"Receiving this award is a real honour," says Jeunesse Park, founder of FTFA. Their 'Trees for Homes' programme leads to a lower carbon future, healthier lives, more sustainable green environments and increased awareness of how to mitigate human impacts.
The programme was started in 2000 to address climate change and develop more sustainable human settlements. "South Africa's inequitable history of settlement policies still binds residents to high-energy consumption and life in unhealthy, barren and dusty townships," says Park.
'Trees for Homes' is a successful and innovative public greening initiative that contributes nationally in a visible way to offsetting carbon emissions to more sustainable human settlements and to enhance environments. It does this by providing trees and training to residents of low cost housing settlements. It is registered under the international Verified Carbon Standard (VCS) for carbon offsets and is acknowledged and welcomed by government, the private sector, communities and the media.
The award will be presented to FTFA on 28 May 2014 by Edith Predorf, deputy Trade Commissioner of Austria, at a tree planting event in Olievenhoutbosch, Gauteng, where 20 trees will be planted by Andiccio24. The pupils of Orifile Primary School will join Predorf and representatives from Andiccio24 to celebrate this award and the planting of trees.
"With more than 160 participating countries and over 1,000 project submissions annually the Energy Globe Award is today's most prestigious environmental prize worldwide," says Predorf. "ADVANTAGE AUSTRIA is the official Trade Promotion Organisation of the Republic of Austria and as a country we are proud of our success in green technologies. Our support of the Energy Globe Awards continues this tradition."
