Sustainable Development Goals
On September 25th 2015, countries in the United Nations adopted a set of goals to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. Each goal has specific targets to be achieved over the next 15 years. We designed a blog series to demonstrate that Planting Trees and Growing Forests serves as a unique and innovative strategy to achieve each of the 17 sustainable development goals. When you get people to grow trees with our tree kits and pant matching trees in developing countries you are helping us transform our world for the better.
1. No Poverty
Trees create economic opportunities. Fruit harvested from orchards can provide community members with a stable income. Conservation and reforestation projects can boost local economies while empowering individuals.
2. Zero Hunger
Trees provide nutritious foods, including fruits and nuts. Trees can provide food not only to rural communities, but also help solve problems of urban hunger and food insecurity.
3. Good Health and Well-Being
Trees contribute to our health and well-being in a number of ways. They absorb odors and pollutant gases and can reduce rates of asthma due to improved air quality. Studies have found that trees reduce stress and obesity rates, and can even help us heal from illnesses faster.
4. Quality Education
Trees create economic opportunities. Fruit harvested from orchards can provide community members with a stable income. Conservation and reforestation projects can boost local economies while empowering individuals.
5. Gender Equality
There is a direct correlation with hunger and gender inequalities. Empowering women to gain access to food, be providers, and lead their families has had a major impact on food access and ability to change financial situations. Involving women in tree-planting can thus empower them to support themselves and their families.
6. Clean Water and Sanitation
Soils eroded by storm water runoff transfer excess sediment to streams and pollute our water. But forests can help clean. Trees and other forest vegetation intercept rain water, slow its movement and prevent it from eroding soils. Trees help filter rain water and recharge groundwater.
7. Affordable and Clean Energy
Exciting new technologies are being created to develop clean and affordable energy through trees. One such invention captures energy generated by plants through photosynthesis. Another interesting technology is the conversion of wood chips to biofuel.
8. Decent Work and Economic growth
Several case studies have found that tree planting projects boost economic growth. Urban forestry and urban wood reuse programs can support the local economy and create jobs.
9. Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure
Trees create economic opportunities. Fruit harvested from orchards can provide community members with a stable income. Conservation and reforestation projects can boost local economies while empowering individuals.
10. Reduced Inequalities
Research shows that wealthier neighborhoods have more tree coverage than poorer neighborhoods. It’s not necessarily that trees can reduce income inequality, but they can certainly raise people’s quality of life. Planting trees in poorer neighborhoods could play a role in reducing inequalities
11. Sustainable Cities and Communities
Urban trees play a huge role in cleaning the air, absorbing carbon dioxide, and thus mitigating climate change. The shade that trees provide also reduces air conditioning needs and thus saves energy costs.
12. Responsible Consumption and Production
Trees conserve energy by cutting need for energy for cooling homes. Three trees placed strategically around a single-family home can cut summer air conditioning needs by up to 50 percent. Trees are also an integral part of production agriculture as they improve crop yields and preserve topsoil for future abundant harvests.
10. Climate Action
Trees help mitigate climate change by storing carbon and releasing oxygen into the air. They filter and clean the air we breathe and help prevent water pollution.
14. Life Below Water
Trees reduce runoff by breaking rainfall thus allowing the water to flow down the trunk and into the earth below the tree. This prevents stormwater from carrying pollutants to the ocean, and harming fish, turtles, and other aquatic animals.
15. Life On Land
Trees provide a canopy and habitat for wildlife. They also provide shade and cool communities and environments. Trees shield us from UV rays and help keep us safe.
16. Peace, Justice, And Strong Institutions
Trees tend to be negatively correlated with violence; more barren neighborhoods are shown to have higher rates of violence. Organizations like ForestNation & Plant for Peace use tree plantings as a way to create a better tomorrow. They bring people together by planting trees in developing countries and post-conflict territories around the world.
17. Partnership For The Goals
Tree plantings provide an opportunity for community involvement and empowerment that improves the quality of life in our neighborhoods. All cultures, ages, and genders have an important role to play at a tree planting or tree care event.
The MasterCard program with the Tree Kits was perfect. The message about social responsibility and eco consciousness was a strong tie into the credit union giving back to Earth. The promotion experienced a 15% sales lift in registrations which exceeded their expectations.
David Poger
Growing our own trees at work reminds us everyday to think about our impact on the environment and how we can take little steps to improve it. We believe the ForestNation program will help to reinforce general awareness of social responsibility and the positive effect it has on each individual actively adopting these principles.
Jeroen Buijs
At TD Bank, we are committed to making our world a little healthier and greener for the next generation. While working with ForestNation, we were able to provide our customers with trees to plant at home, while supporting vital tree plantings around the world.
