An initiative from environmental responsible institutions for environmental responsible drivers

An initiative of European scope begun from Gefyra Rio – Antirriou “Charilaos Trikoupis”, for Eco-driving and compensation of greenhouse gases emissions under the European Committee, the Ministry of Transports and Communications, the Centre for Sustainability and Excellence (CSE) and the Institute of Road Safety “Panos Mylonas”.

In order to open new roads and promote modern environmental issues, Gefyra AE decided to send a message of sensitivity through offsetting carbon emissions for a symbolic time interval. During this initiative project, Gefyra AE will be carbon neutral. The message of the campaign is “Eco-driving” : driving economically , driving ecologically” and it is based on three choices, from which the two first concern the users of Gefyra Riou – Antirriou and the third one the company that manages the bridge.

1. Ecological control: Gefyra AE sensitises, informs and educates drivers with comprehensive booklets that provide drivers with 10 advices to reduce drastically their emissions while driving.

2. Measurement of Emissions from Users: Through the web page www.gefyra.gr, Gefyra AE gives drivers the opportunity to calculate their emissions. Thus they get for the first time a clear picture of the impact they have on the environment and find out what they can do to be part of the solution. >

3. Offsetting of Gas Emissions from Gefyra AE: Gas emissions offsetting or carbon offsetting is implemented by a person, or a company, via financing projects protecting the environment. Emissions produced by activities relevant with each company (as the emissions that users of Gefyra produce), are calculated with special measurements. The result corresponds in a pecuniary sum which the person or the company offers to a specialised organism as the Swiss non for profit organisation “myclimate”, which finances specific projects. These projects usually concern renewable sources of energy or efficient technologies, which replace the emissions produced by the use of mining fuels (as oil, lignite, anthracite e.t.c). During the campaign, Gefyra A.E. will calculate the emissions produced by vehicles passing the bridge and then offset them through “myclimate”.

In the informative event which was coordinated by the Person in charge of Communication of Gefyra, Mr. Yannis Freris, personalities and representatives of institutions placed the following statements:

Ierotheos Papadopoulos – Director of Delegation of European Committee in Greece.
“We are the environment, underlined Mr. Papadopoulos. We ought to change our habits resorting either through eco-driving, or by using means of transport”.

Bernar Galtie – Managing Director and General Director of Gefyra AE.
“We begin an effort with constant the conviction that we will do our best in the direction of ecological management of big road contractions as the Bridge. We rely on the attendance and collaboration of drivers, as well as their children, that are usually the most persuasive ambassadors of good practices”.

Nikos Avlonas – Managing Director of Centre for Sustainability & Excellence (CSE)
“The initiative taken by Gefyra AE. is not only a pioneering step for Greece but also for Europe considering that the emissions offsetting is nowadays one of the most innovating solutions for transports and the constructions which it serves”.

Vlassis VellopoUlos – Member of “500 World” Program of UN for environment (UNEP)/Owner of UN Reward for the environment/Owner of Reward of Academy Athens – Aktivistis
“Near my city Patra, begins an exceptionally important worldwide initiative and us allows to be optimistic for the future of the planet. Congratulations to Gefyra AE for its actions”.

Dimitris Mourtzis – Professor of Patra University /Representative of I.O.A.S.
“For the Institute of Road Safety “Panos Mylonas” ecological driving is identified as safe driving, which means avoiding extreme driving methods. Consequently we support Gefyra’s effort which is a member of ours and we consider it one of the most important actions taken by the Institute in this sector”.

Moreover a message from the Minister of Transports and Communications Mr. Kosti Chatzidaki was read.

Apart from Mr. Galtie, the corporate entities of Gefyra AE were represented by the Deputies of General Directors of Gefyra Operation AE. Mr. Nikos Douro and Dionyssi Korfiati and the Person in charge of Marketing and Public Relations Ms. Andromachi Sotiropoulou.

Afterwards attendees went to the Station’s tolls of the bridge, where the Director of Delegation of EU. in Greece Mr. Ierotheos Papadopoulos, cut the symbolic green ribbon that signalled the beginning of the campaign. The first car that went through the bridge was one of the maintenance vehicles of Bridge, sample of type of vehicle that the company consciously selected because it is manufactured by a company that applies practices of reduction of green house gas emissions process during the production process, while the car itself has the minimum possible flows of pollutants. Reaching in the booth of tolls, the driver symbolically received the special notepad with advices on ecodriving from the cashier and a sticker that was placed in the front window in order to declare the driver’s dedication on the relative rules.

For more information kindly come in contact with CSE: [email protected]