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 650,000 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

On 1st August 2018, Honda celebrated our 30 year anniversary in New Zealand. We are very proud of this milestone and to celebrate we decided to fund the planting of 30,000 native trees over this next year.

It's a fitting way for us to say thank you New Zealand for all the loyal support, and continues the work of our Honda Treefund. This year our 30,000 trees will be planted in a number of ways.

We are giving a native tree gift to each new Honda owner, the first time they buy a Honda from one of our Honda Agents, whether it is a new or used Honda.

We have also committed to an exciting project in Kaiapoi, north of Christchurch, an area hit hard by the Canterbury earthquakes. We will be planting a Honda forest of 2.5 hectares, as part of the Kaiapoi Regeneration Project.

Honda staff planting days were held in key areas during the 2018 planting season and we will be organising Honda customer planting days for the 2019 planting season.

To plant the balance of the 30,000 trees, Honda has partnered with Trees That Count – an organisation that has built a unique community and marketplace, connecting native tree planters with funders. To see the great progress we have made in achieving our goal download the latest report.

Download Report

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.

CHRISTCHURCH REGION – KAPUTAHI CREEK, BELFAST ROAD, MARSHLANDS

This lovely site on Belfast Road, looks back onto the Port Hills, and in time will become part of a much wider native forest network across the Styx River catchment and the wider Christchurch City region.

The project aims to restore habitat for native bush bird species that have become locally extinct over the last 150 years. It will also provide shade over the creek for some endemic species such as the long-finned eels.

Kaiapoi Regeneration Project

We have committed to a significant local council project in Kaiapoi, an area hit hard by the Canterbury earthquakes.

We will be funding the planting of a Honda forest of some 3.2 hectares. This will consist of native trees and plantings around a large lake with walkways and cycling tracks throughout. Located near the town centre, the Honda forest will be part of a large recreational area including a new BMX park, dog walking park and multiple new sports fields.

This project 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 greener place to live and visit.

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