Background

According to Tenzin Osel Hita, our founder, our concern is not for the longevity of our planet.  Mother Earth has been around for billions of years.  She is not going anywhere soon.

The question is whether she will be able to continue to provide a supportive environment for our human and other species to thrive.  If we want to keep the Earth as a habitable living planet, we need to take responsibility.

Good quality air and water are both needed by all living things.  There would be no life, certainly as we know it, without air or water.  Yet, due to human short-sightedness and greed, both are in danger.

There are several ways trees positively affect our air and atmosphere.

1. They produce oxygen.  We are dependent on oxygen. Before plant life evolved on earth, there was not enough oxygen in the atmosphere to support terrestrial animal life.
2. They combat climate change by absorbing CO2.  Due to man-made inventions such as cars, factories and power plants, there is an excessive amount of carbon dioxide in the air. Trees remove and store the carbon, then, release oxygen back into the atmosphere.
3. Trees clean the air by acting like giant filters, absorbing odors, and pollutant gases.  They filter particulates out of the air.
4. Trees have a cooling effect wherever they are planted, with special benefits to cities and highways. They can lower energy consumption.

Trees benefit the water and soil:

1. They protect and purify our water sources.
2. They slow rain as it falls to earth, allowing it to soak into the soil.
3. This reduces storm water runoff thus preventing soil from eroding into our waterways and, also, causing landslides.
4. They lessen flooding reducing damage to public and private property.

Beyond the two essentials, trees provide many social and economic benefits.

Where there are trees, there can be parks for children and space for recreations like walking or hiking.

Trees are beautiful.  They are known to have mental and physical health benefits.

They are a source of food, flowers, bark, and other raw materials used by humans.  Plus, they buffer sound.

Humans are not the only ones who depend on trees.  Trees support wildlife. They provide shelter and food to many birds, animals, and insects.  They provide nesting and sleeping places and hideouts from predators.  Biodiversity helps to keep our planet thriving.  Yet, we are losing species at an alarming rate.

Every year, the impact of human-created climate change becomes more evident. Stories of extreme wildfires, storms, droughts, and flooding are increasingly frequent. As we watch this environmental crisis unfold, we know that it does not affect only our generation.  It will impact untold generations to come. While it is true that this global crisis needs to be addressed at all levels of government, our individual actions matter, too.

Ten billion trees are lost each year with human actions being the biggest direct cause of deforestation. This is daunting.  It is easy to feel overwhelmed wondering what to do.

The answer is to start somewhere. PLANT A TREE!  Individuals can make a tangible impact by growing trees themselves or sponsoring the planting of trees.

Every tree you plant is meaningful in the process of repairing the damage that we have caused. Plus, it promotes a healthy relationship between humans and nature.

There has never been a better time to make a positive impact.

A Chinese proverb says “The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second-best time is now.”