Last month, one of our long-standing clients, Citywide, celebrated a significant milestone: five-years since the introduction of Greenpave onto the market.
Australia’s first low-emission asphalt, Greenpave is produced at 60 degrees Celsius (much lower than conventional hot-mix asphalt) with 30% less carbon dioxide emissions and 30% less energy. The lower temperatures make it safer to handle and it emits less toxic fumes.
Over 200 kilometres of Greenpave has been laid across metropolitan Melbourne saving more than 450 tonnes of carbon dioxide.
Every bit as durable as standard asphalt, it has weathered flood, drought and intensifying traffic conditions on city streets and major roads.
Since launching its innovative Greenpave low-emissions asphalt in March 2009, Citywide has achieved economies of scale to reduce the cost of greener roads. The greener option is now virtually at price parity with conventional asphalt, with a premium of only $3 per tonne. A cup of coffee.
Ellis Jones managed the launch of Greenpave in 2009 so we are especially proud to develop the communication strategy and execute media relations for the 5 year anniversary. This time around we are celebrating with councils that have purchased Greenpave and community members that live in green street suburbs.
Sustainability has to be practical and affordable to be viable in a market economy.
Businesses, clients and governments are under renewed pressure to minimise costs in the post-GFC economic climate. With that in mind, it is particularly exciting to see our clients such as Citywide and Sustainable Melbourne Fund making sustainability commercially viable.
Amid the broader global conversation about transition, it is innovations like Greenpave that make up the microeconomic building blocks of the new green economy, providing a strong indication of what that future will look like.
There are significant challenges ahead – the greatest being the mobilisation of people to consider all options.
Within the broader climate change debate, environmental or ‘green PR’ – communicating environmental initiatives and outcomes – has become difficult. The public are tired, political debate divisive, and there are not many journalists left to cover a huge range of stories all loosely defined as the domain of an ‘environmental reporter’.
That’s why suburban news and social media have become so important: they’re the best channels to reach engaged – and disengaged – Australians, with a narrative that relates environmental benefits to daily lives and common wallets.
When dealing with the media, it is important to consider other sections and impressions, to place environmental outcomes in other contexts like property value, cost of public assets, and positive investment returns.
Talk to us about green PR and how to send messages that reach their target.
