Through the Million Tree Project (“MTP”), Shanghai R&S encourages individuals and organizations to firstly minimize their negative environmental impact by polluting less, and then improve their positive environmental impact by planting trees in the desertified lands of Inner Mongolia. The previously lush landscape of Kulun Qi, Inner Mongolia is now a rapidly expanding desert due to a combination of the greenhouse effect and irresponsible exploitation of the land such as overgrazing and over-farming. Desertification causes serious sandstorms that strike Inner Mongolia and its surrounding areas each spring, destroying local homes and forcing many people to flee their native land.
Concerned citizens can proactively slow desertification and fight global warming by donating and planting trees through the MTP. This project also encompasses true capacity building as the local population of Kulun Qi is intimately involved with, and benefits from, every step of planting, maintaining, and monitoring the trees. As such, the MTP improves both the environment and local economy of Kulun Qi.
The MTP goal is to plant one million trees by 2014. As of April 2010, 400,000 trees have been planted and have demonstrated an impressive survival rate of over 91%.
It only costs 25 RMB to plant and sustain one tree. Over the course of its lifetime, each tree will clear the air of 250 kg of CO2.
So what’s the next step?
Student Groups: Getting involved with the MTP as a R&S group is simple and fun. As a first step you could hold a group session about desertification and/or climate change and their effects on China. Learn about how different activities contribute to our “carbon footprints” and run a campaign on campus to educate others. You can also support the MTP by organizing fundraising events. Set a “Tree Target” at the beginning of the school year and find creative ways to raise the necessary funds. Another meaningful and tangible way to get involved is to calculate the how much CO2 is emitted during your daily transportation to and from school and then offset your footprint by donating trees.
Individuals: Donate trees to voluntarily offset your own carbon emissions or donate trees as gifts for friends and family. Donate trees for others as a unique and meaningful way to show that you care. For donations of 10 trees or more, we can send a certificate to the person.
Corporations and Other Organizations: Start with a free Shanghai Roots & Shoots Eco Office Audit, in which professionally trained students will assess the consumption and waste habits of your employees and provide you with simple changes for improvement. Offset the carbon footprint of your office, as calculated by the Eco Auditors. Make it a company policy to offset carbon emissions from air travel. Launch an internal fundraising competition for tree donations. Match your employees tree donations. Donate a corporate forest of 2,000 trees or more and send your staff to Inner Mongolia with us in April. Just remember: your involvement completely depends on your needs, resources, and CSR goals.
Please keep in mind that the most sustainable, long-term way to fight global warming is to actively choose to use fewer resources and consume less energy.
Airline travel, per person, round trip, from SHANGHAI to:
