July 29, 2005

Honda Funding Trees For Wellington

Honda New Zealand’s strong commitment to the environment will see staff and customers planting more than 1,500 native trees at Kaitoke Regional Park in Wellington on Saturday the 30th of July.

Honda’s national TreeFund programme, launched last year, donates funding for ten native trees for every new Honda sold. The aim of this initiative is to provide a natural solution to the air pollution caused by motor vehicle emissions.

Honda is working in association with Regional Councils around New Zealand to distribute funding, equivalent to 76,089 native trees, for use in local environmental projects.

Councillor Chris Turver, Chairperson of Greater Wellington Regional Council’s communications manager, is thrilled with Honda’s contribution to the Wellington region.

“This year, the Greater Wellington Regional Council will receive more than $45,000 from the Honda TreeFund, which will enable the planting of over 9,000 native trees throughout the region,” Councillor Turver says.

“Large projects like the tree planting at Kaitoke Regional Park are achievable because of Honda’s contribution through the TreeFund programme.

“This Saturday, Honda staff and customers will be planting a variety of native plants including flax, toi toi, totara and manuka. The new plants will help rejuvenate the native bush and protect it from the wind,” says Councillor Turver.

Honda New Zealand is pleased to be doing its part to help the environment and local communities, says managing director, Graeme Seymour.

“Honda is proud of its staff and customers getting involved in this fantastic environmental programme," says Mr Seymour.

All of Honda’s new cars sold in New Zealand fall within the low emission vehicle (LEV) requirements and the petrol/electric Civic Hybrid falls within the ultra low emission vehicle (ULEV) requirements. These new cars substantially reduce the impact of emissions on our environment.

“Around 42,000 cars travel through the Terrace Tunnel in Wellington every day. In this one kilometre stretch, this number of average New Zealand cars would take less than 12 days to deposit one tonne of soot, or hydrocarbons, into the atmosphere. If the same number of low emission vehicles travelled along this stretch of road they would take 293 days to deposit the same amount of hydrocarbons, and it would take 939 days if they were all ultra low emission vehicles, for example the Civic Hybrid.”

A tree planting day for Honda staff will also take place in Auckland on Friday the 5th of August.

ENDS

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