TO commemorate World Earth Day on 22 April, employees at the Volkswagen Group South Africa (VWSA) production facility in Uitenhage (Kariega) rolled up their sleeves to plant a carbon bank of spekboom.
The spekboom was planted in the shape of an enormous, green Volkswagen logo, spanning an area of 1 600m². The project formed part of the global #Project1Hour initiative across the Volkswagen Group, with various sites celebrating Earth Day.
For VWSA’s celebration, the indigenous spekboom plant was specifically chosen for its efficiency in absorbing carbon. Once the planted logo is fully grown, it will be able to absorb up to 2,5 tons of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere each year. Spekboom is also able to survive with very little water, making it an ideal choice for a water-scarce region such as Nelson Mandela Bay.
The Earth Day campaign was coupled with an information initiative aimed at raising employee awareness around ways they can reduce their carbon footprint.
“Along with our colleagues across the Volkswagen Group, we devoted this day to making our contribution to the protection of our environment. However, we need to play our part in protecting the environment every day. It is our duty to save the planet for future generations,” said VWSA Chairman and Managing Director Robert Cisek.
