Supercars join green revolution.

Whilst not yet switching entirely to ethanol, or announcing some new energy-saving technology, the Australian V8 Supercar series has revealed that it will do its bit to help preserve the planet by setting up the first known 'carbon off-set' scheme in motorsport.

In conjunction with long-time partner BigPond and Future Climate Australia, the series announced the 'V8 Racing Green' programme, which it claims will entirely off-set the carbon emissions from all V8 Supercars running in 2007. It believes that the initiative is the first time a motorsport series anywhere in the world has made a season-long commitment to reduce its impact on the environment.

"V8 Supercars Australia recognises the important role we can play in reducing carbon emissions and educating the public about climate change," series chairman Tony Cochrane said, confirming that the intention was to make the category entirely 'carbon neutral', "Through the V8 Racing Green programme, we can balance our carbon emissions while, at the same time, educating our millions of fans on what we see as the number one issue facing the environment. We are proud to lead the way for motorsport globally and want to make a difference."

The programme was launched in Canberra by the minister for the environment and water resources, Malcolm Turnbull, and timed to coincide with the start of the 2007 season, the Clipsal 500, in Adelaide. As Turnbull made the announcement, the first stage of the programme kicked off with the planting of a first batch of trees at Rose Park Primary School in the City of Churches.

This year alone, BigPond and V8 Supercars Australia intend to plant approximately 10,000 trees around Australia to offset the carbon emissions generated by a full season of racing - including air travel and running transporters to and from events as well as the racing itself - while the V8 Racing Green programme will advocate 'carbon trading' messages to its fans, encouraging them to return emissions from their everyday lives, and highlight the issue by visiting primary schools around the country and donating, and planting, trees.

Ethanol will begin to play a part in the programme too, however, as the series intends to introduce a five per cent ethanol-blend fuel in every race car.

"BigPond is very proud to be involved with the V8 Racing Green programme, and we are committed to educating the millions of racing fans in Australia so that they can do their part to tackle climate change," CEO Justin Milne concluded, "That's what this programme is all about."