Plant a Tree for Life .................................................... The Importance of Trees .................................................... South Africa's Plant a Million Trees Campaign .................................................... Billion Tree Campaign .................................................... Plant a Tree for Life .................................................... Arbour Week .................................................... Trees of the Year .................................................... Origins of Arbour Day .................................................... Mission Green Earth .................................................... Measure Your Carbon Footprint .................................................... How to Plant a Tree .................................................... Home .................................................... Reduce .................................................... Reuse .................................................... About Greenworks .................................................... Recycle .................................................... Respect & Responsibility .................................................... Global Warming .................................................... Green Tip of the Week .................................................... Watch Your Waste .................................................... Compost .................................................... Get SASSI .................................................... Litter .................................................... Products .................................................... Contact Us .................................................... Daily Checklist .................................................... Your Carbon Footprint .................................................... Environmental Calendar .................................................... Plant a Tree for Life .................................................... Campaigns .................................................... Earth Hour .................................................... Earth Day .................................................... World Environment Day .................................................... World Ocean Day .................................................... Arbour Day .................................................... Christmas .................................................... Mission Green Earth .................................................... |
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The Importance of Trees Trees absorb carbon dioxide and turn it into oxygen. The natural carbon dioxide cycle keeps a balance in the amount of CO2 in our atmosphere. But our actions and behaviours cause changes which upset this natural balance. The creation of too many greenhouse gases causes an imbalance with heat being trapped in the Earth's atmosphere, increasing the overall average temperature resulting in global warming. We produce excessive amount of carbon dioxide by burning coal and petrol (referred to as 'fossil fuels' or fossil energy) in our power plants, factories and cars. The destruction of rainforests and cutting down of other forests also affects the balancing act. By destroying Earth's natural forestation we threaten our existence. It is said that it takes 16 trees to supply the oxygen for one person's life. Planting trees is one of the most cost-effective ways offsetting our carbon emissions, as well as beautifying an area. Trees play a vital role in rural and urban populations. They are needed to enrich and anchor soil, to maximise water supplies, to beautify and humanise townships and urban areas and to provide shade and shelter. They are also crucial for biodiversity conservation. Products and services from trees include food, timber, fibre, medicines and energy. South Africa's Plant a Million Tree Campaign Arbour Week sees the start of this year's Plant a Million Trees Campaign, an initia- tive launched by President Thabo Mbeki and Water Affairs and Forestry Minister Lindiwe Hendricks last year. Over 680 000 trees have been planted since the campaign was launched, with Mpumalanga having planted the most trees to date. South Africa aims to plant more than one million trees throughout the country every year. The project was launched in 2007 by former President Thabo Mbeki and Water Affairs and Forestry Minister Lindiwe Hendricks as part of a UN programme to encourage all countries to plant more than a billion trees a year. Billion Tree Campaign The Billion Tree Campaign was launched by the United Nations Environment Programme and the World Agro-forestry Centre in 2006 in response to the threat of global warming. The campaign planted two billion trees in 18 months, with the target being raised to seven billion trees this year. Ethiopia planted the most trees with a count of 700 million, followed by Turkey with 400 million, Mexico with 250 million, and Kenya with 100 million. Over half of all tree plantings took place in Africa. Patrons of this campaign are Nobel Peace Prize Laureate and Kenyan Green Belt Movement founder Wangari Maathai and Prince Albert II of Monaco. The UN Environment Programme is calling on individuals, communities, business and industry, civil society organisations and governments to evolve this initiative on to a new and even higher level. Plant a Tree For Life with Greenworks We are engaged with tree planting organisations to do the physical planting of trees. Purchase a tree. Greenworks will make the arrangements for a tree to be planted on your behalf. Your purchase of one or more trees assists in offsetting your carbon emissions and in greening South Africa. You will receive a Plant a Tree for Life certificate electronically. Planting a tree in someone's name is also a great gift! The cost per Tree is R50. Click here to purchase your Tree and include the following information