Do you have someone you Love a Tonne?
Stand For Trees has a way you can show your loved ones that you care about them AND the planet this Valentine's Day!
By supporting a Stand For Trees Project in the name of your Valentine, you can protect critical habitats, support sustainable community development, and curb climate change to help build a better future for the ones you love. (It goes great with fair trade chocolate & organic flowers!)
But wait. Let me back up. What do I mean by a tonne??
In addition to being punny, I’m talking about a TONNE of carbon!
The term 'tonne' refers to a metric tonne of carbon dioxide (CO2). By protecting forests on the Stand For Trees platform, we are preventing millions of tonnes of CO2 from entering our atmosphere. (This is one of the major drivers of climate change, so it’s extremely important that we stop destroying forests and releasing CO2 into our atmosphere!!)
For instance, one single mature tree in the Congo rainforest would emit as much as 18 tonnes of CO2 if it is cut down. So, when you purchase a Stand For Trees Certificate ($10 USD), you are offsetting one tonne of CO2 from entering the earth's atmosphere.
Why are forests being cut down in the first place? Great question.
There are three basic reasons that forests are being destroyed.
The number one driver of deforestation is a process called “slash and burn.” This is for either (1) commercial agriculture - forests being cleared to make room for livestock, so people can consume meat, for soy production, or for palm oil - which is found in many products we all consume - or from (2) subsistence farming - impoverished farmers destroying their environment because it is their only option to survive.
The second driver of deforestation is logging (this provides the world’s wood and paper products) followed by the “cascade effect” which is what happens after the logging companies open the forests with bulldozers and put in roads, and then a second wave of destruction comes from populations now having access to further degrade the forest.
The third driver of deforestation is charcoal production - much of the developing world heats its homes and cooks with charcoal.
Because of your support, forests are left standing to do what they do best — store carbon, produce oxygen, provide habitat, and support local communities.
Visit the Stand For Trees website and show your Valentine that you love them a tonne ;)
The planet will love you for it too!
The views expressed here are not necessarily those of each of the partners of Global Citizen.