
Our Missions
The Collective's impact is driven by defined projects that are conceived and led by our members. These missions span
the domains of research & development, citizen science, policy advocacy and activist business development.
the domains of research & development, citizen science, policy advocacy and activist business development.
Featured Mission
The Carbon Removal Challenge
The 2023 OpenAir Carbon Removal Challenge is a worldwide challenge for students to create new processes, approaches and prototypes to remove carbon from the land, waters, or air. With guidance…

Violet
The World’s First Open-Source Direct Air Carbon Capture (DACC) Machine. It pulls carbon directly ...

U.S. Carbon Removal Action
The objectives of this mission is to advance pro-CDR policies on the federal level including the Fed...

L-NET
The Luxembourg Negative Emissions Tariff (L-NET) is a legislative mission to create a CDR demand pol...

Cyan
A miniature, open-source device that removes small amounts of CO2 from the air using simple, inexpen...

LECCLA
State legislation to decarbonize concrete through public procurement. The Low Embodied Carbon Concre...

CDR Horizons
CDR HORIZONS is an occasional Youtube series exploring cutting-edge carbon dioxide removal (CDR) res...

This Is CDR
THIS IS CDR is OpenAir’s weekly webinar series (Tuesday, 12pm EST) that explores the ever-widenin...

CDReality
CDR Reality is volunteer-driven effort to confront and correct misinformation about carbon dioxide r...

Air-Synth
Air-Synth aims to democratize carbon removal and conversion through a low-cost open-source device th...

Collective Services
We support the other OpenAir missions with technical writing and editing, video editing and transcri...

Thursday: Open Source DAC
You can join the team to help Octavia Carbon - a small direct air carbon capture innovator in Kenya ...

Carbon Crowd
Carbon Crowd will be an online platform that will host monthly collaborative challenges that aim to ...

The Prisma Network
The Prisma Network is a citizen science mission supporting the use, promotion and success of the Pri...

Carbon Gardener
A global citizen science initiative to accelerate, scale up and diversify field data collection for ...

Viridian Algae Hackers
This mission is developing a design guide for algae based CDR for fertilizer, bioplastics and other ...

The Nakivale Biochar Project
Imagine if farmers in Africa could earn more income by restoring their soil and removing carbon from...

Carbon Punk: CDR Short Fiction
Our ability to reach a future that includes carbon removal requires us to imagine it in the present....

CDRLA: State CDR Procurement Legislation
The focus of this mission is to mobilize support for the Carbon Dioxide Removal Leadership Acts, CDR...

CDR Action Germany
Diese Mission zielt darauf ab, den CDR-Fortschritt in Deutschland durch einen Fokus auf lokale Demon...

Unfracking
This mission is developing and advocating on state and federal levels for an orphan oil and gas well...

GGR Action United Kingdom
This mission focuses on accelerating locally anchored greenhouse gas removal projects with the objec...

CDR Action España
Esta misión se enfoca en acelerar proyectos de remoción de carbono anclados localmente con el obje...

The California CDR Market Development Act
This mission is mobilizing to make the Carbon Dioxide Removal Market Development Act (CDRMDA) law in...

The CO2municator Network
This mission aims to build a global network of volunteer carbon removal communicators who prepare an...
LECCLA
Locations: New York, New Jersey, Virginia

State legislation to decarbonize concrete through public procurement. The Low Embodied Carbon Concrete Leadership Act was developed by OpenAir members, and can be adapted to any state. Past campaigns resulting in new law in New York, New Jersey and Virginia.
Stages
Concept
In Progress
Completed
Moderators
Sue Dorward @sue
Christopher Neidl @Neidl_c
Nikhil Neelakantan @Nikhil Neelakantan
Links
Violet
Locations: Global

The World’s First Open-Source Direct Air Carbon Capture (DACC) Machine. It pulls carbon directly from the air. Help us make it better. Fast.
Stages
Concept
In Progress
Completed
Moderators
Matt Parker @madparker
Current Roles Needed
Researchers
Violet Constructors
Writers / Bloggers
Links
U.S. Carbon Removal Action
Locations: United States

The objectives of this mission is to advance pro-CDR policies on the federal level including the Federal Carbon Dioxide Removal Leadership Act (CDRLA) and the Carbon Removal and Emissions Storage Technologies (CREST) Act.
Stages
Concept
In Progress
Completed
Moderators
Karl Danz
Current Roles Needed
District Mobilizers
Researchers
Social Media Promoters
Writers / Bloggers
Links
L-NET
Locations: Luxembourg

