As consumers, and humans, it is becoming increasingly common to see 'Carbon Offsetting' or 'Plant a Tree for $1' online and offline. As environmental awareness and climate change concerns are growing, and scientists warn us that we only have 10 years to make significant changes, now is the perfect — and critical — time for individuals to take action. These avenues are great initiatives and have an overwhelmingly positive impact on the environment, but have you ever wondered what the actual value of a tree can be?

Trivia: How many trees are there in the world? (Answer at the end of the article)

A) 750 Billion | B) 1.5 Trillion | C) 3 Trillion

From lowering crime rates, to increasing home values and acting as nature's air conditioning, there are a huge number of benefits for trees, and some may surprise you. Here are a few of our favourites.

1. Trees are natural Air Conditioners

Photo by Sergei Akulich on Unsplash — *Photo by* *Sergei Akulich* on *Unsplash*

Trees play a significant role in cooling our planet, and one tree alone has the ability to cool the planet to the effect of 10 residential air conditioning units that operate for 20 hours per day. In more urban environments, shade from trees can cut residential air conditioning costs and the associated energy usage by as much as 20-50%. Unfortunately, further afield the rate of rainforest destruction and net canopy loss is having a consequential impact on the ability for trees to cool the earth through evaporation.

It is therefore vital for trees to not only be a part of rural and natural landscapes, but also urban environments. In addition to providing a cooling effect in the local area, trees help prevent storm water runoff, absorb emission pollution, and reduce noise pollution. As a bonus, they also help properties sell more quickly and for 5% to 15% more than their non-tree bearing counterparts, and some studies (1, 2) suggest greener spaces deter crime. So, trees are not all bark and no bite, and they can even save you money! Trees are tremendous and you better be-leaf it!

2. Trees are CO2 Vacuums

Trees LOVE carbon dioxide — A typical living tree is between 15-18% Carbon. They will absorb kilograms upon kilograms of it every year. The average hardwood tree will absorb 22 kilograms of carbon dioxide per year — or around one tonne over 40 years.

How much is that?

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The cost of one cheeseburger is approximately 1-3kg of CO2. Including methane emissions, it brings the total up to 3.6kg-6.1kg of CO2 equivalent emissions for every cheeseburger. Assuming the most optimistic figure of 3.6kg, one tree offsets 6 cheeseburgers per year on average. Beef is infamously known to contribute highly to carbon emissions, and scientists have stated that it is essential to cut our beef consumption by 90% in order to avoid climate breakdown.

Here's some more stats:

McDonald's sells 75 burgers per second. That's the equivalent of 12.5 trees per second, or 394 million trees per year.
The average American eats 3 burgers every week, meaning each person would need to plant 26 trees per year to offset their burger cravings.

🌱 Looking for a low carbon alternative? 🌱

Modern plant-based alternatives can now offer a meaty taste without the footprint.

For example, one Beyond Meat Burger generates 90% less greenhouse gas emissions, requires 46% less energy, 99% less water and 93% less land in comparison to your average meat counterpart.

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How about the Avocado? The notorious fruit often blamed for the lack of millennial home-ownership due to its hefty price tag, has a Carbon Footprint of 846.36g. So if you're eating 38 avocados a year, that's one tree's worth of carbon. Sounds like a lot (and it is), but compare it to the amount of trees needed for the average annual burger consumption — 26 — and the equivalent number of avocados offset is 988.

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And as for cars, new passenger cars generate an average of 120.4 grammes of CO2 per kilometre in the European Union (2018). The average distance driven per year in the EU is 12,000km, contributing 1,445kg (1.45 tonnes) in CO2 emission per car annually

How many trees per car? Sixty-six. 🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲

These are all basic calculations, but by swapping out meat for plant-based alternatives, choosing the train over car and car sharing, it is possible and relatively simple to make a significant impact in minimising your carbon footprint. Swapping to a plant-based burger alone would reduce the number of trees to offset the emissions from 26 to just 3.

3. Trees provide essential habitat for local wildlife

Photo by Franco Ruarte on Unsplash. — *Photo by* *Franco Ruarte* on *Unsplash*.

In both natural and urban landscapes around the world, trees provide essential habitat for wildlife. A 10 year study in Costa Rica by researchers at Stanford discovered almost unanimously across observed species, increased tree canopy cover led to increased populations. In fact, their analysis found that adding a single tree to pasture could increase the number of bird species from almost zero to 80.

The same is true for Urban settings, as trees provide safe havens and sources of food and shelter to countless species. Want to promote bustling wildlife in your town or city? Plant a tree! Networks of trees provide vital habitat for species, so next time you take a stroll, see if you can notice any of the wildlife around wooded areas.

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Trees quite literally are all in one magic machines, and we think trees are amazing here at The LEAF. They are the planets air con, lungs, home and more. The truth is, trees aren't valuable, they are invaluable. Our world thrives thanks to them, and we are working to plant trees around the world to generate and promote biodiversity.

Trivia: How many trees are there in the world?

Answer: Three Trillion

Who are The LEAF and what are we doing?

At The LEAF (The Little Environmental Action Foundation), we are working hard to combat the biodiversity destruction and the climate crisis through tree planting, research and education. Our home is currently in the sixth mass extinction, and we believe in order to combat this, we need more than just monoculture tree numbers (interested in learning more about monoculture vs biodiverse tree planting? Keep an eye open for an article soon).

The LEAF is working in communities in the Tropics to educate, empower and regenerate land back into biodiverse havens. One of our current projects is in Pwani, Kenya, where The LEAF is working with the local University to refurbish their nursery, re-train their staff about the benefits of indigenous species, and begin the restoration of their 600 acre grounds. It's an exciting project and this site has the potential to harbour hundred of thousands of trees.

The world needs strategic biodiversity incorporated into the tree planting missions - read more about our mission here.

Follow The LEAF on LinkedIn. If you or your organisation would like to work with us, we would love to hear from you.

If you've got some fun tree facts, please comment them below!

Nathan O'Nions for The Little Environmental Action Foundation | Charity Number 1184069