Bonitas Medical Fund started the tree planting as a greening project six years ago to offset the carbon footprint of the Comrades runners that would be in KZN over the week of the Comrades Marathon event.
How does it happen? ... The community, in association with Wildlands Trust, grows the trees. Bonitas then buys the trees, and the community plants them in the next few days leading up to the Comrades Marathon.
“A few years ago, the idea became to plant one tree for every runner, and in 2009 some 15 000 trees were planted within 3 days. This grew to 22 000 trees in 2010, and 30 000 trees in 2011. This year the target is to plant 35 000 trees by Sunday!
Talk about an idea that grows on you and having a caring medical fund's contribution to a healthier, greener and sustainable planet!” says Peta Smuts, CEO Bonitas Marketing.