Supa Quick teams up with an environmental NGO to plant trees in indigenous forests, as a contribution to restoration of natural eco-systems in South Africa.

Tyre-fitment specialists Supa Quick will plant 2 609 trees in 2022 – that’s one tree planted for every hour that they are open for business throughout the year. The company has already planted 1 000 trees through their Tree O’Clock campaign which was launched last year.

Supa Quick has donated more than R433 000 to non-profit organisation Greenpop, which will co-ordinate the tree planting activities that will make a huge contribution to restoring natural ecosystems and decreasing the carbon footprint in South Africa. It is estimated that one mature tree can absorb as much as 22kg of carbon a year, releasing oxygen in exchange.

“We at Supa Quick consider ourselves as more than tyre experts, but as a part of the communities in which we live and operate, which includes nature,” says Yolandi Grundeling, Supa Quick brand manager. “It is for this reason that we consider long-term sustainability of the eco-system integral to our long-term existence as an industry and the wellbeing of our fellow South Africans.

“Our partnership with Greenpop recognises the importance of trees, which are vital sources of the inputs in many of our products, most significantly, rubber from rubber trees. Trees also help to clean the air and water, which are critical to life on the planet, while also being a source of many of our food products,” she says.

This project will also contribute towards South Africa’s Low Emission Development Strategy (LEDS), which has set a target to move the economy towards net zero emissions by 2050. This means a complete offsetting of emissions through activities such as planting trees, waste management/reduction, recycling, water treatment, clean energy and sustainable infrastructure.

Greenpop’s mission is to restore ecosystems and empower environmental stewards through forest restoration, urban greening, food gardening, and environmental awareness projects across Sub-Saharan Africa. The organisation has been planting trees since 2010, starting from its first small-scale reforestation and alien clearing project in Africa’s southernmost forest, the Platbos Forest Reserve, and working with nature conservancies, private landowners and key stakeholders.

Greenpop’s work has expanded to include over 150 000 trees planted in reforestation and urban greening projects in South Africa, Zambia, Malawi and Tanzania. By 2030 the project plans to have planted one million trees in the ground.

"Working with Supa Quick has proven to be a great partnership of shared values to not only invest in planting trees, but raising awareness about the need to take care of our waterways and plant life in our personal and professional lives, as well as in the operation of businesses,” says Misha Teasdale, Co-Founder and Director of The Greenpop Foundation NPC. “We will continue to work closely with various stakeholders in the public and private sectors to achieve the goal of preserving the beauty and integrity of Africa’s landscape for future generations."