Volvo Car India Converts Urban Dump Yard into Lush Forest with 10,000 Tree Planting Initiative
New Delhi, June 26, 2024 – Volvo Car India has launched the Reverse Project, an ambitious environmental initiative designed to offset the carbon footprint of electric vehicle (EV) mileage through tree planting. In a pioneering move, the company, in partnership with ASSOCHAM, has converted an urban dump yard in Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh, into a thriving urban forest by planting 10,000 trees.
The initiative kicked off with Volvo planting five trees for each of its EVs sold to date and four trees for owners of other EV brands who join the project. Participants can have trees named after them based on the mileage they accumulate on their EVs. Non-EV owners are also invited to participate by pledging to the project, with three trees named on their behalf.
Jyoti Malhotra, Managing Director of Volvo Car India, expressed the company’s vision: “The Reverse Project offers car owners across India a chance to help reverse environmental damage. For every 5,000 kilometers driven in any EV, we will name four trees in the Urban Forest after the owner. This is a unique way to turn kilometers into trees. For non-EV users, upon taking a pledge, three trees will be named on their behalf.”
Volvo Car India has committed to maintaining the newly created urban forest for the next four years. The transformation of the landfill, previously a major environmental hazard, into a green lung for the city underscores the initiative’s success and the company’s dedication to sustainability.
Jyotsana Singh Kaushik, Director of Marketing and PR at Volvo Car India, emphasized the project’s broader goals: “At Volvo Car India, our mission is to ensure safety and sustainability. The Reverse Project highlights that environmental protection is a shared responsibility. We invite everyone to join us in this initiative and be recognized by having a tree named after them.”
Aligning with Volvo Car India’s goal of achieving net carbon neutrality by 2040, the Reverse Project extends the company’s environmental stewardship beyond automotive manufacturing to urban reforestation. Participants receive a certificate acknowledging their contribution to this critical environmental effort.
Deepak Sood, Secretary General of ASSOCHAM and Trustee from ASSOCHAM Foundation for CSR, praised the collaboration: “This effort by Volvo and AFCSR showcases the significant impact that collective environmental responsibility can achieve. We firmly support such initiatives, recognizing their crucial role in shaping a sustainable future.”
Sood added that environmental protection and conservation are not only ecological necessities but also powerful economic strategies. Investing in sustainable practices and preserving natural resources fosters long-term economic growth, creates green jobs, and builds resilient communities. He highlighted that a commitment to conservation today is an investment in a thriving economy and a healthier planet tomorrow.
This initiative also complements Volvo’s global “For Life Fund” project, aimed at addressing biodiversity and ocean health while supporting broader climate action and improving lives worldwide.
