Skip to main content

If you could...it's Earth Day, and there's trees that need planting

Lined along my driveway are large pots with tiny little trees in them. We're growing them in the hope that they can become strong trees planted where trees are needed.

I know one place that needs trees, and I know a group working to plant them. A billion of them. Would you like to help?

The Atlantic Forest is one of the largest tropical rain forests in the world. However, after decades of clear cutting, expansion, development, and agriculture only seven percent of the original forest remains.

Why are tropical rain forests important to the earth and to people?

Forests regulate the atmosphere and stabilize global climate. They also store carbon dioxide and release oxygen. One billion people depend directly on the rain forest. In addition to the lifegiving attributes for the entire world, such as water, medicine, and oxygen, rain forests also provide livelihoods and even hydro energy.

It's also home to one of the most diverse collections of plant and animal species.: 23 species of primates, 1,000 species of birds, and over 20,000 species of plants.

What is being done to preserve and restore this essential tropical rain forest?

The Nature Conservancy launched Plant A Billion, which intends to, with partners, plant one billion trees and restore 2.5 million acres of the forest. They hope to accomplish this within seven years.

How will this help?

The Nature Conservancy says that once they've planted the new trees and restored the forest, it should remove 10 million tons of carbon dioxide from the air every year, which is the equivalent of taking two million cars off the road.

They also plan to protect 10 watersheds, provide hydro power to 70 million people, create 20,000 direct jobs and 70,000 indirect jobs.

What can you do?

I joined this initiative by starting a campaign. I hope you'll join in! My goal is $250 for 250 trees. The money goes directly to the Plant a Billion and Nature Conservancy, but we can track it if you click through the widget here:

One dollar, one tree, one planet.

Thank you!

P.S. Post below this one, too. With Hump Day Hmm topic...about truth and lies.

Copyright 2008 Julie Pippert
Also blogging at:
Julie Pippert REVIEWS: Get a real opinion about BOOKS, MUSIC and MORE
Julie Pippert RECOMMENDS: A real opinion about HELPFUL and TIME-SAVING products
Moms Speak Up: Talking about the environment, dangerous imports, health care, food safety, media and marketing, education, politics and many other hot topics of concern.
MOMocrats

Comments

Woman in a Window said…
What great ventures you're involved with! We're planting locally this year...in our yard! Nothing like a tree to make me happy. You might like my post today about maple tapping. Trees are most definitely a part of our day to day...
Magpie said…
I like your campaign so much that I bought 10 trees!
Madge said…
i love this. i'm in - clicking now.
Robert said…
If you buy a new computer directly from Dell, you can give money to plant a tree, and you can recycle your old one.

One request: if you're planting trees, don't plant pines. They are terrible in hurricane season, since they snap like twigs once they reach a certain height. That's my little plug. I've helped remove too many of them to ever encourage someone to plant them in their own yards.
Julie Pippert said…
Madge and Magpie, a billion thanks! Remember to keep the receipt for taxes!

Robert, you can count on me to xeriscape.

WiW...I have a conference call then am going to try to visit blogs. I haven't been out and about in a week it seems like!
Christine said…
oh julie, this is why i love you, so.
Gwen said…
Julie, this is a great idea. One of the kindest things anyone did for me after my father died was to plant trees in his name. I loved that gift so much and have passed it onto others since.
Kyla said…
What a great idea!

Popular posts from this blog

A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Quorum

After being confronted with written evidence, Julie admits that she is a total attention whore. In some things, in some ways, sometimes I look outward for validation of my worth and existence. I admit it. It's my weak spot, my vanity spot . If you say I am clever, comment on a post, offer me an award, mention me on your blog, reply to a comment I left on your blog, or in any way flatter me as a writer...I am hopelessly, slavishly devoted to you. I will probably even add you to my blogroll just so everyone can see the list of all the cool kids who actually like me . The girl, she knows she is vain in this regard , but after much vanity discussion and navel-gazing , she has decided to love herself anyway, as she is (ironically) and will keep searching for (1) internal validation and (2) her first person . Until I reach a better point of self-actualization, though, may I just say that this week you people have been better than prozac and chocolate (together, with a side of white choc...

In defense of vanity...I think

Do you have one of those issues where you argue with yourself? Where you just aren't sure what you actually think because there are so many messages and opinions on the topic around you? I have more than one like this. However, there is one topic that has been struggling to the top of my mind recently: vanity and perceived vanity. Can vanity be a good thing? Vanity has historically been truly reviled. Vanity is number seven of the Seven Deadly Sins. It's the doppleganger of number seven on the Seven Holy Virtues list: humility. There are many moralistic tales of how vanity makes you evil and brings about a spectacular downfall. Consider the lady who bathed in the blood of virgins to maintain her youth. Google Borgia+vanity and find plenty. The Brothers Grimm and Disney got in on the act too. The Disney message seems to be: the truly beautiful don't need to be vain. They are just naturally eye-catchingly gorgeous. And they are all gorgeous. Show me the Reubenesque Princess. ...

NEW and UNDISCOVERED BLOGGERS: I'll link you!

** Hey please come vote for this at SK*RT to get the word out! ** You know what? There are new bloggers out there. I know! NEWBIES. What's more...there are undiscovered bloggers, untapped wells of talent. But we don't know about you. I know, some people are shy, not really joiner types, don't prefer blog blasts or carnivals and so forth. So tell you what: I'll try to create a link list with some regularity. All you have to do is comment and let me know how to find you (aka paste in your link). Write a brief description of your blog, you know a couple of sentences a la "Hi I'm a mommyblogger from Detroit and I have two preschoolers who are very loud and creative, all funny stories on my blog!" or "I'm so deep I make Julie look shallow. If you wish you could have hung with Plato, come by my blog." or "I'm a guy who likes to talk about motorcycles." or "My blog is all about space exploration." And I'll link you. I...