The benefits of planting trees for the environment
In the year 2021, the impacts of climate change are real. From unexpected, extraordinary heat waves to record numbers of wildfire events, we have felt the effects of climate change from all around the world. In 2020, record amounts of CO2 were found in the atmosphere, estimated at around 417 parts/million.
Unfortunately, each year we are seeing record levels. While the lockdown resulted in a small decrease in CO2 emissions in the atmosphere, it hardly made a dent in the overall yearly fluctuations. There is still dire need for change. Panda7 is dedicated to giving back to our environment and contribute to the fight against climate change. How? By planting trees.
How Does Planting Trees Mitigate Climate Change?
It can’t be that simple, can it? Well, no – not entirely. We need to do more in our daily lives to seriously turn the tides of the climate crisis, but planting trees – especially on the scale that Panda7 hopes to do it – is a great start. The premise is this: we may be able to significantly reduce the severity of the climate change crisis by planting millions of trees which, as part of their natural process, would remove excess carbon from our atmosphere and produce clean oxygen for us to breathe.
Is it viable? In theory, it might be. Earth’s restoration potential is huge and could support a whopping additional 25% more forested area. This, in turn, could slash the atmosphere carbon percentages immensely. Experts admit that this is not a cure for carbon emissions and the climate change crisis, but it could have significant impact regardless.
Planting Trees May Be the “Economical” Solution
Renewable energy is certainly trending among environmentalists for its potential to slash the usage of fossil fuels and reduce our overall carbon footprint, but it may come at a cost. Because renewable energy is not yet “commonplace” it can be a more expensive alternative that many people are not willing to pay up for just yet.
However, planting trees is cheap. We have the materials and knowhow available, and it can bring communities together to do. Moreover, planting trees is a job that can be offered out to folk who are looking for work. By contributing to forest restoration, they can make some money, and give back a little by making a tangible impact.
The downside is this: for some trees, it may take 50-100 years for them to reach full maturity, i.e full carbon dioxide reduction potential. This just means we should act sooner! The quicker we start to build a forest, the sooner we may make an impact in the fight against climate change and the sooner we will start to experience the benefits of cleaner air, water, and healthy ecosystems.
Collective Movement May Encourage a Community-Mindset
Planting one tree won’t do much. It is daunting to think about, but it might require millions or more trees to make a significant impact in the fight against climate change. This process cannot happen overnight, and it certainly cannot happen with just a single person. Instead, we can employ our communities – local or otherwise – to join the battle against climate change and help us to grow a forest in order to reduce CO2 emissions and bring about cleaner air for everyone.
There is power in community. Panda7 believes that we foster a community mindset when we look to our happy customers who are requesting quotes and purchasing home, renter, and auto insurance with us. When everyone works together in unison, our actions work towards huge impact on our environment and promote lasting change for years to come.
Trees are One Part of the Solution to the Climate Crisis
We know that trees benefit our environment. They remove some of the excess CO2 in the atmosphere and, through the process of photosynthesis, produce clean oxygen for us to breathe. Of course, they are just one part of the solution. Panda7 encourages its happy customers to join the battle against climate change by requesting a quote with us or – if you are satisfied with what you see – purchase a policy for triple the effect. For every quote received, we will plant a tree. For every policy purchased, we will plant three! Thousands of our users have already joined our cause. Still, there’s still more work to be done.
We can make changes every day by choosing green. This may include swapping to reusables instead of single-use items, eating less meat, or starting up a compost pile to reduce the amount of organic matter going into landfills. Climate change may seem like an insurmountable battle, but with small steps every day we can collectively make a huge impact overall! By making these changes, you may even encourage those around you to do the same.
See Panda7’s Giveback page for more information on how we have partnered with Brynk.eco to plant trees for every quote received, and triple for every policy purchased. Join our cause and see our pledge to plant 1,000,000 by 2030!
