8728 Trees Planted this Arbor Month by ABSA Vehicle Asset Finance
JOHANNESBURG – September 29, 2017 – At Food & Trees for Africa (FTFA) we are marking the end of Arbor Month (September) with a massive drive to plant trees in Ekhuruleni, Gauteng.
To assist customers who are in the market for a new car to make an environmentally friendly choice, Absa Vehicle and Asset Finance became the first auto financer to offer green vehicle finance in August 2011.
Through green vehicle finance, ABSA customers are offered rebates when they purchase passenger vehicles with a carbon output of less than 120g/km. In addition, ABSA plants a tree for each such vehicle sold. “When motorists make environmentally friendly choices it helps ensure a better world for all of us,” says Nelisiwe Baloyi, Head of Absa Vehicle and Asset Finance.
This year, Absa Vehicle Asset Finance will be planting 8,728 trees across Food & Trees for Africa’s Greenbelt in Katlehong, Thokoza and Vosloorus, providing approximately 3500 homes and 62 schools with saplings. A total of 140 community members have been trained as Community Educators, to assist with the tree planting and monitoring of the trees. For this work, they receive a stipend.
The tree plantings were launched with a tree planting and distribution event at Keketso Primary in Katlehong on the 29th September 2017. Staff volunteers from ABSA Vehicle Asset Finance joined with pupils and learners to plant 50 trees at the school. A further 1950 trees were distributed to local community members. 975 households received 1 fruit tree and one indigenous shade tree each.
“It is vitally important to green tree-less urban areas,” comments Emily Jones, Trees and Carbon Manager at FTFA. “Trees provide a number environmental and social benefits, which all South Africans should have the privilege to enjoy.”
This allocation of trees will bring the total tree planted through the green vehicle finance tree plantings to a total of 18986 trees. This equates to 7005 tonnes of C02 sequestered.
