We may love comfort and style here at Sozy but we also recognize that with that pleasure comes privilege and it's our responsibility to give something back to the planet we take from. We are proud to partner with One Tree Planted, a nonprofit organization committed to tackling deforestation.
Trees are the life-source and the lungs of our planet. They keep the air clean here on earth, forests provide habitats for a staggering 80% of the world's terrestrial biodiversity, and trees even help to filter the water we drink. Nature helps us in so many ways and we deeply believe in the importance of planting trees around the world to help combat the problems of deforestation.
What is Deforestation and its Effects?
Around 30% of the planet is covered with forest but this percentage is rapidly dropping due to devastating bushfires, the impact of climate change, growing agriculture, big businesses, and illegal logging, and urbanization. Around the world, healthy forests are cut down at an alarming rate to support our modern lifestyle.
The Amazon rainforest in Latin America has lost a whopping 17% as trees are cut down to make way for cattle ranches and soy production plants. The same is happening in Indonesia and Malaysia as areas are chopped for palm oil.
In 2019, the tropics were said to have lost the equivalent of thirty times the space of a football field every second. Then of course, in North America you have the growth of infrastructure and the bushfires equally wreaking havoc on the natural world. We have to make up for this loss.
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The Air We Breathe
Trees and reforestation efforts are incredibly important to the health and longevity of our planet. Trees not only improve our air water biodiversity and help absorb harmful carbon dioxide that we breathe out, but they also help soak up those greenhouse gases that we emit too.
Floods, Deserts, and Food Shortages
Trees also play a vital role in helping prevent natural disasters as they capture rain and prevent problems like landslides and flooding. Both landslides and flooding can lead to an area becoming oversaturated and polluted and also reduce its ability to grow food and keep the water clean. On the opposite end of the spectrum, deforestation reduces rainfall which will only lead to more arid climates and landscapes. Arid landscapes aren't great for producing farmable land and this fact alone can destabilize whole ecosystems.
Habitats and Homes
Even beyond the carbon emissions, the world's forests also have a positive social impact on communities, providing jobs for 1.6 billion people. Not only do we rely on forests for jobs but many global communities also rely on the benefits that trees bring in terms of providing sources of food (nuts, berries, and leaves), along with sustainable tree farming practices providing much-needed timber for shelter and wood for cooking and keeping warm.
The more deforestation takes place, the worse it will get for future generations as more harmful pollutants seep into the atmosphere, the larger our carbon footprint grows, and the more damaged our environment will be. As eighty percent of land animals and plants also live in these woodlands, it's essential that we act now for sustainability so these species can thrive in their natural habitat. We must remember that we share this planet. At Sozy, we recognize and hold space for the idea that we need to find a balance between output and input.
How One Tree Planted Helps
We have chosen to partner with One Tree Planted as we share their mission as mass tree planters. We love their simple ethos of sustainability and for every one dollar, the company plants one tree. We make it part of our initiative to be carbon neutral and to boost global reforestation by contributing part of our profits to planting as many trees as possible.
One Tree Planted is a 501 c 3 charity based in Vermont. They plant trees across the world, from North America to Latin America, Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Pacific. For everyone who donates online, this non-profit then pools donations, while their reforestation partner grows the saplings. When the rainy season hits, the teams get out there and plant trees. They are monitored by volunteer teams to ensure the best effort at tree survival, and reports are sent back with positive impact updates.
Whether you want to plant one tree in British Columbia or a million trees in the Amazon rainforest, One Tree Planted makes it easy to choose the reforestation projects that work for you.
We are proud to be a tree ambassador and to budget for planting as many trees as possible. Keeping our national parks thriving and committing to creating a healthier climate is one of our top priorities as an ethically minded fashion brand. We look forward to re-planting a better world for all.
If you want to spread the word about how to get more trees planted feel free to share this message on Facebook, Instagram, or whatever social media page you prefer. We truly believe that individuals can make a difference when we all come together. If you want to know more about One Tree Planted, check out their website.
What are your thoughts on this reforestation project and what environmental programs do you support? We would love to hear your thoughts on tree planting in the United States and around the world so feel free to share your stories in the comments. Let’s grow together.
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