in the body of the email or fax the information to 086 531 6340. • Name and contact details including an email address. • Name to appear on the certificate and email address of recipient. • If you'd like to add in something such as: On the occasion of/In celebration of ........... information you'd like to include if giving a gift. For example your birthday, your birth, your promotion, our friendship) • Confirmation of Payment (Please use your name as the reference when making the EFT and provide this reference on the email or fax) Payment can be made via EFT to Greenworks Nedbank Account # 1686100795 Branch code 168642 Arbour Week Yearly, from 1 to 7 September schools, organisations and businesses participate in community "greening" events to improve the health and beauty of the local environment and develop a green future for South Africa. Events are held around the country highlighting the benefits of planting and conserving trees to offset carbon emissions and for greening to improve the quality of life and uplift the environment, and communities. The Chief Directorate of the Department of Water Affairs and Forestry is responsible for the National Arbour Week campaign, as forests form an important part of South Africa's natural resource base and make a significant contribution to the economy. In South Africa, Arbour Day was first celebrated in 1983. In 1999, the celebration of Arbour Day was extended to National Arbour Week. Trees of the Year Every Arbour Week celebration highlights two or three specific trees, one common and one rare species. In 2008 the trees being highlighted are: Common: Wild Plum or Wildepruim (Harpephyllum caffrum) Rare: Bladder-nut or Swartbas (Diospyros whyteana) and Bell Bean Tree or Klokkiesboontjieboom (Markhamia zanzibarica) In 2009 the trees being highlighted are: Common: Monkey Thorn or Apiesdoring (Acacia galpinii) Rare: Tree Fuchsia or Notsung (Halleria lucida) and Round-leaved Teak or Dopperkiaat (Pterocarpus rotundifolius) In 2010 the trees being highlighted are: Common: Fever Tree or Koorsboom (Acacia xanthophloea) Rare: Cape Gardenia or Kaapse Katjiepiering (Rothmania capensis) Bell Gardenia or Klokkieskatjiepiering (R.globosa) Tonga-kerrie or Tongakierie (Cladostemom kirkii) For more information on the trees click here The Origins of Arbour Day Arbour Day originated in Nebraska, United States of America. Mr J Sterling Morton, a newcomer to the treeless plains of Nebraska, persuaded the local agricultural board to set aside a day for planting trees. As editor of Nebraska's first newspaper, he encouraged participation in the event by publishing articles on the value of trees for soil protection, fruit and shade and building. On April 10 1872, the first official Arbour Day, the people of Nebraska planted one million trees. Mission Green Earth Global warming is no longer somebody else's problem. It has not just touched us, but has left deep scars in the form of natural calamities such as Tsunami, hurricanes, disturbing climatic changes, and polar ice and glacier melts. Mission Green Earth is a global campaign by The Art of Living Foundation which aims to plant 100 million trees by July 2009. But planting trees on its own is not enough. We need to come together as a nation and prove that we can and will take collective action to halt the devastation to our planet. South Africa has a heritage of solidarity. Mass movements for social change have taken shape on our soil. Let Mission Green Earth be the statement that we make as a nation that we can and will make a difference. Let it be the catalyst for us to go down in history as the Green Generation. For more information visit www.artofliving.org.za/green and be part of the Green Generation. Your Carbon Footprint Find out what your carbon footprint is : Measure your Carbon Footprint Your carbon footprint is your personal measure of how much carbon dioxide you create. As trees grow they absorb and store carbon that would otherwise be emitted into the atmosphere. This process is known as carbon sequestration. It is estimated that every 5 or 6 new trees planted, that live for 50-100 years, offsets 1 ton of carbon dioxide. Different trees absorb different amounts of CO2, with older trees offsetting greater amounts of CO2 (greenhouse gases) than newer trees. Planting trees is one way of reducing your impact; however it's not the total solution. It's essential to take other steps to reduce your emissions in addition to offsetting them. Take a look through this website www.greenworks.co.za to see what steps you can take to reduce your carbon footprint. How to Plant a Tree • Dig a hole, 1/2 metre wide x 1/2 metre wide, square in shape. • Separate the top soil (darker soil) from the bottom lighter soil. • Put the dark topsoil into the bottom of the hole. • Remove the tree from its container or plastic bag. • Place the tree into the hole. The tree base should be below the ground level. • Plant either a pipe at an angle, or use a 2 litre plastic colddrink bottle with holes cut in the bottom of the bottle, next to the roots of the tree, with the top of the pipe or plastic bottle sticking out of the ground. • Mix a small amount of compost into the lighter soil, and pack it into the hole. • Measure one spade length space around the tree. • Remove all the grass and weeds from this space. • Water the tree. • Add a 10 cm layer of mulch (leaves, straw, or strips of newspaper), around the tree but not touching the tree. • Once a week, water the tree through the pipe or water funnel. This sends the water directly to the roots (and prevents wasting water) • Put the lid onto the bottle to prevent the water evaporating. • After the 1st year, water the tree only when the soil is dry. • Dig a straight wooden stake or stick next to the tree. Using something soft - like a stocking or piece of fabric - tie the tree to the stake to assist the tree in growing straight. • Love and enjoy your tree! |
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