Honda plants 85,000 trees in Union County to reduce its carbon footprint

Honda on Wednesday said it has planted 85,000 trees near its Union County factories as part of its effort to reduce its carbon footprint.

The trees were planted on 100 acres of Honda-owned land along the Flat Branch Creek near its Marysville Auto Plant , East Liberty Auto Plant and Auto Development Center. Honda is calling the area the Honda Power of Dreams Forest.

The trees are native to Ohio. They include Hazelnut, Hickory, Maple, Oak and Sycamore.

The trees will boost the automaker's carbon sequestration effort, improve the buffers along the creek and serve as home for insects, animals, birds and plants.

Honda also will a partner with a local farmer to implement practices meant to improve water quality of the creek and is working with a farm to produce syrup from the maple trees that will be sold at a local farmers market.

The plantings are part of Honda's global goal of becoming carbon neutral by 2050.

Honda's is pushing to have electric vehicle and fuel cell electric vehicles represent 100% of its auto sales in the U.S. and globally by 2040.

Honda and LG Energy Solution have formed a joint venture to build a plant near Jeffersonville to make batteries for Honda EVs. The plant is expected to be finished this year.

Honda also is offsetting emissions of carbon dioxide from its North American manufacturing operations by striking agreements to buy renewable wind and solar power that cover more than 60% of the electricity Honda uses in North America.

mawilliams@dispatch.com

@BizMarkWilliams

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Honda plants 85,000 trees in Union County to reduce its carbon footprint