Your tree making a difference!

One Tree Planted

Many of us are wondering what we can actually do to make a difference regarding climate change. Some of us eat less meat, others don’t fly as often as they used to. Turns out most of us want to do sómething. One Tree Planted is a non-profit organisation focused on global reforestation, making it possible for us to contribute in the smallest possible way. For every dollar you donate, One Tree Planted plants a tree in one of the countries you choose on their website. A fantastic initiative founded by Matt Hill, time to find out more about his mission!

What inspired Matt to start One Tree Planted?

Matt was working in the sustainable packaging industry, trying to motivate businesses that create a lot of waste to use sustainable materials instead in order to have a lower waste and carbon impact for the environment. He had a conversation with a colleague who wanted to do more and suggested that the business plant trees to help restore degraded landscapes for biodiversity. At the time they couldn’t find a simple way for a business to do this at scale, so the colleague said “You should start that!” and the idea for One Tree Planted as a reforestation nonprofit was born. It took a few years to start seeing a real impact on the ground, but now One Tree Planted has developed the systems and partnerships to support reforestation all around the world.

In what way does One Tree Planted contribute to a better planet?

Reforestation is identified as one of the best nature-based solutions to restoring landscapes after deforestation, forest fires, floods, and other disturbances, as well as for sequestering carbon in the long-term to reduce excess CO2 and mitigate the effects of climate change. Planting trees also helps clean the air and water, provide homes for biodiversity, improve health and wellbeing, and have a positive social impact for local communities. Reforestation and other forms of environmental restoration are also intricately linked to all of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, supporting things like reducing hunger and poverty, elevating gender equality, contributing to responsible consumption, climate action, and much more. By supporting reforestation projects in different parts of the world, we offer a simple pro-environment action that just about anyone can get on board with for a very low cost. And through uplifting storytelling, and a genuine benefit for nature and the people we empower near and far, we are showing that it is possible to change the world together.

What are you most proud of?

It’s hard to choose any one project to highlight because they are so diverse, so instead I’ll share that I am proud of how our organization has grown despite many challenges. We work with different countries, different cost structures, environmental challenges, and various constraints every day, but through it all our team has grown into a very connected group of people who are all incredibly dedicated to creating a lasting impact and making sure that we do so responsibly and transparently. That is no small task and we’re very proud of how far we’ve come in just a few years.

Do you have any advice or tips for young entrepeneurs who want to
start a sustainable brand?

Do it for the right reasons and take a clear stand for what you believe in, then make sure that message resonates throughout your entire brand, employees, and partners. Sustainability shouldn’t be pursued because it’s trendy while trying to cut corners in a way that undermines your public mission. Learn everything you can about the issues, make sure your business is really contributing to a solution, constantly try to improve your systems/materials/message, and have a collaborative mindset. The more we all work together towards a vision of a sustainable future, the more we will gain momentum to make that vision a reality.
www.onetreeplanted.org

Shared by Your Souldier
Pics: One Tree Planted
Aug 2020