This past Sunday [July 2, 2017], 1.5 million volunteers joined together and planted over 66 million trees in India. In just 12 hours, the edges of the Narmada river were covered in more than 20 species of saplings. This environmental campaign broke the world record that India set last summer. In July 2016, volunteers planted over 50 million trees in one day.
The campaign’s purpose was to reaffirm India’s commitment to the Paris Agreement. Especially after the U.S. withdrew from the deal last month, demonstrating support for the deal was crucial. India is the world’s third largest producer of carbon emissions. In order to show India’s commitment to sustainability, prime minister Narendra Modi pledged that by 2030, 40% of India’s electricity will come from renewable resources. In addition, Modi pledged to increase its forestland by 5 million hectares by 2030. Since trees absorb carbon dioxide, such tree-planting initiatives could play a significant role in combating climate change.
Not only did this historic event signal India’s commitment to environmental stewardship to the rest of the world, but it also brought communities together. Widespread tree plantings foster empowerment, uniting people of all cultures, ages, and genders. On Sunday, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., volunteers from various parts of the country joined together to fight climate change. Children and the elderly worked side by side to create a greener future, one sapling at a time. India’s initiative serves as a perfect example of the unifying power of trees.
You Plant, We Plant
Are you looking to create a similar impact in your own country or community? Organize a tree-planting event in your town and give back to Mother Earth. ForestNation provides an array of tree species for you to choose from. Plus, for every tree kit that you purchase from ForestNation, we will plant a tree in a developing nation of your choice.
Want to help out from your smartphone or computer? We are so pleased to introduce SEEDS–digital points that you can collect to plant real trees! You’ll receive SEEDS for actions like commenting on ForestNation’s blog posts, sharing our content, taking quizzes, or posting on social media to tell us where you’re planting your trees. Start collecting SEEDS today, and choose where to plant real trees for a better tomorrow. What are you waiting for? Start planting today!
