The “Twentrees”: the decade that will save our planet

11,000 scientists have proclaimed that without immediate action to stop climate change, we will experience “unprecedented human suffering”.

11,000 scientists have proclaimed that without immediate action to stop climate change, we will experience “unprecedented human suffering”.

What went wrong on Earth? How does the future of our planet depend on our trade? What happens if we do nothing about it? And what can we actually do?

Read on to find out more about the “Twentrees”, the decade that will save our planet.

What are the “twentrees”?

“Twentrees”, what is that supposed to be? A neologism to express the importance of trees for the here and now. “Twentrees” is made up of the English word “twenty”, for the current decade, and the word “tree”. Unfortunately, this makes little sense in German and sounds strange. Or what do you think of “Zwaum” or “the Baumzigers”?

And why all this? Well, when 11,000 scientists agree on something, it’s hard to disagree. That would be like denying the earth’s gravitational pull or that the earth is round. Of course you can, but you shouldn’t underestimate the likelihood of being wrong.

Recently, 11,000 scientists examined data from the last 40 years and “clearly announced that the earth is heading for a climate catastrophe.” We should therefore not underestimate the probability that they are right.

The online newspaper The Indepedent calls “2020 the world’s last chance to get a grip on climate change“.

We must act. We need to make the 20s the “Twentrees” – the decade that saves our planet.

The “Twentrees” can save our planet – if we act now

We are lucky enough to share the planet with millions of other incredibly fascinating animal species.

Your world is just as much in danger.

We have known for years that an increasing number of animals are on the brink of extinction. That our beloved elephants may not live to see the year 2030. Even the largest animal living on land is dependent on trees.

But did you know that even the lives of fish and crustaceans depend on trees? Without mangroves, some sea creatures will very quickly become extinct.

When trees disappear, so do the animals: they need trees as a habitat and source of food.

Many of us are slowly realizing how serious the situation is becoming for ourselves. “2020 is the last chance to tackle climate change and protect our natural world,” writes The Independent.

So the future of our planet is in our hands. But all is not lost. There is hope.

While the prospect of having to save our planet may be overwhelming, on a global scale it can be an amazing opportunity to be part of something epic.

We can make a difference in the next 10 crucial years. We can pave the way to save humanity from extinction.

We can save our planet.

WWF Germany makes this clear in this video.

What we know about climate change

The extent of climate change is complicated, as it is accelerated by several factors.

A steadily growing population, the burning of fossil fuels, CO² emissions, livestock farming, short-lived pollutants, plastic waste… all these things play an important role in damaging our planet and contribute to climate change.

The power to make significant changes lies mainly in the hands of our national governments. They have introduced new laws and thus gradually brought some movement into the game.

The Sustainable Development Goals formulated by the United Nations are an innovative set of goals to protect the planet and improve the lives of all of its inhabitants. Planting trees helps with almost all goals.

But that is not enough.

While we can try to eat less meat, we cannot single-handedly change agricultural policy. We can use less plastic, but we can’t make the industry follow suit. This task lies with international governments.

Sure, they have agreed targets for 2050 and promise to combat climate change before then.

But we can’t wait any longer. We have to take action ourselves. Immediately.

We can lend our voice to movements against climate change and make efforts ourselves to reduce the impact on our climate.

In addition to petitions to get our politicians to act green and moral and monetary support for sustainable companies, it is time to look at what each individual can do in the fight against climate change.

The role of trees in climate change

There are many problems that contribute to climate change, but there are also many solutions.

Something that can reverse the damage that has already been done is much more crucial than all the many possible solutions.

And this something is a tree.

When a tree grows, it absorbs CO² from the air through photosynthesis and stores it as carbon in its wood. In this process, it releases oxygen into the air. We have already shared these and 9 other great properties of trees with you.

Why is this important?

Because carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas which, as its name suggests, is known to accumulate heat. It prevents heat from escaping from the atmosphere and causes our planet to become warmer.

Trees are an important filter for our earth. They are crucial for keeping CO² emissions in balance. That’s why we need more trees and we need them fast.

Frustratingly, we lose large quantities of trees every day. Deforestation for agriculture, urban expansion or for profit destroys 60 hectares per minute.

This is devastating for us humans, but it is far worse for all life on land and under water. Without trees, there would be no wonderful animals with whom we share our planet.

A doomsday scenario? Definitely. Unavoidable? Fortunately not!

