Jul

Oregon Land Rover dealer offers 100 percent carbon offsets

Posted by admin Published in Land Rover

Land Rover products are not precisely renowned for being particularly environmentally friendly. They’re generally very thirsty and none are available in the US market with the diesel engines offered abroad. A Portland Oregon Land Rover dealer is now trying to overcome that reputation by including carbon offsets equivalent to the emissions for the first 50,000 miles of the vehicle’s life.

The Portland Land Rover Center is offering the carbon neutral on all new and certified used Land Rovers that they sell with the benefits going to the The Conservation Fund. The Conservation Fund restores forests to help offset the vehicle’s emissions by planting trees that are local to a specific area. The Land Rover press release is after the jump.

[Source: Land Rover]
LAND ROVER PORTLAND BECOMES FIRST AUTO RETAILER IN NATION TO supply CARBON OFFSETS
Partnership with The Conservation Fund will help restore local forestlands

Subtle decals on vehicles communicate Land Rover Portland’s innovative carbon offset efforts

PORTLAND, Ore. - Portland’s Land Rover Centre is taking a decidedly worldly view when it comes to efforts to help offset carbon dioxide and greenhouse gas emissions.

Land Rover Portland has become the first automobile retailer in the nation to supply a carbon offset program for its customers. Called “carbon˜neutral” the program is included with every new and Certified Pre-Owned Land Rover vehicle that the dealership sells, and will offset 100 percent of each vehicle’s carbon emissions for 50,000 miles. Carbon˜neutral benefits The Conservation Fund, a top rated environmental nonprofit organization committed to protecting America’s land and water resources.

Unlike some other commerce sponsored carbon offset programs, which offer customers an option to add a contribution above and beyond a purchase price, Land Rover Portland automatically makes a donation to The Conservation Fund with each purchase. Customers are not charged an additional amount to participate.

The Conservation Fund will use the contributions to restore local forests that will trap the carbon dioxide produced by each vehicle sold. Land Rover Portland estimates that its carbon˜neutral initiative will supply for the additional planting and protection of about 12,000 trees each year by The Conservation Fund. According to the Fund, each tree planted will sequester increasingly than one ton of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere by its lifetime. Land Rover Portland customers are already noticing the subtle “carbon˜neutral” decals on vehicles purchased from the Centre.

“As an Oregon commerce, lessening our environmental affect is something we’ve always believed in and that is another way we can form a difference,” said Dan Muggli, Centre Manager of Land Rover Portland. “We aren’t saying that is a total solution to the problem, but it’s a positive step and one that’s within our control. We feel that it’s crucial to recognize the issue and to take some action.”

Land Rover Portland’s donations will directly support The Conservation

Fund’s “Go Zero” program. Through Go Zero, the Fund restores only local tree species, which are planted in permanently protected areas with long-term management plans to ensure accuracy and reliability of carbon sequestration. All projects supply additional environmental benefits including restored wildlife habitat, improved air and water quality and enhanced recreation areas. The Conservation Fund has restored nearly 30,000 acres and planted increasingly than 9 million trees, which will capture an estimated 13.5 million tons of carbon dioxide equivalent from the atmosphere.

“Climate change has emerged as one of the greatest environmental challenges of our duration,” said The Conservation Fund’s President, Larry Selzer. “The Fund applauds the team at Land Rover Portland for its industry-leading approach to addressing climate change. By demonstrating a market-based approach to conservation we can help fight climate change, safeguard critical wildlife habitat, protect our nation’s air and water, and enhance public recreation areas for current and future generations.”

While embarking on a carbon sequestration program is a first for any automotive dealership, Land Rover Portland has a lengthy history of pioneering environmental initiatives. The company was the first automobile dealership ever to be certified as an Eco-Logical commerce by Pollution Prevention Outreach (P2O), a multi-agency governmental task force established to energize environmentally sustainable practices among businesses. Land Rover is a founding member of Tread Lightly, which encourages responsible environmental practices in outdoor recreation. Land Rover Portland provides Tread Lightly training at customer events, and plus has been a towering duration supporter of main local environmental and conservation groups, such as Oregon Trout.

Land Rover Portland
As providers of the “Official Vehicle of the Northwest Experience,” Land Rover Portland is the exclusive Land Rover Centre for Oregon and Southwest Washington. The company focuses on providing a total Land Rover ownership experience from the initial purchase, to providing ongoing adventures and education. The Centre, which opened in 1995, has been a pacesetter in the industry for its involvement in environmental and community related causes. Land Rover Portland is located at 720 NE Grand Ave., and can be found on the Web at www.landroveroregon.com.

About The Conservation Fund
The Conservation Fund is the nation’s foremost environmental nonprofit committed to protecting America’s land and water legacy for current and future generations. Seeking innovative conservation solutions for the 21st century, the Fund works to integrate economic and environmental goals. Since its founding in 1985, the Fund has helped its partners safeguard wildlife habitat, working landscapes, community greenspaces, and historic sites totaling increasingly than 5.5 million acres. With one percent fundraising costs and 96 percent program allocation, The Conservation Fund is recognized as the nation’s top rated environmental nonprofit by both the American Institute of Philanthropy and Charity Navigator. www.conservationfund.org.

Original post by Sam Abuelsamid