carbon neutral

In October 2009, the Canberra Environment and Sustainability Resource Centre (CESRC) undertook an independent base energy and emissions audit and certified Provincial as Carbon Neutral. 

Carbon neutrality is achieved by reducing emissions as far as possible (eg. energy efficiency, using renewable energy) and then offsetting any residual emissions to achieve zero net emissions.

The CESRC report states that Provincial is in a “strong Carbon Positive position” and that our “business is doing very well and needs to be promoted as an example to other businesses”.  We are involved in further research into our true capacity for Carbon sequestration to determine our Carbon Positive position.

Provincial are committed to understanding the challenges and opportunities posed by climate change and to reducing our carbon footprint for both direct and indirect emissions. 

Direct emissions include the burning of fossil fuels for energy and transportation and indirect emissions focus on the life cycle of products from procuring raw materials to waste management.

The Nursery and Garden Industry Association has developed a Nursery Footprint Tool specifically for industry to calculate their carbon footprint. Provincial helped to launch this tool at the Industry conference in April 2010 in Darwin and presented our experience and results in using this very specific tool.  It will assist us to monitor our carbon footprint over short and long periods so we continue to improve on our current position.