Johannesburg, 5 September 2014 - Airports Company South Africa is
committed to educating its employees and the community about environmental
management during Arbor Week, from 1 - 7 September 2014 by making a difference
in areas within close proximity to its airports. Arbor Week is recognised as a
national initiative aimed at providing and encouraging South Africans to plant
indigenous trees as a practical and symbolic gesture of sustainable
environmental management. In Gauteng, Airports Company South Africa has partnered with Green Planet
Revolution and the Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA) to grow and
beautify living spaces in South African townships. Ekurhuleni has been
identified as one of the areas that will benefit from tree planting due to its
proximity to O.R. Tambo International Airport. Airports Company South Africa
employee volunteers will participate in tree planting in four parks around
Vosloorus in Ekurhuleni on Friday, 5 September. This programme aims to increase the tree resource base across Gauteng that
will also focus on skills development, training and providing employment
opportunities to the unemployed youth and adults in these communities. There is
a comprehensive planting plan for Ekurhuleni communities where Green Planet
Revolution plants vegetables with the identified local groups. Community members
who are currently unemployed are encouraged to grow fruits and vegetables at
home to supplement their own diet and generate income through sale. The Arbor Week activities at George Airport involves a partnership with a
recycling company that is driving the initiative themed ‘Recycle a Paper and
Save a Tree’. Airport employees will gather paper from organisations and at stop
streets across the city for recycling. The recycling company will recycle all
the paper and, in the process, ‘Save a Tree’. At Cape Town International Airport, employee volunteers visited its long-term
beneficiary, Charitable Heart’s Food Pods project, on 4 September in Philippi.
The project enables disadvantaged individuals to grow and produce vegetables for
selling in the local community. King Shaka International is planting 21 trees on
the airport sports grounds and at a local school in commemoration of Airports
Company South Africa’s 21st birthday this year. Additionally, five water tanks
will be donated to disadvantaged communities in close proximity to King Shaka
International. “Arbor Week should help heighten South Africans’ awareness of the important
role that trees play in the environment. Airports Company South Africa strives
to work with strategic partners in the areas surrounding its airports, as well
as some key national projects aimed at protecting the quality of our
environment. We are also committed to involving our employees in environmental
projects that form a critical part of our Socio-Economic Development strategic
focus areas,” says Colin Naidoo, Airports Company South Africa Acting Group
Spokesperson. For more information, please contact: Colin
Naidoo Airports Company South Africa Spokesperson Cell: +27 (0) 82 820
2744 Email: colin.naidoo@airports.co.za
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