In addition to its environmentally conscious polymerised toner, Bidvest company Konica Minolta South Africa is taking proactive steps against global warming by contributing 4 500 trees to disadvantaged residents of settlements in Polokwane, Kimberley, East London, Port Elizabeth and Newcastle.
The partnership with South Africa's national greening and food gardening social enterprise, Food & Trees for Africa (FTFA), began in 2008 and saw the planting of 4 100 trees in Orange Farm, a large informal settlement located about 45 kilometres from Johannesburg. As a result of the success of the project, and the need to offset more carbon dioxide emissions, Konica Minolta South Africa has committed to the planting of a further 4 500 trees.
These 4 500 trees are being distributed through FTFA's Trees for Homes initiative, which aims to develop sustainable settlements through the planting of indigenous or fruit trees in under-served communities to help with food, security and shelter.
Trees for Homes is also a registered carbon offset programme under the Carbon Protocol of South Africa. By taking travel, electricity and paper usage into account, the FTFA online carbon calculator provides a high level estimation of a company's annual carbon footprint as well as the number of trees it will take to absorb that amount of carbon.
“Through the distribution of these trees to homeowners around the country, we are contributing to improved properties for the residents in dusty settlements, and also spreading awareness about climate change and environmental issues,” says Konica Minolta South Africa MD, Alan Griffith.
He adds: “As part of our corporate social investment initiative, we have committed to the FTFA Carbon Offset programme in an effort to further offset our carbon emissions, and one of the best ways to do this is by planting trees. In addition to absorbing carbon dioxide, one of the most important green house gases, these trees provide many other environmental and social benefits such as preventing water runoff and erosion, settling the dust, providing shade and shelter, lessening noise and beautifying neighbourhoods.”
The first distribution of 900 trees each took place during November 2010 in an open space in Nobody Township, Polokwane, and at Boitumelo Special School, Phutang Section, Galeshewe, Kimberley, during November 2010. The remaining 2 700 trees will be planted at the beginning of 2011 in East London, Newcastle and Port Elizabeth. These trees will also be registered with the United Nations Billion Tree programme, which already has registered 10 billion trees, more than one per person on the planet.
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Konica Minolta South Africa
Konica Minolta South Africa, wholly owned by the Bidvest Group, stands at the forefront of business solution providers as the principal importer and distributor of the innovative and award winning Konica Minolta range of bizhub digital multifunctional colour and black-and-white devices, laser printers, fax machines and business solutions, into South Africa as well as Namibia, Malawi, Botswana and Swaziland. Konica Minolta South Africa's head office is based in Johannesburg and its distribution network is supported by 14 branches and 43 dealerships. With an operational stance of consultative business partnering, the group provides clients with holistic document management solutions: through pre-sales analysis, audits to sales, installation, ongoing onsite technical and software management as well as the supply of spare parts and consumables.
Food & Trees for Africa (FTFA)
FTFA is South Africa's national social enterprise that started in 1990 to address sustainable development through greening, climate change action, sustainable natural resource management and food security programmes. FTFA has distributed almost four million trees, facilitated over 2 500 organic food gardens for the poorest in South Africa, and launched the first carbon calculator and the Carbon Standard (now the Carbon Protocol) in this country.
FTFA's objectives are:
To contribute to greening, climate change action, sustainable natural resource management and food security;
To create awareness of the benefits of environmental improvement activities among all communities of southern Africa; and
To contribute to poverty alleviation, sustainable development, enhanced environments, capacity building and skills development.
Working in partnership, and with the support, endorsement and co-operation of government, the private and public sectors and civil society to achieve these aims, FTFA implements five programmes, namely: Trees for Homes, Trees for All and Bamboo for Africa (that are registered under the Carbon Protocol), Food Gardens for Africa, and EduPlant, each with various projects. This proposal focuses on the tree programmes.
Many companies, government departments, aid agencies, organisations, media and individuals now contribute to FTFA, supporting programmes or projects that are leading to healthier lives of impoverished communities, more sustainable green environments and increased awareness of our impact on the planet and the need to address this. For a complete list of FTFA's development partners, board members, patrons, employees and projects, as well as financial statements, please refer to http://www.trees.co.za.
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