Believe it or not - working as a photographer has an impact on the environment.
I use electronic devices to get my work done which took resources and energy to produce. And I'm constantly online, so there are a lot of servers running worldwide which consume energy to support the possibility of having constant access to all online data and software I use.
There are a lot more small things I do on a daily base to keep my impact on the environment as low as possible. But I still have an impact and I want to compensate for that.
Donating trees
So I decided to partner up with One Tree Planted, a reforestation organization active all around the world, but especially in areas that are struggling with environmental changes and social challenges.
I do realize this is just one little step, but I believe that every little step is a step worth taking. My goal is to set an example and to grow consciousness. And I hope that other companies and individuals follow my example.
One Tree Planted is a non-profit organization focused on global reforestation. They work together with different local reforestation organizations and companies around the world in their quest to plant trees.
Planting trees
I also participated in the international tree planting day and volunteered to plant trees together with the One Tree Planted team. And I partnered up with other organizations in the past to plant trees as well.
Why trees?
Trees clean the air we breathe, filter the water we drink and they are the habitat of over 80% of the world’s terrestrial biodiversity. Furthermore, forests provide jobs to a huge amount of people and clear out harmful carbon from the atmosphere. Capable of taking in a large amount of carbon, forests play a huge role in minimizing climate change. Globally, the protection, restoration and proper management of the tropical forests alone could provide 23% of the reduction that’s required to limit global warming to 2%.
It's more than just reducing your carbon footprint
By donating trees to different causes around the world you could also have an impact on
Cleaning water in Brazil
Protecting biodiversity in Indonesia
Empowering woman in Rwanda
Fight back at forest fires
How it works
This program wants to protect the biodiversity of the forests and assure the future generations get the same opportunity to adventure and explore like we have done for so many decades.
As such, One Tree Planted combines all the donations for each project and sends the funds to their reforestation partners. Depending on the project, the best tree species are chosen to plant, after which local communities get them in the ground. Planting typically happens in the rainy season when the soil is wet and provides optimal conditions for tree survival.
After the planting process is done, their partners are responsible for the maintenance. One Tree Planted provides regular updates in the form of photos and impact reports.
Together, we can have an impact on the sustainability of our forests
The goal of this blog post and my tree planting commitment is not to get more sympathy or to brag about how good I am for the environment.
I want to inspire other companies to join me in this movement. We are all in this together, and only together we can make a difference. Together we can set an example.
Do not hesitate to contact me if you are looking for more info about how to donate trees with your own company or brand. Happy to help!