We plant 2 trees for every solar stove sold. Of all actions we could take, why trees?
We plant 2 trees for every solar stove sold. Of all actions we could take, why trees?
Sequestering CO2 aside, trees have a number of not so obvious functions that make them perhaps the single most powerful force for combating climate change and improving the lives of those in the world who live with the least. Having planted more than 40,000 trees to date in collaboration with Trees For The Future, we would like to share with you a few reasons why trees are a big deal.
Yes, you read that right. By capturing water and releasing moisture, trees can create rainfall in some cases just a few miles from their location.
Unprotected Earth will quickly deteriorate in the Sun, loosing it's fertility and biological diversity. This often times translates to hunger, scarcity and conflict. Beyond protection, Trees and their network of roots hold the soil together, especially on hillsides.
By acting as a biological sponge, trees can store water in the soil and protect it from the sun as it seeps into the water table. This in turn means that water wells remain full, keeping people nourished and crops healthy.
Through the process of evapotranspiration, trees can cool a localized area by as much at 10°F! Plant trees next to a house and one can save massively on Summer cooling bills.
Beyond making water and stability, trees can also produce an income, providing fruit, nuts and timber.
Though it is not often acknowledged, we are currently in the edge of another great extinction event, with an extinction rate more than 100x higher than normal. Saving precious habitat is a priority, but when the damage has already been done, planting new trees can can provide some relief for species under pressure.
While massive companies are searching for methods of storing CO2 underground, trees require almost no capital, minimal maintenance and convert the CO2 into useful by-products like... soil and food.
A Film by Dan McKinney & Julia Dordel.
Video from KarmaTube
Whether it’s cooling the surface temperature of the earth, pulling the greenhouse gas CO2 out of the atmosphere, or enhancing clouds and rainfall through stabilizing the hydrological cycle, trees play a critical role for stabilizing the climate for all living beings.
(Thanks to Trees For The Future for the beautiful photography in this post.)
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