Over the year, Fifteen Trees was approached by a number of organisations asking to donate a green prize for their fundraisers. Fifteen Trees is more than happy to provide a carbon offsetting prize to a worthwhile cause and as a result in 2010, sixty trees were planted in rural Victoria.
Two cars were carbon offset (ie 30 trees planted) as part of the Future Shots Sustainability Film competition. The challenge was for young film makers to produce a 3 minute film with the theme of sustainability. The link www.futureshots.com.au will take you to the website where you can view the winning films. The awards night was held last Tuesday night at ACMI. It was hosted by Faustina ‘Fuzzy’ Agolley and sponsored by Sustainability Victoria and Melbourne Water. One boy from Hall’s Gap managed to include his German lessons in amongst his sustainability message – a clever idea.
Another prize of one car carbon offset (ie 15 trees) was donated to the BLEND group of young business people at their meeting this year. The winner of that prize was Belinda Eden from Stripped Off Waxing Salon.
And the final prize donated by Fifteen Trees for one car carbon offset (ie 15 trees) was for the charity raffle at the Women’s Network Australia luncheon in December. That prize was won by Jana Fisher from Boutique Financial Solutions (www.boutiquefs.com.au).
All up, sixty trees were planted at Springmount (near Ballarat). Here is the letter the landowners sent upon receiving their trees.
“Hi Colleen,
Today I (went outside) and found the plants absolutely thriving. They are (in) a row of plants (that will provide) a wind break around my orchard. They have grown from 6cm tube stock to about 30cm and are branching out beautifully. As soon as the ground dries enough, I will be planting a number of grasses, dianellas and native bluebell to create a small bird /lizard habitat at the bottom of my house yard. The rest of the trees & shrubs will be used to create bird habitat (gum trees and bottle brushes), they will be used to extend my existing grevillea hedges.
Thank you … for this program.
Regards D. Roads”.
Congratulations to all those who won a ‘carbon offset’ prize, your trees are in good hands and over the years will provide a home to our native animals. The trees will collect carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and help keep our waterways clean. I hope you are happy to have received your green prize. I know it is one that you can’t really ‘do anything’ with. You can’t eat it or wear it, you can’t pop it onto the mantelpiece or even tuck it away to pass on to another when you have forgotten a birthday !
When all other gifts and prizes have been forgotten, consumed, lost and broken; just remember out in rural Victoria you have 15 trees growing just for you !
Cheers – Colleen