KEY POINTS:
A slice of Auckland City could become groundbreaking if its 200-or-so businesses agree to collaborate on a low carbon emission zone.
CarbonGroup is promoting the move in the Victoria Quarter, which includes Victoria Park and nearby city streets.
The area, bordered by the Southern Motorway, Fanshawe St and Hobson St, has a mix of businesses, including engineering, software and landscaping companies.
A low carbon zone pilot project of eight such businesses has tested the waters for a low carbon scheme to reduce the environmental effect of Auckland's CBD.
CarbonGroup chief executive Alice Andrew said the pilot had tested the process of carbon emissions measuring, and the data had been collected for processing.
Ms Andrew said CarbonGroup, specialists in emissions management and clean investment, was now working on getting the co-operation of all 200 local small to medium enterprises.
"The goal is to get them acting at a community level."
Ms Andrew said despite all the increased attention to green issues, many businesses still did not care or had not turned their minds to sustainability.
"Some don't even recycle. We want to raise awareness and demystify some of the issues. A lot of it is common sense... like using cleaner products."
Ms Andrew said benefits to businesses in measuring and then reducing their carbon footprints included getting a market edge and using the information as a cost&45;management tool.
Other bonuses could be mass collections of office and restaurant food waste, presenting the possibility of getting enough volume viable to compost.
Ms Andrew said New Zealand had a role to play in reducing global greenhouse gas emissions and businesses needed to make a significant contribution.
There were 300,000 small-to-medium sized business enterprises in the country which had to be meaningfully engaged in reducing New Zealand's carbon footprint.
"However, in many cases these businesses either lack expertise or the time and resources to tackle the issue... a key message is that good carbon management makes good business sense."
The Low Carbon Zone project had the backing of the Shell NZ Sustainability Fund, a partnership between Shell New Zealand and the New Zealand Business Council for Sustainable Development.
The project involved measuring the carbon footprints of participating companies, then providing an action plan to reduce footprints.
Businesses showing a commitment to improving their environmental performance through improved resource efficiency became accredited low carbon zone participants.
