| Climate change
Climate change is really happening... Planting trees is a sustainable answer
Climate change is one of the greatest challenges of our modern day world. There is now an understanding of the basic mechanics of climate change; the world is warming and much of the warming is due to human emissions of greenhouse gasses caused primarily from the burning of fossil fuels.
The experts state that, globally, emissions of carbon dioxide must be reduced by at least 60%, however presently the percentage is climbing and since the industrial revolution carbon dioxide in the atmosphere has increased by 30%. Scientists predict that climate change will result in more extreme weather patterns - more cyclones, floods and droughts. With such changes in our climate, rising sea levels will threaten coastal environments, it will be harder to grow food successfully and the rate of species extinction will increase.
The natural process of our living planet produces a fine balance between oxygen and carbon dioxide through the respiration of animals and the photosynthesis of plants. Through the extensive history of our planet a considerable quantity of carbon dioxide has been converted into carbon through the biomass of plants, and the shells of sea creatures. At the end of their lifecycle, large numbers of sea creatures and plants are deposited to eventually produce coal, oil and sedimentary rocks. In so doing they have acted as a mechanism to lock up carbon. This natural process has maintained the fine balance between oxygen and carbon dioxide. However, a problem is created when we start releasing carbon which has been stored over millions of years within the timeframe of only a few hundred years, effectively since the industrial revolution.
Sedimentary rocks and fossil fuels are known as carbon sinks. An effective way to help sequester the carbon released from these sinks is to use one of our planet's natural long-term carbon 'absorbers' - trees. Forests throughout the world contain 45% of the global stock of carbon; however global deforestation is reducing our planet's ability to cope with the increase in carbon dioxide and the process is further adding carbon dioxide to the atmosphere.
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The use of energy derived from fossil fuels leads to emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2) and small quantities of other greenhouse gases – including methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O).
For a given quantity of a gas, the equivalent quantity of CO2 that would be needed to give the same greenhouse effect can be calculated using its ‘global warming potential’. This quantity is quoted in units of kilograms carbon dioxide equivalent (kgCO2e).
Carbon offsetting through Tree Twinning
We plant one tree in the UK through our environmental partner Tree Appeal and its ‘twin’ in Uganda through EcoTrust. The half-tonne of CO2 that this sequesters is certificated by Plan Vivo.
If our planet is to have a future as we presently know and enjoy we all have a responsibility to reduce our carbon footprint. By planting trees we can seriously help to reduce the impact of our carbon dioxide emissions, reducing our individual carbon footprint. However tree saplings have to be bought, land found on which to plant them and they need to be managed through the early stages of their life.
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