Dick Johnson Racing has announced a 25 percent reduction in its overall carbon footprint from 2020 to 2021.
The achievement is said to be largely thanks to “consolidating freight” as well as switching electricity to GreenPower.
The announcement comes after DJR last year became Supercars’ first carbon neutral team, earning it the FIA’s highest, three-star environmental accreditation.
In fact, according to co-owner Ryan Story, the team is now even carbon positive, thanks to its tree-planting programme.
“We have worked very hard at DJR to put processes and actions in place to an ISO standard level to reduce our footprint and show it can be done,” said Dr Story.
“In fact, we are carbon positive – we have now planted 6000 trees in Australia with Trees For Life and over 17 hectares of trees around the world with our partner Tree Nation.
“We are delighted and humbled to make such a contribution.”
‘Carbon neutral’ does not necessarily mean no carbon dioxide emissions at all, but rather that whatever is emitted is offset through other initiatives.
In most cases, that involves planting trees to sequester carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, as DJR has done.
Brad Eyes, Sustainability Manager at DJR, said, “We have been working extremely hard to put processes and actions in place with everyone at DJR and to reduce the business’s carbon footprint by 25 percent in 2021 is not an easy feat.
“Most of the reductions in carbon footprint have come from freight, electricity, and waste.
“Transport-related emissions will continue to provide challenges in overall footprint reductions, but these challenges are not isolated to motorsport, however, provide an interesting proving ground to reduce overall emissions in the future.”
Pangolin Associates’ Managing Director, Iain Smale, and Principal Consultant – Environment, Risk & Strategy, Dr Samuel Phua, said, “DJR’s commitment to understanding its comprehensive carbon footprint is unrivalled in the motorsports industry.
“Further, it has implemented emissions reduction and management measures it identified in 2020, leading to a significant reduction of particularly, its CY2021 Scope 2 greenhouse gas emissions.
“DJR’s management at its highest levels has shown that enjoying motorsports and addressing climate change risks can go hand-in-glove when grit and environmental sustainability are intertwined.”
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