Northpoint Toyota's Action for Climate Change: Keith investigates in the Adelaide City region of South Australia
We certainly get around on Postcards - clocking up tens of thousands of kilometres by land, air and sea gathering stories from around South Australia. And in the process we contribute to the Australia's greenhouse gas emissions.
Collectively, passenger cars account for about 8 percent of Australia's greenhouse emissions. That means we're putting about 43.7 million tonnes of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere every year.
So what to do? Well, Northpoint Toyota is doing its bit. At its swish new headquarters at Hillcrest 'green is the new black' and for the past year or so, Northpoint's 200 staff have been on board with a range of environment based initiatives - all aimed at reducing the company's carbon footprint by 10-percent.
Now, it's our turn - we're all invited to become part of Northpoint's Action for Climate Change program and as Italo Formato, the bloke behind the scheme explains, it couldn't be easier. It's simply a matter of logging into to the Government website www.greenvehicleguide.gov.au and entering your vehicle's details.
After calculating your emissions it's easy to take the next step - thanks to Northpoint Toyota's partnership with Conservation Volunteers Australia.
Italo Formato, Northpoint Toyota: "Conservation Volunteers Australia has nominated $25 per tone - which is a national figure. The website allows you to multiply your figure by 25 and you get your contribution to the program in dollars. You can join the scheme for one, two or three years."
The average vehicle gives off approximately 2.5 tonnes per year - so it'll cost you about $63 a year to offset your emissions and to do that, it's simply a matter of signing up and letting Northpoint Toyota and Conservation Volunteers Australia do the rest by. Or, if you want to really get involved, you can get your hands dirty and actually help plant some trees to offset your emissions.
On Hindmarsh Island on the Fleurieu Peninsula, Northpoint Toyota and Conservation Volunteers Australia are hard at work reinstating wildlife and forest habitats on the Wyngate and Tarr properties at the eastern end of the island.
Family tree planting days are a fun way of getting involved and already, volunteers and the local Landcare Group have planted about 75,000 trees on the property.
It's a great way of getting the kids involved in the environment and because one tree needs up to 70 years to absorb its potential amount of carbon - it's a real investment in their future.
The swamp paper barks we helped plant are native to the area and will form a habitat for the endangered Orange Bellied Parrot. Down one end of the island a remnant stand of bushland is a timely reminder of how much of the island once looked before the trees were cut down to feed the paddlesteamers plying the Murray from the 1950s.
Richard Owen, Landcare: "We are told there were woodcutters operating in the Coorong up to the Murray Mouth during World War Two. So there was much bigger vegetation in the Coorong and in these areas that we didn't think existed - but it did."
The plan is to return parts of the island back to what it once was. Meanwhile, today's planting is done and it's back to the Wyngate Homestead for a well earned bite. The family tree planting days have got it all - fresh air, you feel good because your helping nature and the planet of course, after a hard day's planting there's the BBQ! I think we all agree - it is easy being green.
If you want to get involved drop into any of Northpoint Toyota's outlets at Hillcrest, Prospect or Port Augusta or log onto the website below. And remember, you don't have to be a Northpoint customer to get involved - anyone can sign up.
Northpoint Toyota
485 North East Road
Hillcrest 5087
Ph: 1300 802 692Northpoint Toyota
170 Main North Road
Prospect 5182
Ph: 1300 754 164Northpoint Toyota
18 Young Street
Port Augusta 5700
Ph: 1300 749 249
