Trees have been human’s trusty friends for centuries. Whether serving as a place to curl up with a good book or to take a short snooze, trees have always been there for us, but is it possible that they can help save the planet, too? With only 10 years left to halt irreversible damage to the planet, according to the UN, humans have turned to planting trees as a solution. Keep scrolling to learn more about the benefits of planting trees, the countries that have created tree pledges, and how you can start planting trees, too.
When it comes to helping the environment, trees surely deliver. Think of trees as the environment’s natural air filter. They purify the air by getting rid of dust, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, and ozone toxins, all of which are harmful for humans to breathe. While trees act as the environment’s air filter, they also provide organisms with the one chemical to breathe: oxygen. One tree provides enough oxygen to sustain four people, so they’re pretty much a big part of keeping us alive. Trees not only keep the air we breathe safe, but also Earth’s water sources.The water from storms is filled with harmful pollutants and chemicals such as nitrogen. Instead of these chemicals entering oceans, lakes, and rivers, trees divert the stormwater’s pathway to the soil. In turn, Earth’s waters are spared from stormwater pollution thanks to trees. Trees’ role in the environment doesn’t stop there. In fact, they take in carbon dioxide, the gas that is largely responsible for causing climate change. Carbon dioxide is a byproduct of both natural phenomena and human activities, such as wildfires, volcanic eruptions, and driving cars. They truly are nature’s warriors in humanity’s battle against climate change.
Trees also do their fair share when it comes to helping our mental health. The sight of trees can elicit feelings of peace and serenity in humans, in addition to decreasing work-related stress and fatigue. In fact, apartment complexes dotted with trees and greenery have even been found to have lower levels of crime than those without lush vegetation and trees. Besides contributing to low crime rates, trees also bring people together. When a construction project is underway that involves cutting down a tree with a longstanding history, people tend to rally against its removal, showing how the bond between humans and trees is one that cannot be broken.
Recognizing the role that trees play in helping the environment, national governments, businesses, and environmental organizations have pledged to plant more trees over the next several years. Here’s a look at some of the nations that are already taking the pledge to plant more trees.
At the beginning of 2020, the federal government declared that the United States would be participating in the One Trillion Trees Initiative, an international movement spearheaded by the World Economic Forum. This initiative aims to preserve and rehabilitate one trillion trees by 2030. Even though adding another trillion trees to the environment can help to mitigate the effects of climate change, humanity still has much to do in curbing its harmful effects.
This past Earth Day, two environmental non-profit organizations, One Tree Planted and Foundation for National Parks and Wildlife, pledged to plant 1 million trees over the next five years as part of its environmental relief efforts following the bushfires that ravaged the nation at the end of 2019 and in the early months of 2020. The pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca also created a tree-planting pledge with the environmental organization, Greening Australia, to plant 25 million trees within the next five years to help with the nation’s recovery from the bushfires.
Since 2019, students in the Philippines have been required to plant 10 trees before graduating from elementary school, high school, and college. Through this initiative, the government’s House of Representatives hopes that 175 million trees will be added to the nation’s ecosystem every year.
Late last fall, Abdulrahman Bin Abdulmohsen Al Fadley, Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Environment, Water, Agriculture, unveiled the nation’s environmental campaign, ‘Let’s Make it Green.’ This environmental initiative also entails planting 10 million trees by the end of this year. By adding 10 million new trees to Saudi Arabia’s landscape, the government hopes to decrease the effects of desertification. Desertification is a phenomenon caused by nature or human activity that reduces the efficaciousness of deserts’ natural processes.
In the summer of 2019, the Irish government announced its plans to plant 22 million trees annually throughout the next 20 years. This plan involves using plots of farmland to plant trees as well. Ireland’s tree-planting pledge is part of a much larger governmental initiative that involves taking action against climate change over the next several years.
Whether you’re looking to get your hands dirty and plant some trees or would like to make a financial contribution to tree-planting efforts there are a variety of national organizations that would love your help. Below, check out the organizations are helping to add more trees to America’s landscape.
If you’re looking to help plant more trees in the United States, consider donating to the Canopy Project. Donating one dollar ensures that one tree will be planted in America.
Thinking about planting a tree in your backyard? Check out the non-profit conservation organization, American Forests’ website. This organization has an in-depth guide on how to find and plant your own tree.
The Tree Pledge is another national organization whose goal is to plant 1 trillion trees. Whether you want to spearhead a tree planting day in your community or spread the word about The Tree Pledge on social media, the choice is yours as to how you would like to contribute.
To ensure future generations will be able lead happy and healthy lives, try planting your own trees or donating to causes that will plant one on your behalf.
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