What we do in the next 10 years is absolutely crucial for our planet. Let’s ring in the new decade with “the Twentrees”, the decade that will save our planet.

What will it take to save our planet?

How many trees could we plant in the “Twentrees”?

A recent report by ETH Zurich states the number of trees we would be able to plant and the effect they would have on our planet.

It states that, excluding areas already used for agriculture and human habitat, 0.9 billion hectares are suitable for afforestation.

This is roughly equivalent to the entire area of the United States of America!

If the “twentrees” manage this, the mature trees could absorb 205 billion tons of CO² from the atmosphere. That is just over two-thirds of the total emissions ever produced by humans since the beginning of the Industrial Revolution.

Problem solved, right?

Well, strictly speaking, it would take decades for all the newly planted trees to reach that stage. That is why it is so important that these measures are implemented as quickly as possible.

And this is where you come in. Planting trees with Click A Tree helps to create all the trees that are urgently needed. Even if you only plant a single tree. Leave uns start today!

How many working days are created?

The countries that offer the most land for reforestation in the “Twentrees” are Russia (151 million hectares), the USA (103 million hectares), Canada (78.4 million hectares), Australia (58 million hectares), Brazil (49.7 million hectares) and China (40.2 million hectares).

If you live in one of these countries, you have a great opportunity to get involved in local replanting projects.

In general, it is said that 1,000 to 3,000 trees can be planted per hectare, depending on the tree species.

And in one working day, one person can plant around 100 trees. Assuming a year has 250 working days, one person could plant 250,000 trees in the “Twentrees” in 2,500 working days.

Let’s continue this calculation. The “twentrees” last 10 years and if we plant 1,000 trees per hectare on 0.9 billion hectares (the available area), then we come to a total of 900 billion trees that we could plant.

This means that trees create 3.6 million jobs and an incredible 9 billion working days.

Planting trees in the “Twentrees” would change the lives of 3.6 people and their families. They would have a stable and secure income that would provide them with food, financial security and even education.

Related: Caritalism: capitalism linked to sustainability.

How can you help plant all those trees?

Planting trees is something we should all be passionate about, all over the world. We can’t just leave this to those who are actively engaged in it during their work.

The “twentrees” are also our responsibility.

While the world powers debate which countries are suitable for reforestation, how many and which species should be planted in the interests of biodiversity, the rest of us can act.

Plant a tree in your garden, get involved in local projects to plant parks and nature reserves, and support organizations that promote reforestation projects.

Organizations that run reforestation projects? Exactly, that’s us!

At Click A Tree, our mission is to make sustainability simple. And it really couldn’t be easier than with a few simple clicks directly from the screen.

Plant a tree for marine animals, for elephants threatened with extinction or for young adults in Ghana who can use it to create a better future for themselves.

Use our travel portal B’n’Tree and let everyone know how good and easy it is to plant trees with it. Book your next weekend getaway, annual vacation or business trip with B’n’Tree. We plant a tree for every booking, at no extra cost to you.

Read the B’n’Tree Green Travel Guide and learn some sustainable tricks for your everyday life. Not only can you do something for the planet, you can also save a few euros.

Share our stories on Instagram – #thetwentrees. Join the discussion about the “Twentrees” on Facebook. Use our Chrome extension to plant more trees.

Together we can do it and green our planet again.

The “twentrees” have arrived: It’s time for us to act

Trees will make the difference for our planet. But it’s not just about the big goal. Trees process carbon dioxide at the highest level during growth phases. Theoretically, a 50-year-old tree can have just as much of an impact on climate change as a 150-year-old tree.

A tree that you plant today immediately starts filtering CO² from the atmosphere. It improves the air in your garden, your neighborhood and around the world.

Our only future is a green future. And if enough of us take action, the next decade could be the decade that saves our planet.

We can be the generation that changes the world for the better.

We will sit in nursing homes and say to our grandchildren: “The twenties, they were a tough decade. But we made it.”

Time for you to act

What will you do to make the “Twentrees” the decade that saves our planet?

And most importantly, plant a tree today.

If you know of any businesses that could benefit from planting trees for their customers, make sure they get in touch with Click A Tree.

Talk about us. Save the planet.

And don’t forget to sign up for our monthly newsletter GROW. As a thank you, we will plant a free tree for you as a new member of our community.

With your help, we will save the planet. The “Twentrees” will be a tough time, but we will get through it.