The Planet Needs More Trees

Everywhere we look, we always seem to hear about how planting trees will protect our planet and reverse climate change. Corporations and governments from all over the world have committed to plant trees to offset their carbon emissions. Sounds simple, but will it be enough?

Forests, such as the Amazon Rainforest, are some of the largest carbon sinks. The vegetation is responsible for storing large amounts of the atmosphere’s carbon, while also providing a home for many kinds of species. Even though these areas are vital to reducing the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and climate change mitigation, they are facing drastic rates of destruction and degradation.

Every six seconds, one football field’s worth of tropical rainforest is lost due to human-induced deforestation. Millions of years’ worth of evolution and growth can be burned down and destroyed in a matter of seconds. Deforestation is actually one of the biggest sources of excess carbon dioxide, because as trees are cut down or burned, their stored carbon is released into the air.

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