The Luxembourg Negative Emissions Tariff (L-NET) is a legislative mission to create a CDR demand policy based on the successful Feed-In Tariff (FIT) model for Renewable Energy. Starting in Luxembourg our goal is to spread the legislation to other countries in Europe and beyond!
Stages
Concept
In Progress
Completed
Moderators
Christopher Neidl @Neidl_c
Sven Clement
Current Roles Needed
Advocates
Researchers
Social Media Promoters
Writers / Bloggers
Recruiters
Links
Cyan
Locations: Global

A miniature, open-source device that removes small amounts of CO2 from the air using simple, inexpensive off-the-shelf components.
Stages
Concept
In Progress
Completed
Moderators
Dahl Winters @dahlwinters
Current Roles Needed
Researchers (Various)
CYAN Constructors
Recruiters
Writers / Bloggers
Social Media Promoters
Links
CDR Horizons
Locations: Global

CDR HORIZONS is an occasional Youtube series exploring cutting-edge carbon dioxide removal (CDR) research through direct conversations with the scientists and innovators all over the world who are leading it. Combining short guest presentations with discussion, CDR HORIZONS hopes to identify and elevate the breakthroughs that will drive CDR's evolution, transformation and impact. Hosted by Harshvardhan Sanghi in New York City and Charles Yang in Richmond, Virginia.
Stages
Concept
In Progress
Completed
Moderators
Charles Yang @charlesy
Harshvardhan Sanghi @Harshy
Links
This Is CDR
Locations: Brooklyn

THIS IS CDR is OpenAir’s weekly webinar series (Tuesday, 12pm EST) that explores the ever-widening range of carbon dioxide removal (CDR) solutions currently being researched, developed, and deployed, and contextualizes them for policy proposals under development for New York, and other states and localities. Hosted by Toby Bryce in Brooklyn and Megha Raghavan in London.
Stages
Concept
In Progress
Completed
Moderators
Toby Bryce @toby.bryce
Megha Raghavan @megha
Links
CDReality
Locations: Global

CDR Reality is volunteer-driven effort to confront and correct misinformation about carbon dioxide removal online and in other fora with fact-based information maintained by our members. CDR Reality combines constant research, revision and curating of science-based data and information with rapid, coordinated, member responses to CDR misinformation disseminated online and through public media and events. We maintain this up-to-date knowledge inventory that our responders can draw on when confronting disinformation online and elsewhere.
Stages
Concept
In Progress
Completed
Moderators
Tina Baumgartner @ScienceGirl
Links
Air-Synth
Locations: Global

Air-Synth aims to democratize carbon removal and conversion through a low-cost open-source device that can be hacked and built by community members anywhere.
Stages
Concept
In Progress
Completed
Moderators
Alex Ose @alexose
Current Roles Needed
Recruiters
Electrochemical Engineers
Animators
Bloggers
Links
Collective Services
Locations: Global

We support the other OpenAir missions with technical writing and editing, video editing and transcription, quality assurance, wiki development, Collective organizational help, training and communications. Our work is ever-changing as the needs of other missions are realized and resolved.
Stages
Concept
In Progress
Completed
Moderators
Cade Johnson @Cade
Current Roles Needed
Technical Editor
Video Reviewer
Recruiter
Wiki Editor
Links
Thursday: Open Source DAC
Locations: Nairobi, Kenya

You can join the team to help Octavia Carbon - a small direct air carbon capture innovator in Kenya - develop the THURSDAY device. It captures carbon dioxide on a bed with a sorbent system and then uses heat to remove the captured CO2 and regenerate the sorbet for another cycle. The captured carbon dioxide is compressed for further uses or storage. There are many aspects of the device that can be improved, but it is a working prototype and a good test-bed. Join us to make it better.
Stages
Concept
In Progress
Completed
Current Roles Needed
process chemists and engineers
control system developers (arduino based)
The Carbon Removal Challenge
Locations: Global

The 2023 OpenAir Carbon Removal Challenge is a worldwide challenge for students to create new processes, approaches and prototypes to remove carbon from the land, waters, or air. With guidance from researchers and industry experts, student teams will design and build creative, open-source solutions to the carbon pollution problem. The very best approaches will be selected for an in-person showcase at New York University in April 2023.
Stages
Concept
In Progress
Completed
Moderators
Matt Parker @madparker
Carbon Crowd
Locations: Global

