Land Rover Portland Becomes First Auto Retailer In Nation To Provide Carbon Offsets

July 4, 2007

Contact:
Darcie Meihoff, CMD on behalf of Land Rover Portland, 503.488.4252
Jena Thompson, The Conservation Fund, 954.456.4055

Portland, Oregon – Portland’s Land Rover Centre is taking a decidedly worldly view when it comes to efforts to help offset carbon dioxide and greenhouse gas emissions.

Land Rover Portland recently became the first automobile retailer in the nation to offer a carbon offset program in partnership with The Conservation Fund for its customers. Called “carbon≈neutral” the program is included with every new and Certified Pre-Owned Land Rover vehicle that the dealership sells, and will offset 100 percent of each vehicle’s carbon emissions for 50,000 miles of driving.

Unlike some other business sponsored carbon offset programs, which offer customers an option to add a contribution above and beyond a purchase price, Land Rover Portland automatically makes a donation to The Conservation Fund with each purchase. Customers are not charged an additional amount to participate.

Land Rover Portland’s carbon≈neutral program benefits The Conservation Fund, one of the most respected environmental nonprofit organizations in the world. The Conservation Fund will use the contributions to restore native forests that will trap the carbon dioxide produced by each vehicle sold. Land Rover Portland estimates that its carbon≈neutral initiative will provide for the additional planting and protection of about 12,000 trees each year by The Conservation Fund. According to the Fund, each tree planted will sequester more than one ton of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere over its lifetime. Land Rover Portland customers are already noticing the subtle “carbon≈neutral” decals on vehicles purchased from the Centre.

“As an Oregon business, lessening our environmental impact is something we’ve always believed in and this is another way we can make a difference,” said Dan Muggli, Centre Manager of Land Rover Portland. “We aren’t saying this is a total solution to the problem, but it’s a positive step and one that’s within our control. We feel that it’s important to recognize the issue and to take some action.”

Land Rover Portland’s donations will directly support The Conservation Fund’s “Go Zero” program. Through Go Zero, the Fund restores only native tree species, which are planted in permanently protected areas with long-term management plans to ensure accuracy and reliability of carbon sequestration. All projects provide additional environmental benefits including restored wildlife habitat, improved air and water quality and enhanced recreation areas. The Conservation Fund has restored nearly 30,000 acres and planted more than 9 million trees, which will capture an estimated 13.5 million tons of carbon dioxide equivalent from the atmosphere.

“Climate change has emerged as one of the greatest environmental challenges of our time,” said The Conservation Fund’s President, Larry Selzer. “The Fund applauds the team at Land Rover Oregon for its industry-leading approach to addressing climate change. By demonstrating a market-based approach to conservation we can help fight climate change, safeguard critical wildlife habitat, protect our nation’s air and water, and enhance public recreation areas for current and future generations.”

While embarking on a carbon sequestration program is a first for any automotive dealership, Land Rover Portland has a long history of pioneering environmental initiatives. The company was the first automobile dealership ever to be certified as an Eco-Logical Business by Pollution Prevention Outreach (P2O), a multi-agency governmental task force established to encourage environmentally sustainable practices among businesses. Land Rover is a founding member of Tread Lightly, which encourages responsible environmental practices in outdoor recreation. Land Rover Portland provides Tread Lightly training at customer events, and also has been a long time supporter of leading local environmental and conservation groups, such as Oregon Trout.

Land Rover Portland
As providers of the “Official Vehicle of the Northwest Experience,” Land Rover Portland is the exclusive Land Rover Centre for Oregon and Southwest Washington. The company focuses on providing a complete Land Rover ownership experience from the initial purchase, to providing ongoing adventures and education. The Centre, which opened in 1995, has been a pacesetter in the industry for its involvement in environmental and community related causes. Land Rover Portland is located at 720 NE Grand Ave., and can be found on the Web at www.landroveroregon.com.

About The Conservation Fund

The Conservation Fund is dedicated to advancing America’s land and water legacy. With our partners, we conserve land, train leaders and invest in conservation at home. Since 1985, we have helped protect more than 6 million acres, sustaining wild havens, working lands and vibrant communities. We're a top-ranked conservation organization, effective and efficient.