One degree
Advertiser Newspapers publishes The Advertiser and The Sunday Mail in South Australia. It employs 850 people, and had a carbon footprint which measured 17, 739 tonnes in 2007.
Advertiser Newspapers was the first South Australian company to sign up to the “Challenge 100” scheme in the Federal Government’s Greenhouse Challenge program in 2000. Since then emissions per printing plate impression have been cut by 57%, achieving an overall drop in carbon emissions of 5.6% despite the Advertiser’s strong growth. Keith Murdoch House has achieved a 4 star Green star rating, and at the Mile End print centre, efficiencies have been gained on air lines, air nozzles and new airless strappers. Power factor correction equipment will be installed shortly and bio-diesel fuel is set to be introduced for the Waymouth Street generator.
Some 25% of the car fleet has been changed from 6 cylinders to 4 cylinders, and hybrid cars are being introduced into the fleet and incentives provided to staff to use public transport and car pooling.
Both of Adelaide Newspaper’s sites – Keith Murdoch House and Mile End Print Centre - were audited in the year to June 2008 as part of News Limited’s extensive audit program. Audits of these sites identified projects that could assist the Advertiser gain an average of 20% efficiency in electricity use across the two sites. Detailed energy audit findings are now being submitted for capitol expenditure and project approval.
The Advertiser has also run an incredibly popular bike discount scheme for its staff with 30 staff rushing to take up the offer. Other staff educational giveaways have included a 4 minute shower timer.
Advertiser Newspapers are taking the climate change message to their readers with editorial and marketing campaigns planned for the year ahead. As well as the groundbreaking ten part series ‘Change the Planet’s Future’ which ran across ten weeks in mid 2007, the Advertiser has set up the ‘Challenge to Business’ - a lead-from-the-front initiative designed to showcase the State’s best environmental performers. Benefits include heightened awareness from small to medium business of the impact they can have on the environment and their bottom line. Businesses achieving environmental improvements are featured under the Challenge to Business banner in the Advertiser on a regular basis.
Messenger Newspapers publishes 11 community newspapers and a monthly lifestyle magazine, Adelaide Matters. Messenger Newspapers employs 162 people and reaches 700,000 readers each week.
In the year to June 2007, Messenger’s carbon footprint was 761 tonnes.
Messenger instigated some great projects during 2007. The replacement of all fluorescent tubes with Phillips Master TL-D Alto Fluorescent tubes, and a reduction in the number of tubes in each light fitting from 3 to 2 helped slash head office carbon emissions and achieved a reduction in electricity costs of $15,000 p.a.
Messenger community engagement in 2007 saw staff support Port Adelaide’s Christmas Pageant, which attracts 120 floats and more than 15,000 spectators. A 33-strong Messenger team, made up of adults and children, marched with One Degree banners and messages. On the day, staff also handed out 1000 native seedlings to offset carbon emissions and green Messenger shopping bags to reduce waste. Support of the pageant help deliver a positive message and practical tips to Messengers’ community about helping the environment, and informed them that News Limited is taking action to become carbon neutral by 2010.
Across all 11 Messenger Publications, a six-week One Degree series ran in 2007 which introduced One Degree and included testing the carbon footprint of local families as well as a weekly top tips and tools section to cut out and stick on the fridge.
Blue Donuts at The Advertiser’s One Degree launch
The Port Adelaide Pageant