Carbon Crowd will be an online platform that will host monthly collaborative challenges that aim to accelerate problem-solving, optimization and creative divergence for OpenAir R&D missions. Launches in February 2023!
Stages
Concept
In Progress
Completed
Moderators
Christopher Neidl @Neidl_c
The Prisma Network
Locations: Global

The Prisma Network is a citizen science mission supporting the use, promotion and success of the Prisma platform, a collaborative tool that applies supercomputing to identify novel metal organic framework (MOF) sorbent materials for Direct Air Capture (DAC) applications. Starting in January 2023!
Stages
Concept
In Progress
Completed
Moderators
Christopher Neidl @Neidl_c
Carbon Gardener
Locations: United States

A global citizen science initiative to accelerate, scale up and diversify field data collection for enhanced rock weathering carbon removal efficacy in soil.
Stages
Concept
In Progress
Completed
Moderators
Christopher Neidl @Neidl_c
Current Roles Needed
Viridian Algae Hackers
Locations: Global

This mission is developing a design guide for algae based CDR for fertilizer, bioplastics and other use cases, with the long-term goal of building a network of DIY experimentation and cultivation hubs.
Stages
Concept
In Progress
Completed
Moderators
Gloria See @falken359
The Nakivale Biochar Project
Locations: Nakivale, Uganda

Imagine if farmers in Africa could earn more income by restoring their soil and removing carbon from the air with BIOCHAR. With local ingenuity and smart tech, our project will make this happen in Nakivale, Uganda, Africa's oldest refugee settlement.
Stages
Concept
In Progress
Completed
Moderators
Christopher Neidl @Neidl_c
Carbon Punk: CDR Short Fiction
Locations: Global

Our ability to reach a future that includes carbon removal requires us to imagine it in the present. Kicked off in November 2022 Carbon Punk is an occasional speculative short fiction series curated by OpenAir inspired by our community's ideas and missions. All OpenAir merchandise sales fund honoraria for our talented writers!
Stages
Concept
In Progress
Completed
CDRLA: State CDR Procurement Legislation
Locations: New York State, Massachusetts

The focus of this mission is to mobilize support for the Carbon Dioxide Removal Leadership Acts, CDR public procurement legislation that has been introduced in both New York State and Massachusetts.
Stages
Concept
In Progress
Completed
Moderators
Toby Bryce @toby.bryce
Christopher Neidl @Neidl_c
Current Roles Needed
-
Be a CDR Citizen Lobbyist in Massachusetts
Citizen Lobbyists
Links
CDR Action Germany
Locations: Germany

Diese Mission zielt darauf ab, den CDR-Fortschritt in Deutschland durch einen Fokus auf lokale Demonstrationsprojekte und eine Reform der nationalen Kohlenstoffbindungsvorschriften voranzutreiben.
Stages
Concept
In Progress
Completed
Unfracking
Locations: United States

This mission is developing and advocating on state and federal levels for an orphan oil and gas well plugging technology that incorporates biochar to 1. remove and sequester significant CO2 from the carbon cycle 2. improve methane absorption, 3. remediate toxins in soils, and 4. improve plug longevity.
Stages
Concept
In Progress
Completed
Moderators
Janis Hallowell @Janis#7759
Links
GGR Action United Kingdom
Locations: United Kingdom

This mission focuses on accelerating locally anchored greenhouse gas removal projects with the objective of proliferating GGR technical and commercial development, and influencing national policy.
Stages
Concept
In Progress
Completed
CDR Action España

Esta misión se enfoca en acelerar proyectos de remoción de carbono anclados localmente con el objetivo de proliferar el desarrollo técnico y comercial de CDR e influir en la política nacional.
Stages
Concept
In Progress
Completed
The California CDR Market Development Act
Locations: California
The CO2municator Network
Locations: Global

This mission aims to build a global network of volunteer carbon removal communicators who prepare and deliver presentations to educate their networks about CDR and OpenAir missions. Videos of each presentation will be stored and tagged in a growing "CO2mmunicator Presentation Bank" on the OpenAir website where they can be viewed and downloaded, tweaked and used by other members in the network. Presentations are tailored for specific groups and audiences, and focus on a variety of different subjects.
Stages
Concept
In Progress
Completed
Moderators
Peter Hoberg @PeterHoberg #6991