Achievements

  • Establishment of the world’s first carbon sequestration program for individual motorists, with over 50,000 members

  • Greenhouse Challenge Member. All of Greenfleet’s work is underpinned by the most rigorous science, developed by bodies such as CSIRO, Bureau of Transport Economics, the Forest Science Centre and the Australian Greenhouse Office. 
     
  • CO2 Cost Cutter.  2007 saw the release of a new online calculator for fleet managers. The CO2 Cost Cutter allows fleet managers to model driver efficiencies, compare actual fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions with the Green Vehicle Guide, and model the effects of replacing current vehicles with more efficient models.

  • Greenhouse calculator. In 2004, we launched an online greenhouse calculator. This enables individuals and organisations to determine the exact amount of carbon dioxide produced by their vehicles, as well as from air travel and household/office energy use. Native trees can then be planted by Greenfleet to offset these greenhouse emissions.
  • Greenfleet has planted more than three million native trees on behalf of individuals and businesses to sequester carbon emissions. This has created new forests in areas of environmental concern. These trees are a permanent investment in rural Australia and will provide long-term benefits such as improved water quality, lowering of the water table thus reducing salinity, and providing ongoing habitat for local flora and fauna.

    Examples of benefits resulting from our forest establishment:
    • Habitat - 66,000 Box-Ironbarks planted in the Killawarra Forest, near Wangaratta, to restore the forest and provide habitat for the endangered Regent Honeyeater – The Killawarra was extensively cleared in the late 1800s to provide charcoal for Melbourne’s factory furnaces. 
    • Erosion - 220,000 native trees into the Ovens River catchment area to combat erosion and poor water quality.
    • Rehabilitation - 40,000 native trees planted in the Snowy River Catchment including Lake Jindabyne.
    • Salinity - The majority of Greenfleet's tree plantings are in the Murray Darling Basin catchment, which spans four states and the ACT.

  • A strong working relationship with other stakeholders such as the Murray Darling Basin Commission, government departments dealing with sustainability and environment, catchment management bodies and local Landcare groups.
  • Interactive website that provides a comprehensive view of the problems facing the environment based on our fossil fuel-dependent transport system. This secure website allows motorists to subscribe online to our tree planting carbon sequestration program.

  • Partnerships with community based organisations such as Scouts Australia, Brotherhood of St Laurence GreenCorp program, Rotary and Apex clubs.

  • World Solar Challenge: The Greenfleet Class was introduced to the World Solar Challenge in 2003. October 2007 saw the third running of the Greenfleet Technology Class to feature alternative fuels and carbon efficient vehicle technologies. (see 'Transport & Environment')
  • Emerging Transport Technology Conference: The future of the motor car!  Held in Adelaide following the completion of the World Solar Challenge, 2007 saw the third conference focus on "Driving Future Change," the first conference was held in 2003. (see 'Transport & Environment')
  • An educational program for primary and secondary schools which explains the carbon cycle, transport and sequestration, in the regions where we plant trees.

  • The Carbon Buster's Handbook - Towards Sustainable Transport, developed with Toyota Australia – an educational publication explaining the carbon cycle, sequestration, transport technologies of the future and features the Toyota Prius (reduces CO2 emissions by 50%). This publication was distributed to every secondary school in Australia.

  • Auto Parts Recycling: A Guide to the Future, in partnership with Holden and the Auto Parts Recyclers Association of Australia – This is the first industry guide in Australia that offers instructions and solutions on how to conduct the business of dismantling and disposing of cars. VIEW: Auto Parts Recycling Guide (1.8MB pdf)
  • A Motorist’s Guide to the Environment, in partnership with Autobarn. This provides a simple guide to what every motorist can do to reduce the environmental impacts of their car usage. VIEW: Motorist's Guide to the Environment (73KB pdf)
  • World Electric & Solar Vehicle Conference co-hosted by Greenfleet in partnership with the World Solar Challenge series of events.

  • Presented an interactive forum entitled ‘Sustainable Transport – Why Bother?’ with a panel of scientists and engineers from industry and the environment, Chaired by Professor Ian Lowe.

  • Sustainable Transport display at the 2000 Australian Grand Prix illustrating the technological changes that will take place as we introduce hybrid-electric and hydrogen fuel-cell powered drivetrains. The display included ‘The Spirit of Canberra' solar car built by students at Lake Tuggeranong College. The car completed one lap of the race track each day to raise awareness in the community.
  • Work with government and corporate fleets to sequester emissions from their vehicles and to engage in educational programs in their communities.

Plans

In the future we see Greenfleet representing the voice of the community on transport matters. As our constituency steadily grows from the current level of some 50,000 motorists who have signed up their vehicles, we would hope that Greenfleet will be in a position to:

  • Sign up an ever-growing number of the cars on our roads, thus planting millions of  trees and creating thousands of hectares of biodiversity forest each year.

  • Influence the future direction of government policy in transport matters particularly in relation to supporting the introduction of new fuel efficient technologies and low carbon fuels.
  • Engage motor manufacturers in collaborative efforts to fast-track more fuel efficient technologies, such as hybrid-electric drivetrains, new-generation diesel and fuel cell vehicles.
  • Engage fuel manufacturers and distributors in the promotion of cleaner fuels, such as hydrogen, bio-diesel, ethanol, methanol, compressed & liquefied natural gas and LPG.