Honda New Zealand's Commitment To The Environment

Blue Skies for our Children

In 1966 the founder of Honda, Soichiro Honda challenged his engineers to “Leave blue skies for our children”. The result would see Honda create some of the world’s most fuel efficient and emission-lowering engines.

In 1972 Honda developed the first engine to meet and exceed the world’s first stringent Clean Air Act. Honda then openly shared this technology with other car companies to leave a better world for generations to come.

It doesn’t end there. Honda has a new target to reduce CO2 emissions from product production, use & disposal a further 20% further by 2020.

Honda TreeFund

The Honda TreeFund is a local initiative that was started in 2004, inspired by the 'blue skies' philosophy of our founder Soichiro Honda.

Since inception the Honda TreeFund has funded the planting of over 700,000 trees throughout New Zealand.

We did this in a variety of ways - through our planting days, work with city councils and schools, and gifting trees for every new Honda sold.

30,000 trees to mark 30 years

Over the last year, we funded the planting of more than 30,000 native trees in the following ways:

GIFTING TREES:Every time someone buys a Honda, they get gifted a tree, regardless of whether it is a new or used Honda. The first time a person purchases a car they are sent a native tree and if they are repeat customers, a donation/gift tree is made on their behalf to Trees that Count.

THE HONDA FOREST: Honda is funding the planting of a forest of some 2.5 hectares in Kaiapoi, an area hit hard by the Canterbury earthquakes. It’s a significant project as there were once around 700 homes in this location which was red-zoned in the aftermath of the quakes. The Honda forest area will consist of native trees and plantings around a large lake with walkways and cycling tracks throughout. This will not only help to restore biodiversity to the area, it will also provide a wonderful lasting recreational area for the community, making Kaiapoi a a greener place to live and visit.

PLANTING DAYS: Honda staff and customer planting days were held up and down the country in 2018 and 2019. Sites were organised in conjunction with local conservation groups and Trees That Count and varied from bushwalk and riverbank restorations to greenbelt plantings in cities. These events were organised during the planting seasons, to ensure the trees had the best chance of establishing themselves.

TREES THAT COUNT:A large number of trees were funded and planted through Honda’s ongoing partnership with Trees That Count – an organisation that has built a unique community and marketplace connecting native tree planters with funders. For more information on the great work this organisation is doing, visit www.treesthatcount.co.nz.

Planting days

Honda staff planting days were organised in key areas over the previous planting season and next season we will be organising Honda customer planting days and invite any interested customers to attend — our plan is to plant 15,000 trees this way throughout New Zealand.

For more information on the specific planting days, read below.

AUCKLAND REGION – ATIU CREEK REGIONAL PARK, KAIPARA HARBOUR

This regional park has extensive harbour frontage with large tracts of native forest supporting a range of flora and fauna.

In addition to 450ha of easy, rolling grassed land, the property contains a number of significant areas of native forest and wetlands in the gullies and provides habitat for the nationally threatened New Zealand dabchick and brown teal ducks.

The park also has intact areas of coastal forest and a stunning coastal area that is now under intensive regeneration

WELLINGTON REGION – MT VICTORIA TOWN BELT

This project aims to create a ‘Forest in the Heart of Wellington’.

The project is a partnership of Wellington City Council, Rotary, and Conservation Volunteers to see 100,000 native trees planted by volunteers in the central Wellington Town Belt on Mount Victoria.

It will create a substantial new habitat for native birds that are increasingly venturing away from the city.

Kaiapoi Regeneration Project - Canterbury Region

Kaiapoi Regeneration Project - Canterbury Region

Honda has committed to a significant local council project in Kaiapoi, an area hit hard by the Canterbury earthquakes, and are funding the planting of a Honda forest.

It will cover some 3.2 hectares, consisting of native trees and plantings around a lake with walkways and cycling tracks, and be part of a larger recreational area including new BMX park, dog walking park and new sports fields.

This regeneration initiaive in Kaipaoi, Pines Beach and Kairaki Beach has resulted in the Waimakariri District Council being named the overall winner in the 2019 Commonwealth Association of Planners (CAP) Awards for its innovative approach to earthquake recovery planning.

Read the article

Nelson Region – Kelly’s Bush Sanctuary, Nelson

Kelly’s Bush is rather unique in that it is one of the very few pieces of bush left that dates from pre-European times, yet lies within the city boundaries. This project is a partnership between Lindy Kelly, owner of Kelly’s Conservation Forest and Trees That Count.

At last count, there were at least 73 different species of native trees growing, including some quite rare species, many ferns, orchids, fungi and plenty of native birds as well as fish and eels in the stream. On the day 500 native trees were planted by customers & staff from Bowater Honda & Honda National Distribution Centre.

Auckland Region - Point England Reserve, Glen Innes

Honda staff from Auckland dealerships, partnered with Conservation Volunteers New Zealand and Trees That Count to continue the plantings along the Omaru Stream. 1500 trees were planted as part of this project which aims to improve the waterway and create an environment where fish, insects, lizards, birds and of course people, can flourish.

Whangarei Region – A. H Reed Memorial Reserve, Whareora, Whangarei

The Hatea River track is a well-used and a project is underway to increase the size of the native tree area around this track. A project in partnership with the Whangarei District Council and Trees that Count, these plantings will complement and extend the existing native forest, and be used as an example of best practice native forest establishment and management.

Over 40 Honda customers and staff attended the planting day along with the Hon. Shane Jones MP and some of his staff. A total of 800 native trees were planted

Auckland Region - Cascades Walkway, Lochend Place, Highland Park

This project is a partnership between Auckland Council, Matthew Brajkovich - a keen local conservationist, and Trees That Count. The banks at the edge of the stream at the Cascades are unstable and eroding into the water. The planting undertaken was a mix of trees needed to create a root structure that will slow the degradation of the bank down, as well as providing an attractive leafy area in time for the public to enjoy

Honda staff, customers and their families attended and planted 1000 native trees as part of this project.

Global Initiatives

Honda’s global goal is to achieve zero levels of landfill. Honda has implemented a material recycling programme to recycle all car components and a thermal recycling programme which will be able to recycle paint coatings, sealers and wax.

It doesn’t end there. Honda has an additional target to reduce CO2 emissions from product production, use and disposal a further 20% by 2020.

Learn More