Chelsea Independent Article 29/7/08
In this article, Climate Change and its impact on Melbourne's Port Phillip Bay is discussed. Hewlett Packard, Mercedes Benz, Able Plastics and Goldman Sachs are noted as organisations who are taking responsibility for their carbon emissions.
The carbon offset and education organisation,Climate Positive, yesterday arranged another tree planting at Balook, in Gippslands' Strzelecki Ranges.
The trees, planted on privately owned land, are now protected forever via a voluntary conservation covenant set up in accordance with the Victorian Conservation Trust Act.
For hundreds of years into the future the planted trees and shrubs have a good chance of restoring themselves into a cool climate rainforest. Some of the trees in the surrounding area are up to 700 years old.
It was great to take part in such a worthwhile project and at the same time it was an enjoyable day with plenty of banter amongst the hard core and social planters.
Congratulations to Climate Positive, the land owner and of course to the tree planters.
Last week we attended a "Business And The Environment " breakfast at Carlton's Leicester St green Building. The list of speakers included representatives from BP, Environment Victoria and Fishprint, a carbon neutral printing company. This quote from Governor Schwarzenegger was cited.....
“Politics plays a big part in the tipping point here. If you are against taking action on greenhouse gases and common emissions your political base will melt away as surely as the polar icecaps, I can guarantee you that. You will become a political penguin on a smaller and smaller ice floe that is drifting out to sea.
"Goodbye my little friend, that's what is going to happen." Mr Schwarzenegger concluded.
Able have moved to Ross St Sth Melbourne and have signed up for Origin Green Power. 
During September, Able's environmental partner Climate Positive conducted plantings in the Strzelecki's.
Climate Positive's partners were invited to participate, pictured here are two of the usual planting suspects; Carol and Nick.
This week Able was successful in attaining eco warranty accreditation.
This is an externally audited standard that ensures that Able is proactive in its management of resources and the environmental impacts of its activities including greenhouse gases.
This link will take you to a map and photograph of the Climate Positive tree planting site in the Strzelecki Ranges in Victoria. Able are one of the organisations sponsering the replanting of the site.
After meeting with the organization Climate Positive last week, we have decided to take a further step in developing our environmental program.
Instead of only investing in trees, we have elected to offset our CO2 emissions ( currently about 1100 tonnes per year of CO2) via a range of methods including methane flaring, and the distribution of CFC lights and water saving shower heads.
In addition to these steps we are also planting permanent trees ( not plantation timber) which will equate to a 30% surplus in our total carbon offset.
The philosophy is that the CFC's, water saving shower heads and methane flaring will provide immediate CO2 relief, while the trees provide a long term surplus effect.
By investing in a surplus of offsets, we are looking to do more to help reverse the trend of escalating CO2 in our atmosphere.
See our new monthly confirmation letter below in the offset certificate area.
Link to the climate postive site
Today we signed up for GreenEarth electricity through origin energy.
This power source has received Australian Government approved "Green Power" accreditation.
All of the power that we use in our office and warehouse is now a combination of wind and hydro.
By taking this measure we are reducing our reliance on fossil fuel energy and emitting less carbon dioxide.
