C ase Name: Plant-a-Tree for Every 3-Litre pc sold From

From: Acer COMPUTER AUSTRALIA

Category: Environmental Initiative--Climate Change

Case period:2007~2008

☆Acer’s Environmental Policy and Implementation Plan

☆Acer’s commitment to being a good corporate citizen in the countries where we operate. In Australia, this commitment extends to the local states where we conduct business. This includes South Australia, the country’s driest state which is particularly vulnerable to climate change and where a state-wide campaign has been launched to revegetate specifically targeted areas.

☆Through its Veriton series which use up to 47% less power than notebook PCs, Acer wanted to establish the concept that PC’s do not cost the Earth.

South Australia has been left a legacy of excessively cleared land, the long term effects of which include loss of biodiversity and habitat; plant and animal extinction; soil erosion; increased salinity and weed invasion. There is now urgent need to put in place seeding and revegetation programs that will help avert the environmental threats that the state now faces, e.g. more intense heat waves, floods, bushfires, and an increased potential for infectious diseases*.

 ☆Acer Computer Australia

 ☆Trees for Life, a non-party political and not-for-profit environmental organisation formed with the original purpose of protecting South Australia’s land from becoming even drier and more eroded. It is the largest volunteer revegetation and bushland protection organisation of its kind in the world.*

  ☆Carbon Neutral, an affiliate of Trees for Life and another non-profit organisation that helps communities and industries take responsibility for the effect of their greenhouse gas emissions on the environment through tree-planting programs.

 */** Source: www.treesforlife.org.au

The objectives of Acer’s Plant-a-Tree Project:

- Clearly demonstrate the company’s commitment to reducing greenhouse gas emissions

- Offset Acer’s CO₂ emissions through a recognised and certified environmental program

- Increase sales of Acer’s environmentally-friendly PCs (Veriton series)

What are the qualitative targets?

- Establish an ongoing partnership with Trees for Life and Carbon Neutral to revegetate a targeted area in South Australia (Mallee Districts/North of Mannum)

- Enhance the image and reputation of Acer as a pro-active partner of schools and colleges in South Australia in their efforts to reduce their own carbon dioxide emissions

- Promote and position the Acer Veriton series as PC’s that do not cost us the Earth (because they use up to 47% less power than notebook PCs)

2007: 10,000 plus seedlings (trees)

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  Acer plants one local native Australian seedling for every 3-litre PC sold. Each seedling or tree costs A$3. Six trees absorb approx. one tonne of carbon dioxide emissions.
  
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  Acer sells 3-litre PCs and donates A$3 for each PC sold to Trees for Life, which purchases and plants the tree on Acer’s behalf.
  
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  Carbon Neutral calculates the estimated tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions absorbed by the trees planted and issues certificate on estimated carbon dioxide emissions offset
  
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  How Acer’s Plant-a-Tree Project was promoted:
  ☆Print advertising with Channel partner in leading trade publication (www.acer.com.au/green/ARN_Green_Advt.jpg)
  ☆Case studies were developed on schools who purchased the Veriton series to help offset their carbon dioxide emission
  ☆Acer’s Green strategy, activities, and case studies published on the company’s website (www.acer.com.au/green)
  
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  Problems and Difficulties
  

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  Based on information provided by Trees for Life:
  ☆From January to December 2007 – 10,110 trees were planted by Acer
  ☆From January to July 2008 – 11,667 trees were planted
  An additional 11,000 trees (approx) are expected to be planted by the end of Q4/2008
  
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  Lessons Learned
  
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  What is the future for this project?
  ACA has continued to extend its 3-litre product portfolio; hence the 'Plant-a-Tree for every 3-litre PC sold' program is expected to continue. Acer Computer Australia will provide more information as 2009 plans are finalized.
  

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  Certificate from Carbon Neutral for Acer Computer Australia’s Planting Year 2008
  
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  Case Study on St Michael’s College – The Case for Green –
  
  

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