Another week, another attempt at greenwash from Aggregate Industries:
We take responsibility for the environment and communities we operate in, which is why we continue to increase the number of planted trees for habitat creation 🌳 https://t.co/AMvvMcFBqM pic.twitter.com/SZAVwQ0sYX— Aggregate Industries (@AggregateUK) May 16, 2018
AI says it's "at the heart of habitat creation". Of course, people objecting to the company's planning application to destroy East Devon farmland – and ancient hedgerow habitat for protected dormice and bats – will think habit destruction is more accurate.
But let's look at the tree planting claim: AI is obviously in the business of planting trees – it has to do something to make up for all the environmental damage done by its operations and all the mature trees felled in the process.
The company claims "The number of trees we plant is always rising". But it's always worth checking AI's claims. Because, if the company's sustainability reports are to be believed, AI planted 16,800 trees in 2013 (p21) and 3,400 in 2014 (p24).
So... not 4,500 in 2014, and not "always rising".
It’s the level of accuracy we’ve come to expect from AI.
Meanwhile, at Straitgate, this is what's left of some of those 3,400 trees AI planted in 2014:
