Tree planting 'has mind-blowing potential' to tackle climate crisis

[Cetacea]

"But tree planting is “a climate change solution that doesn’t require President Trump to immediately start believing in climate change, or scientists to come up with technological solutions to draw carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere”, Crowther said. “It is available now, it is the cheapest one possible and every one of us can get involved.” Individuals could make a tangible impact by growing trees themselves, donating to forest restoration organisations and avoiding irresponsible companies, he added.

Other scientists agree that carbon will need to be removed from the atmosphere to avoid catastrophic climate impacts and have warned that technological solutions will not work on the vast scale needed.

Jean-François Bastin, also at ETH Zürich, said action was urgently required: “Governments must now factor [tree restoration] into their national strategies.”


[link:https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/jul/04/planting-billions-trees-best-tackle-climate-crisis-scientists-canopy-emissions|

[hlthe2b]

1. I could get behind a movement to do this!

Johnny Appleseed had it right...

[Demovictory9]

15. me too! I love trees

[Casandia]

2. We watched "Ice on Fire" on the 4th of July - you can stream it for free right now

Here's an excerpt of what the movie is about:


Produced by Oscar-winner Leonardo DiCaprio, George DiCaprio and Mathew Schmid and directed by Leila Conners, Ice on Fire is an eye-opening documentary that focuses on many never-before-seen solutions designed to slow down our escalating environmental crisis. The film goes beyond the current climate change narrative and offers hope that we can actually stave off the worst effects of global warming.


[link:https://www.hbo.com/documentaries/ice-on-fire|


I now have some hope that we may survive if we act quickly enough. So many wonderful people around the world trying to reverse the climate catastrophe!

[pazzyanne]

5. Contrary to the tRump administration's stand, scientific research is necessary

for this planet's survival. I have an acre and a half lot for my home, and almost half of that lot is planted in trees and bushes that provide food for me and for wildlife. I also have a fairly good sized garden with a water feature. My yard is registered as a wildlife habitat. More information at:

https://www.doityourself.com/stry/how-to-get-your-yard-certified-as-a-wildlife-habitat

[infinite_wisdom]

7. Maybe

but probably not.

It’s a race against time and we are losing and it ain’t even a close race. The highest year for carbon emissions in human history was last year. The warmest June on record was last month.

Humans will survive but the state of things is going to be very messy. The chaos caused by Trump will look like smooth sailing in comparison.

Look at what a few million refugees did to European politics. Now try a few hundred million refugees and let’s see what happens, see how many people call upon their inner fascist.

Then when the resources start to diminish for real, not just here and there for a few things, let’s see how people react and who they blame.

[Sherman A1]

3. K&R

[JustAnotherGen]

4. Did our part this year

Had to take down a widow maker so we back filled with two cherry trees and an Apple tree.

[pazzyanne]

6. Great choices!

CO2 improvement and food for you and your wildlife. (squirrels, bunnies, and bird do count as wildlife!)

[spinbaby]

8. The rain forest needs to be brought back

And countries that have rain forest need to stop cutting it. If you travel to countries like Belize, you can see that in areas where the forest has been cut for agriculture and then abandoned, the rain forest does not come back. It turns into scrub and is often heavily eroded.

[Mc Mike]

9. Excellent. Easy, eloquent action, within reach of billions of people to achieve. Hopeful.

[mopinko]

10. news from the dept of duh.

i remember being pissed off at bill clinton and al gore for not getting americorp out there planting trees.

[Blues Heron]

11. Why are CO2 levels actually dropping right now you ask?

It's summer in the northern hempisphere and TREES are doing their thing, taking in CO2 and kicking out oxygen. Until the leaves come off in the fall, and CO2 will rise even higher than it was this spring. So get out there and - stop eating meat, and plant a tree.

Stop eating meat. it's one of the main forces for deforestation out there. Cutting trees for cattle and soy.

[customerserviceguy]

18. Would you feel better

if deforestation was taking place for veggie burgers?

The problem is not meat, the problem is deforestation.

You hug your tree, I'll hug my steak!

[Blues Heron]

19. your steak comes with a carbon footprint a mile wide

veggie burger, maybe a yard wide. There's really no comparison. Meat eating is one of the primary causes of deforestation in South America. It is what it is. Stop eating meat and your personal carbon footprint goes down. So go ahead and hug your steak, but maybe cut back a little?

[customerserviceguy]

20. Yes, I call them "grill marks" n/t

[bucolic_frolic]

12. Longer growing seasons from higher temperatures are helping too

I believe my trees are growing 3-4% faster than in the 1980s. I manage a woodlot, these are things on my radar.

[Aviation Pro]

13. Also...

...asphalt removal.

[DinahMoeHum]

14. Oh, hell, Africa's Green Belt Movement, based in Kenya. . .

. . .has been doing this since 1977.

Founded by the late Nobel Peace Prize laureate Wangari Maathai.

http://www.greenbeltmovement.org/

[CousinIT]

16. Meanwhile, humans are mowing down rainforests at the rate of a football field per MINUTE. n/t

[Jarqui]

17. Trump might be good for funding rakes (as long as there is a kickback)!!

Had a wonderful visionary science teacher in the 60s-early 70s who was concerned for the planet. One of the books that got us fired up was "Limits for Growth". It has since been updated. It looks at the limit of the planet to sustain life as we know it from a different angle than climate change - population growth.

This science teacher organized growing tree seedlings, getting property to plant them on and bused student volunteers to plant fields of trees. It was wonderful, healthy, educational and rewarding work. I saw no arm twisting to get students out. I think that was the kind of busing both Kamala & Joe would readily embrace - even back then. I bet every one of those kids today would still be proud of that work.

Maybe this is something that could fit in with Pete's call for national service. Students don't have to fight the NRA to get some good done for the world.