The importance of trees

We wouldn’t be able to survive on this planet without trees and forests. They basically breathe for the earth, absorbing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and producing the oxygen we need.

Besides being magnificently beautiful, trees play a huge role in our lives. They help stop climate change by removing carbon dioxide from the air, storing it, and releasing oxygen into the atmosphere. Trees also moderate climate by providing shade, regulate temperature extremes, increase wildlife habitat, and provide key ingredients for medicines.

Some important benefits of trees:

• They clean the air we breathe, filter the water we drink and provide home for more than 80% of the planet's terrestrial biodiversity
• They provide food and a lot of ingredients for medicines
• Regulate heat and give us shade, protecting us from ultraviolet rays
• Forests generate work for more than 1.6 billion people
• Planting trees reduces stress and anxiety. It is also a comforting activity that connects us to nature and a beautiful legacy for future generations

One big problem: Deforestation

Deforestation is the permanent removal of trees, a process caused by human action in which the forest area is destroyed or depleted, usually with the aim of targeting the soil for another activity. This can include clearing the land for agriculture or grazing, or using the timber for fuel, construction or manufacturing.

The destruction of forest habitat is the leading cause of extinction on the planet. On top of that, the capacity of forests to pull greenhouse gases from the atmosphere is lost as forests are cut. Forest loss contributes about 15-20% of all annual greenhouse gas emissions.

According to the World Wildlife Fund, forests cover more than 30% of the Earth's land surface.

So, how do we stop deforestation?

A few things we can do to contribute to the efforts against deforestation are:

• Plant a tree
• Go paperless at home and in the office. When needed, use recycled paper
• Buy recycled products and then recycle them again
• Buy certified wood products
• Support the products of companies that are committed to reducing deforestation
• Reduce our carbon footprint by using more of public transportation or cycling, regulating the thermostat in our house (a few degrees will make a big difference), turning off the lights and electronics when not in use and carrying reusable bags instead of the plastic ones

Let's learn a little bit more... 

The opposite of deforestation would be reforestation, which is the restoration process of the destroyed or damaged forests. Trees are planted in that particular destroyed area of forests to recover the loss of nature. Reforestation is necessary to keep the fertility of the soil and recovering biodiversity.

That's why we plant trees!

We as a brand, and a community, do our best to give back to nature, that’s why we teamed up with OneTreePlanted and Trees for the Future, both non-profit organizations with the mission to simplify the task of helping the environment by planting trees. Their projects span the globe and are carried out in partnership with local communities and experts to create an impact for nature, people and wildlife. Reforestation helps rebuild forests after fires and floods, creates jobs with social impact, and restores biodiversity. Many projects have overlapping objectives, creating a combination of benefits that contribute to the UN Sustainable Development Goals.