40,000 and counting: An update on our tree planting efforts with Eden Reforestation Projects
So far this year, we are proud to say that we have helped Eden Reforestation Project plant more than 40,000 trees.
As a business, one of the key things we wanted to do was change what people thought of as branded swag. Gone are the days when people are willing to expect tacky t-shirts with nothing but a company logo on the front, made with trash material, or some plastic thingamajig that serves no purpose other than cluttering up someone's desk; there is definitely a need for a change in mindset when it comes to swag.
That's also in line with what is needed when it comes to the topic of sustainability in business; a total change in mindset.
Eden Reforestation Project is a world leader in the fight against climate change, promoting positive actions and using reforestation as a means to both protect the environment and better the lives of people who have been impacted by deforestation. Operating in 10 different countries across the globe, Eden works with other likeminded people to plant nearly one million trees every day and try to restore some of the planet's natural beauty that has been destroyed over the past number of years.
To find out more about the work Eden Reforestation Project is involved in across the globe, you can head to their website here.
Our work with Eden Reforestation Project
Bearing all this in mind, we have helped plant more than 40,000 trees in the first half of this year between projects in Indonesia, Madagascar and Brazil on behalf of our clients. For every item we make, we plant a tree on your behalf.
We’ve chosen projects that mean a lot to us and are ground-breaking in terms of supporting local communities while also reforesting deprived land.
Eden Reforestation is leader in reforestation, working alongside local communities on a global level to create jobs, protect ecosystems and help mitigate climate change. They work with a variety of businesses in a wide range of industries, and they have been instrumental in helping us make our sustainability goals become a reality.
The way Eden operates is to first find a way to connect with the local people that make up a given community. By building strong relationships with local leaders and working hard to come up with innovative solutions to restoring the natural beauty of the area, they can ensure restoration obstacles can easily be overcome.
There is no shortage of fantastic brands out there that are teaming up with Eden Reforestation, from international tech companies to sustainable shipping providers. These are exactly the kind of businesses that deserve plaudits for taking positive climate action, and here is our list of 10 sustainable companies that are planting trees.
These reforestation projects are about much more than the immediate impact of planting trees. Such efforts bring nature back to life in a powerful way, and can revitalise a community that has been adversely affected by the deforestation of their local area, creating new opportunities and restoring some of what was taken away from them.
Planting trees is something we're very familiar with in Roody. We planted more than 155,000 trees in 2021 and we're on course to plant over 100,000 in what's left of 2022. We plant one tree for every item of swag or corporate gift purchased through us, and you can be assured that we always try to source the most sustainable materials we can to create any of the products that we offer.
To find out more about our target to have planted one million trees by 2023, head here.
The science behind planting trees
Planting trees isn't exactly anything new, we totally get that. There is a good (and simple) reason though why it's possibly the most common route for businesses to invest in sustainability projects.
That reason being; it's damn effective.
Not only does planting trees help protect wildlife and provide more green space for a local community, but it makes a tangible difference. Once planted in the ground and given the space and protection they need to grow and live, trees will get working on removing harmful carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.
This process is called carbon sequestering, and is an integral part of ongoing efforts to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases. While there may well come a day where technology advances to the point where we have a means to do this mechanically, nature has gifted us the most effective eco machines that we could have ever dreamed of.
One tree can also provide enough oxygen for about four people, so you can imagine how many people's lives are directly made better by gaining access to clean air when large scale reforestation projects take place. They also help regulate the climate and can keep soil rich in natural nutrients, which is hugely beneficial to any agricultural efforts that take place in the community.
While it has long since been proven that these are some of the crucial things that trees do to help protect our planet, people haven't exactly been overly kind to them over the past number of decades. Deforestation has decimated more than 150 million hectares (an area nearly three times the size of France) of trees since 1990, so you can only imagine the damage this has already done to that layer of protection once offered by natural woodlands and forests.
Another aspect of planting trees that might not be as immediately apparent is the fact they offer so many opportunities for communities themselves to thrive. Not only has research shown that trees can have a positive impact on air quality and provide a new place for people to enjoy nature, but planting and protecting them requires a great deal of collaboration and creates countless new jobs.
Here's to many more trees planted in the future!