emissions. Oak woodlands, for example, can store large amounts of above- and below-ground carbon over their lifetime. In addition, these areas can help reduce soil erosion and runoff, which helps in extreme weather events that are increasing due to climate change and increases carbon sequestration potential by keeping soil in place. Non-Crop Vegetation Sustainable, Regenerative, Organic and Biodynamic Farming are Climate Smart Many of the soil health practices included in this toolkit will look familiar to growers who participate in certification programs for sustainable, regenerative, organic or biodynamic winegrape growing. All of these farming approaches include practices to build and maintain soil health, which has a direct impact on the ability of a vineyard to mitigate and adapt to climate change. To learn more about the relationship between sustainable and regenerative winegrowing, see the CSWA Sustainable and Regenerative Winegrowing Handout , which includes a list of regenerative winegrowing principles and examples of practices to help winegrape growers better understand and communicate about the relationship. Resources: Soil Health & Carbon Sequestration Implementation Guide : The guide includes practices and resources for optimizing nitrogen, increasing organic matter, cover crops, carbon sequestration and erosion prevention. Habitat & Biodiversity Implementation Guide : The guide outlines key practices and resources to support implementation of wildlife habitat such as hedgerows, buffer strips and nesting boxes, native woodlands and riparian and aquatic habitats.

IMPLEMENT: WINERY PACKAGING Packaging’s High Carbon Footprint Wine is fundamentally a packaged product, with glass bottles serving as the iconic and traditional packaging choice. While glass remains dominant, it's important to recognize that alternative packaging types offer significant value and diverse benefits. Throughout the lifecycle from production to disposal, wine packaging contributes substantially to California wine's carbon footprint , accounting for approximately 38% of the total environmental impact. Each stage of the packaging process—from raw material extraction to final disposal—creates environmental stress through energy consumption, water usage, and greenhouse gas emissions. The wine industry has committed to improving packaging sustainability through multiple approaches. This includes collaborating with vendors to reduce carbon footprints and partnering with municipalities to enhance recycling processes. Priority Practices Quick Links: Lightweight Bottles & Alternative Packaging Evaluate Packaging Needs Sustainable Packaging Solutions: Lightweight Bottles & Alternative Packaging As global sustainability leaders, many California wine producers are actively evaluating methods to reduce their packaging impact, exploring strategies such as lightweight bottles and alternative packaging solutions (e.g., aluminum cans, bag-in-the box, wine kegs) and choosing products made with recycled content that can be recycled after use. Benefits of Lightweight Bottles: Weight: Lightweight glass bottles require less energy to manufacture, transport, and recycle, which reduces the carbon footprint of wine. Lightweighting can reduce a winery’s carbon footprint by 10-22% and lead to significant cost savings in the long run. Cost: Lightweight bottles cost less than heavy bottles to produce and are more economical to transport since they weigh less and take up less space on pallets. Recycling: Under current guidelines in California, wine bottles must be made from at least 35% post-consumer glass content, though many have higher recycled content. Lightweight bottles are easier for recycling facilities to handle, sort, and process. They also require less energy to melt down and reshape. Strength and durability: Lightweight glass has been shown to be just as strong and durable as traditional glass packaging due to innovations in manufacturing. Benefits of Aluminum Packaging: Weight: Aluminum cans weigh nearly half as much as glass bottles for the same volume of wine. This translates to lower shipping costs and CO2 emissions due to less weight for transport. Cost: Aluminum is cheaper than glass to manufacture and the lighter weight means shipping costs are also lower. Recycling: Cans are made from 70% or more recycled aluminum and are endlessly recyclable. Innovation: Slim cans, 4-packs and other innovative packaging such as aluminum wine bottles offer convenience (no corkscrew) and portability. The smaller portion size of cans appeals to moderation and new packaging options contribute to marketplace diversification. Lightweight Bottles Evaluate Packaging Needs Reducing packaging impact requires a nuanced approach, as there is no universal solution that works for all producers. Each winery must evaluate various factors to determine the packaging solution that best aligns with their specific business needs and sustainability goals. When determining the best packaging type for your product, consider the following factors: Material (e.g., cost-effectiveness, end-user convenience) Recyclability Energy Use & Carbon Footprint Waste Generation Transportation Efficiency (e.g., weight, durability) Consumer Perceptions and Market Demand Packagin Needs Resources: Sustainable Packaging Factsheet : Provides information on packaging factors to consider and a decision matrix for alternative packaging types. Innovations in Sustainable Packaging: Three Case Studies of Alternative and Lightweight Packaging : Shares examples from wineries who have implemented sustainable packaging changes. Unpacking Wine: A Practical Journey Through the Environmental Landscape of Packaging : An in-depth guide developed by the Porto Protocol with practical, actionable steps for making packaging decisions that reduce the environmental footprint of packaging. Trade Research on Climate Beneficial Attributes of Wine : Results from a 2023 trade research study that includes packaging considerations and trade perceptions of lightweight bottles.

