THEIR motto is ``let's make a meal out of climate change'' and there is probably no group better equipped to realise that vision than Melbourne's leading food and beverage personalities.
The innovative scheme called “Food for Trees” , developed by Melbourne social worker Rob Patton, has attracted membership from some of the city's best-known restaurants and producers, who are now funding the planting of thousands of trees to partially offset their carbon emissions.
Genovese Coffee, one of the city's most historic coffee families, is the program’s most recent recruit. Business head Adam Genovese joins an impressive list of members that include the Yarra Valley’s Leanne DeBortoli and well known Melbourne food personality Guy Grossi – recently featured on Ten Network’s Master Chef.
The coffee company’s team, led by Adam Genovese, celebrated their partnership with Food for Trees by gathering in the Yarra Valley to plant the second batch of 2000 trees, which will form part of a 150 hectare ``biolink'' between Warramate Nature Conservation Reserve with the Yarra River and Yarra Ranges National Park.
"Little changes that we make as a group can make a big difference,'' said Adam Genovese, a major sponsor. "
As a producer and businessman I'm concerned that in the future we have enough water and clean air to breathe - Our children inherit what we leave behind" Mr Patton said the aim of the alliance was to plant one million trees in and around Melbourne over the next decade to capture around 250,000 tons of carbon emissions.
The Yarra Valley planting is part of a community environmental program called Yarra4Life which aims to improve habitat for endangered species, improve water quality and create vital vegetation links in what is one of the most important agricultural regions near Melbourne.
Mr Patton says the program is a natural fit with the restaurant industry. He says if anyone understands the relationship between healthy food and a healthy environment, it would be restaurateurs and producers.
He also believes that if he can prove to the owners - many of whom have had to ride out recessions when profits were slim - that all the money they put into the scheme would be spent on buying and planting trees, they would make the commitment. It has been a recipe for success.
Those interested to find out more about Food For Trees should contact Rob Patton on 0417 158 341.
Further information about Yarra4Life can be found at www.yarra4life.com.au
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