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4 Reasons To Plant More Trees

Trees are essential for our survival as human beings, but far too few of us are actually concerned with this, and with the rise of deforestation to build new cities and infrastructure, our planet’s lung is slowly dying out. Since the beginning of human civilization, our ancestors and we have cleared about 46% of trees globally.

This is something we should all be more aware of and should do our best to prevent the inevitable. In 2019 alone, we lost about 29 million acres (this is the equivalent of one soccer field worth of trees disappearing every 6 seconds) of trees thanks to deforestation, forest fires, and logging. 

Climate change isn’t helping our case either, and because of the rise temperature and deforestation, our surviving forests are staying smaller and younger, which is not good for our planet. So, without further ado, let’s dive into this blog and learn about some of the reasons why we need to plant more trees. 

1. To combat climate change and purify our air

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Forests are like traps of carbon dioxide and are a way to slow down climate change. They remove carbon from our atmosphere and store it in their trunk and soil. Older trees are also better able to store a larger quantity of carbon dioxide than younger and smaller trees. This is why we need to make an effort to plant new trees and converse older ones at the same time.

Trees are also responsible for the absorption of 1/3 of all global emissions every year, and when they are burnt, all of the pollutants they have gathered are released into the air. In 2019, forests’ loss released an amount of carbon dioxide equal to adding 400 million cars on the road.

2. The homes of millions of species

50% of all animals and plants on Earth live in rainforests, and more than half a million of these species are at risk of extinction. According to recent research, species are dying at a faster rate than we thought they were. More than a quarter of our medicine comes from plants that are found in the rainforest, and these species make up about 40 to 50% of our pharmaceuticals.

Currently, about 3 out of every 4 new infectious diseases in people come directly from animals, and this number is only doomed to increase as we move closer to wildlife habitats and increase contact with these species. But other studies have shown that higher levels of biodiversity actually have a dilution effect on the diseases within the hosts, and this makes the diseases less likely to jump to humans.

3. Trees cool down our streets and cities

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2021 is among the hottest years on record, and 2022 is right on this track. Trees are a natural way to naturally cool down the Earth as it blocks sunlight and provides shade. According to studies, shaded areas can be 11-25°cooler than unshaded places. In laypeople’s terms, this means that trees also reduce the energy used for cooling and heating an area.

If you have only 3 trees around your home, it can reduce your accost up to 30%, and it also provides windbreaks that can save you anywhere from 10 to 50% of the energy needed for heating your home during winter. To help combat the heating effect of concrete in large cities, studies have suggested that these places need at least 40% canopy coverage.

4. They protect against floods and water pollution

Mature trees also protect communities against flash floods and landslides, and this is because trees stabilize the soil and absorb water. They usually absorb between 1500 and 2000 gallons of water per year. This is why a lack of trees can increase the likelihood of floods. They also filter harmful chemicals and pollutants from storm runoff that end up in rivers, streams, and lakes. Nearly 57 million people rely on forests for clean drinking water in the US alone.

Looking for help?

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For all your bushfire risk assessment, environmental, weed, and vegetation management, call Land Management Systems now. Because we need to protect our planet’s lungs and because bushfires are the second cause of forest depletion, the number one being deforestation. Planting trees are a surefire way to protect our mother Earth’s lung and make them stronger.

So for all your bushfire assessment, environmental, weed, and vegetation management needs, Land Management Systems is here to help and provide their extensive experience in the matter. So, what are you waiting for? Give them a call now for all your risk management and consultancy need. They are only one phone call away!

5 Ecological Inventions That Could Save the Planet (Part 2)

5 Ecological Inventions That Could Save the Planet (Part 2)

Faced with the cataclysm announced in Part 1 about the death of our planet, some people decided to work at their level to save the world. They were ecological inventions, innovative and eco-friendly products, good initiatives, etc. The hummingbird effect brought by Pierre Rabhi touches more and more citizens around the world. Here are some initiatives to follow closely, support, or adopt to give a little air to the planet.

1. 100% green boats for maritime transport

The idea comes from the Dutch company Port-Liner who was proposing to make maritime transport greener. To do this, it has developed some 15 electric cargo ships powered by solar and wind energy. Called “Tesla ships“, they are already being used in Amsterdam, Rotterdam, and Antwerp.

The EU has financed a large part of the project, and if the effects are conclusive, this boat could replace the most obsolete cargo ships of various fleets. The performance is promising; on average, this type of green transport could also replace more than 20,000 trucks!

2. Even greener and more sustainable bikes

Ecological Inventions

Bernice Dapaah is a Ghanaian entrepreneur. To meet the needs of her country, she has developed bamboo bicycles, 100% natural, ecological and recyclable. Faced with the growing poverty in Ghana, she wanted to allow everyone a minimum of mobility. But that’s not all. The price of these bamboo bicycles is much lower than those imported. In the end, local activity is favored, and the ecological impact is reduced. 

Awarded many times for her initiative, Bernice Dapaah also encourages the improvement of air quality. Indeed, bamboo generates 30% more oxygen than trees. Moreover, it grows without pesticides.

3. Raw earth bricks instead of concrete

Construction is a highly polluting field. Sometimes, degrowth is a good thing, especially when we use renewable, natural, and robust materials. In the south of France, in Albi, Etienne Gay manufactures raw earth bricks designed by a unique machine in the world.

Not only are raw earth bricks excellent thermal and sound insulators, but they are also recyclable! Low cost, high tech, it is an ancestral building material that could give a little oxygen to the world of construction.

4. Clean up the oceans

Many projects to remove plastic from the oceans are in the experimental phase. But the Lady Landfill Skyscraper, proposed by a Serbian company in 2011, remains one of the most impressive.

It was to implant a recycling center in the ocean. It would be immersed up to 30 m deep to suck up the waste. They would be stored in reserves provided for this purpose before being recycled on the upper level of the building. This would have been a closed-loop project as the remains would have been transformed into energy to run the building. 

Note: In 2021, I tried but could not get any updates on this project. Did it ever take form? If you have the information, please don’t forget to share it in the comment section below.

5. “Making” drinking water

Ecological Inventions

Faced with the drought and the lack of water that threatens to strike humanity, the Italian artist and architect Arturo Vittori has designed a unique solution in the world. The Warka Water allows capturing the humidity of the air to transform it into water. Per day, each structure can then recover nearly 100L of water. It is a real feat to bring water to the most deserted regions of the world.

Warka Water was installed in Ethiopia, Haiti, Cameroon, and Togo. Arturo Vittori did not stop there and proposed other innovative projects in the same countries, namely the Warka Tower, the Warka Garden, etc.

6. Urban farms

To fight against deforestation, urban farms could well see the light of day on a large scale. These are large towers in which the production of fruits and vegetables would be installed. Such an innovation would allow continuous production while preserving forests and bringing food directly to city dwellers, limiting transportation.

The company Refarmed launched in 2016 in Denmark, already offers this type of concept on the roofs of some shopping malls to resell the crops directly in the store! 

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