News Release

17th September

YOU NEED TO PLANT OVER 200 TREES

Everyone is talking about energy and carbon offset, but what does it all mean – in real terms – and what can you really do about it? Feed the Children UK now has answers to both of these questions.

By taking Feed the Children’s simple carbon footprint questionnaire you find out roughly how many trees it takes to eliminate your use of fossil fuel based energy like gas, electricity and oil. The stark reality is that most families need to plant more than 200 trees to offset their carbon footprint – and that’s if they have a standard family car and don’t go abroad on holiday by aeroplane! We produce 6 to 7 tonnes of carbon per family and each tree can convert up to 29 kilos of carbon dioxide each year in to oxygen. The maths is more complicated than that, but the implication is clear – plant more trees!

“Trees are essential for the planet’s well-being turning carbon dioxide into oxygen,” explains Brian Main, chief executive of Feed The Children. “As most of us can’t plant 200 or more trees in our own garden, we have a solution that helps us reduce our carbon footprint whilst giving life saving resources to others.”

“Some 80% of rural Africans depend on wood for fuel, but in some parts of Africa, trees are becoming scarce due to nomadic habits and pressures of growth,” adds Kim Tame, the charity’s marketing executive. “Our Saplings project educates children in these areas on the importance of trees for their future and gives them trees to look after and cultivate, underlining the message to the whole community.”

Typically, a child will be given two saplings – either a fruit tree or one with medicinal properties and another, fast growing tree for cutting for firewood. Fruit trees include mango and tangerine, whilst trees with medicinal use can be neem or jatropha. The children learn through songs and poems and take home a simple and powerful message: if you cut down a tree, plant two more!

The Feed The Children project provides saplings, tools, fertiliser and a visit from a training officer. The ultimate benefit of the tree can give triple benefits – fruit to supplement nutrition, wood for fuel and horticultural skills to build confidence.

To fund the project and create greater awareness, the charity is selling special Saplings ribbons at £1 each.  Each ribbon represents a sapling.  The ribbons are green (for leaves) and brown (for roots), so people can visibly show their support. Alternatively, you can simply donate on-line.

“By wearing the ribbon, people are bound to ask what it is for and this gives the wearer the opportunity to explain the Saplings project and its importance leading to greater awareness and recruitment to the campaign,” adds Brian. “As trees are a global resource, it also helps the global environment and therefore is helpful for all of us.”

For more information contact Feed The Children on 0118 932 0095 or visit www.feedthechildren.org.uk.