Profile

Greenfleet was launched as a project in 1997, and was subsequently established in 2001 as a not for profit environmental organisation.

Greenfleet specialises in reducing the environmental impacts of transport and other greenhouse gas emissions by:

  1. Planting native trees to offset CO2 emissions.

  2. Promoting fuel-efficient and low-carbon technologies in order to reduce emissions.

The inspiration for Greenfleet came from a 1996 Bureau of Transport & Economics report, which showed that by planting trees a carbon sink can be created to absorb greenhouse gas emissions from motor vehicles.

Based in South Gippsland, Victoria, Greenfleet has a national focus. A small, professional team takes responsibility for project management, development and technical matters, sales, communication and public education.

Greenfleet operates a tax-deductible fund, 'The Greenfleet Trust'.

Greenfleet's Mission

To enable the community to reduce the environmental impact of their travel, business and lifestyle choices by adopting low-carbon alternatives and biosequestration.

This will be achieved as a result of:

  1. Education
    Educating the community about greenhouse gas emissions from transport and other sources, the environmental impact of those emissions and encouraging the adoption of lower-emission behaviours and technologies.

  2. Tree Planting
    Delivering native tree planting programs to sequester CO2 to offset greenhouse gas emissions in Australia.

  3. Best Practice
    Applying best practice in plant husbandry, technologies and carbon accounting practices, while addressing issues of salinity, erosion, habitat and general land degradation.

  4. Showcasing and Promoting
    Showcasing and promoting the uptake of low carbon and fuel-efficient technologies.

  5. Being Cost Effective
    Providing cost effective management.

Vision

The Board sees Greenfleet's future as:

  • Having a native tree carbon sequestration program that contributes substantially to the provision of greater bio-diversity, creating habitat for endangered species and helping to reduce the impacts of salinity in our land and waterways.
  • Promoting a low-carbon approach to transport that is embraced by Australian governments, industry and the community by:
  • Acting as a powerful advocate for sustainable transport; 
  • Encouraging research into and development of fuel-efficient transport technologies and low carbon fuels; and
  • Developing policy options to support the uptake of emerging fuel-efficient transport technologies and low carbon fuels.

Greenfleet's Beginnings

The inspiration for Greenfleet came about quite by chance:

"We were driving along, when we heard a radio interview with the Research Director at the Bureau of Transport Economics. He was explaining how it was possible to reduce CO2 emissions from transport by planting trees - and he had this throw-away line which said that you only have to plant a certain number of trees to lock up the emissions from the average car ..... and we thought 'BINGO!' Here was a way to incorporate our tree planting activities with our transport technology knowledge, and from that Greenfleet was born."