IMPLEMENT: SUSTAINABLE PURCHASING & SUPPLIERS Supply Chains are a Significant Portion of Wine’s Carbon Footprint A significant part of any product’s carbon footprint, including wine, is attributed to the supply chain. Estimates vary, but anywhere from 50-80% of a wine’s carbon footprint comes from the supply chain. Therefore, addressing sustainability within the supply chain through procurement decisions and engaging with suppliers (along with optimizing transportation) is an important part of any climate action plan. Sustainable Purchasing Practices Can Reduce Wine’s Carbon Footprint Traditional procurement approaches often prioritize cost and efficiency over environmental and social considerations. Making procurement decisions with sustainability in mind means that environmental and social factors are also considered along with economic factors, which can reduce the carbon footprint of purchased products. Implementing sustainable purchasing practices can be accomplished in several steps: Set clear sustainability criteria : Sustainability requirements for products or services can be informal or included in a sustainable purchasing policy. The criteria can specify sustainability requirements such as use of recycled materials, energy efficient products, local sourcing, etc. Evaluate products and services : Evaluate your suppliers and their products based on your sustainability criteria and prioritize suppliers that align with your sustainability goals. Engage suppliers for information and to improve practices: Seek information from suppliers about their products if not readily available and collaborate with suppliers that are also interested in improving the sustainability of their practices and products. Vineyard & Winery Supply Chains - Scope 3 Emission Sources The GHGs attributed to Scope 3 (indirect emissions from the supply chain) encompass any activity not under direct responsibility of the vineyard or winery operation. These include activities such as: Purchased products (e.g., purchased grapes, winery equipment, vineyard inputs) Packaging materials (e.g., bottles, labels, closures, capsules, boxes) Outsourced transportation (e.g., delivery of purchased grapes, distribution of wine) Outsourced production (e.g., third-party harvest, bottling) Business travel (e.g., daily commutes, meetings, sales travel) Offsite waste management (e.g., landfill, recycling, composting) Post-consumption (e.g., disposal of wine containers) Collaborating with Supply Partners Can Drive Climate Action By actively collaborating with suppliers and emphasizing sustainable procurement practices, organizations can motivate their supply partners to minimize their environmental footprint. This approach can create ripple effects that extend far beyond your organization, promoting broader environmental and social responsibility across the entire industry. You can implement these sustainability strategies with both existing suppliers and when evaluating potential new supply partners. Resources: Sustainable Purchasing Implementation Guide : Details sustainable purchasing considerations and provides resources for creating a sustainable purchasing plan, engaging with suppliers, packaging and machinery. Supplier Questionnaire : Provides example questions for suppliers to assist with the screening process for products and services. Sustainable Purchasing Policy Template : Provides guidance for a sustainable procurement policy and includes a checklist for sustainable procurement and other useful resources.