I’m a person with many hobbies - 3D printing, home engineering, making music, and the list goes on.
When I first started these hobbies, it was because I found interest in them, but oftentimes, I didn’t know where to start.
Through my work in helping organizations measure their carbon footprints, I’ve found a very similar theme.
Here are my top 5 insights into what is causing companies to postpone or procrastinate their decarbonization journey - their “decarbonization writer's block.”

Regulation alphabet soup
No matter what market you’re operating in, there are multiple climate regulations a company needs to consider. Navigating, understanding, and remembering these climate regulations at the beginning of your sustainability journey can be extremely overwhelming.
For example, even as someone who is thoroughly engrained in the climate world, I sometimes forget the differences between CSSB, CSDS, CSRD or CSDDD (yes, these are all real acronyms for climate regulations and regulatory bodies).
An interdepartmental blessing and curse
Climate is now becoming part of every department’s day to day.
This, on a high level, is a great thing. More people thinking about climate issues in business = more people creating and advocating for greener business practices.
The downside, however, is the need for more in-depth approval processes. With everyone trying to cover all bases on climate-related matters, decisions can take longer. Plus, working with clients now means you need more people in the room—think marketing, PR, sustainability folks, and so on.
It's a lot to juggle, but by understanding both the good and the tricky parts of this shift, businesses can find ways to keep moving forward while making sure they're doing the right thing environmentally.
Perfection is the enemy of progress
One of the things I find most frustrating in the sustainability world is the unrealistic goal of perfection.
I’ve seen time and time again that business leaders won’t implement incremental goals and practices, instead looking for a short-term fix for a long-term problem. People want perfection right out of the gate, which is rarely reasonable.
Instead, leaders should set optimistic, achievable goals that they can work towards. As long as these goals are a priority, there should be a year-over-year movement towards them.
Sustainability leaders maturing
When we first started Arbor, we used to joke that every Chief Sustainability Officer was just a public relations expert with no sustainability background. Thankfully, as the years have passed, we’ve seen an influx of C-Suite executives with previous climate experience.
We’ve seen this not just in the CSO role, but in everything from marketing to the CEO position. For companies to create and execute a successful sustainability strategy, the leaders of that company must have sufficient knowledge of climate change.
The rise of “greenhushing”
A new term, “greenhushing,” has started to gain steam across the sustainability community. Although companies are making amazing progress to decarbonize their operations, they are afraid to publicize it.
Like a sustainability professional I spoke to in the retail industry once said,
“If I’m going to stand on the street naked, I’d better be buff.”
Just as diving into a new hobby can feel overwhelming at first, so can navigating climate regulations and sustainability goals.
But remember, perfection isn’t necessary right away. Start with clear, achievable goals and collaborate across departments to make things happen. Recognize the value of transparency, and don’t hide your progress—speak up about the environmental strides you’re making.
Connect with me, and our team will help guide your next move in sustainability.