STEP #44
Plant a Tree
Trees are the unsung heroes of our ecology. They provide shelter, shade, and food for other living things. They purify air and water. They majestically beautify all corners of the world. They humbly provide for much of human society and economy. And what’s more, they continuously convert carbon dioxide into oxygen, making them heroes in the quest to halt global warming.
But many of the same human actions that cause global warming are also degrading the world’s forests. This is a double whammy because trees absorb carbon while alive, but emit it when they die, so trees that are felled not only stop capturing carbon—they also give it off. Worldwide, deforestation is responsible for one-fifth of carbon dioxide releases into the atmosphere.
The Union of Concerned Scientists (UCSUSA) reports that in the United States, carbon capture by forests declined 20 percent between 1990 and 2001, primarily because of land clearing for development and destructive forestry practices. Unnatural, catastrophic forest fires—possibly exacerbated by global warming-induced drought—are also responsible. UCSUSA believes, though, that the carbon-absorbing potential within American forests, grasslands, and farmland can offset even more than the 20 to 45 percent of the annual carbon dioxide emissions they currently capture, if we reverse these practices.
Of course, conservation is the best sequestration, meaning that we absolutely need to reduce our emission of greenhouse gases. The current load clearly overwhelms the capturing ability of even our noble forests. But while we get our conservation act together (by doing the other 49 things suggested in this book!), we can offset carbon dioxide significantly by planting trees, and by ensuring that the trees currently standing stay that way, green and growing (older, more mature forests sequester carbon better than younger ones).
Planting a tree is simple and wonderful. It nourishes nature and also your soul. In 1953, Jean Giono wrote The ManWho Planted Trees, a short story about a shepherd, Elzear Bouffier, who restored a degraded mountain valley in the Alps by patiently planting thousands upon thousands of acorns, one at a time, over decades. His work resulted in a robust forest, enjoyed by animals and humans alike (although none of the people knew the source of the verdant valley).While Giono’s story is fiction, there are real life Elzears at work today—you can be one, too! Kenyan Nobel Peace Prize winner Wangari Matthai started the Green Belt Movement in 1977, which organized impoverished rural women to plant trees in response to the scourge of deforestation. These remarkable women have since planted 30 million trees.
Los Angeles-area residents can take part in Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa’s Million Tree Initiative, which began in 2006. Organized by TreePeople and the Los Angeles Department of Recreation, the tree-planting venture counts on volunteers to plant trees in the metropolitan community. TreePeople successfully steered a similar movement to plant a million trees before the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. To volunteer, contact volunteer@treepeople.org.
Planting trees can be a solitary, family, or large group activity, organized or impromptu.
The national Arbor Day Foundation has great tips on its website (see Resources on the following page) about which trees are best for your area; local garden centers, cooperative extension offices, and forestry departments are also excellent sources of information and may even provide seedlings!
Tree planting helps combat global warming. It adds beauty to an area, aids in community-building, and can serve as a memorial for honoring someone special. A truly green gift, trees provide protection from the sun and wind and are homes for birds and other wildlife.
You’ll love planting trees yourself, but there are also ways to support tree planting and carbon capture around the world without wielding a spade. Several organizations are running tree-planting campaigns. Getting involved has never been easier!
Trees for the Future works with local communities to restore degraded lands by planting trees in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. Through the website, you can commission tree plantings just about anywhere and for any occasion. Through American Forests’ Global ReLeaf initiative, you can support the planting of trees throughout the United States. Via the Arbor Day Foundation, you can support tree planting and also get key tips on planting and caring for trees yourself. At www.climatecare.org, you can offset carbon emissions through funding an array of sequestration projects, including rainforest reforestation. And you can even plant trees when you take a plane trip—through Travelocity. Conservation Fund’s “Go Zero” carbon-offset initiative for travelers plants native trees to offset carbon resulting from travel.
Trees aim high—let’s learn from their example! You can stand tall in your carbon-positive quest by organizing and implementing a tree-planting project of your own.
Resources