Coke and the WWF's CO2 Eating Billboard

The WWF has collaborated with Coca-Cola since 2007, together they have focused on freshwater conservation, including Coke’s agricultural supply chain. The two work together on action plans aimed at mitigating risks to some of the world’s most important freshwater basins and watersheds that are threatened by dams, pollution and damaged habitat.

Coca-Cola is also working with the WWF to render its advertising message in an environmentally appropriate medium. On June 23, the World Wildlife Federation and Coca-Cola unveiled a billboard in the Philippines that actually eats CO2.

The 60 x 60 foot living billboard in Manila is made of thousands of Fukien tea plants and was created in conjunction with Coca-Cola Philippines’ Live Positively sustainability program. The billboard is shaped in the iconic outline of a coke bottle and written across it is the statement ‘This billboard absorbs air pollutants.’

“We are proud that we have brought to life the first plant billboard in the country. It is an embodiment of our company’s Live Positively commitment to making a positive difference in the world by incorporating sustainability into everything that we do. With this, we hope to inspire Filipinos to join us in our journey, because we know that together, we can make a positive impact,” stated Guillermo Aponte, president of Coca-Cola Philippines.

The billboard is using pots made from recycled bottles that contain 3,600 trees, which live off a mixture of organic fertilizers. The novel advertising employs an efficient drip irrigation system which saves water and fertilizer. Each of the 3,600 trees on the billboard can absorb up to 13 pounds of CO2 a year. When fully grown, the billboard will absorb a total of 46,800 pounds of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.
© 2011, Richard Matthews. All rights reserved.