Were pushing hard for San Francisco to plant native trees that will bring wildlife into the city and link it with our parks, remarks Jacob Sigg of the California Native Plant Society. All rights reserved. According to their website, 8 Billion Trees has managed to plant over 900,000 trees in 19 different countries and funded the conservation of over 166,000 acres of existing forest. should report on by contacting us at theupside@theguardian.com. I'm not affiliated with 8 Billion Trees in any way, the links to their site are not affiliate links. One of their founders Jon Chambers can be seen clearly in the video shaking hands with the Secretary of the Brazilian State of Tocantins and also signing what appears to be a contractual agreement with the state. It includes a roadmap outlining how the Commission plans to achieve the 3 Billion Additional Trees Pledge in full respect of ecological principles. 8 billion trees scandal. Its clear that 8 Billion Trees mission to change the world by planting 8 billion trees is nobleand definitely audacious. Grand pledges arent always met. China arrested hundreds of people allegedly involved in the nation's largest ever bank fraud and started repaying more victims of the $5.8 billion scandal, in a . If they will get back to me, I'll let you know. Started in 2018, they have planted over 908,000 trees so far and have conserved over 166,000 acres of virgin rainforest in the Amazon. Fewer still commit to planting only native species. Furthermore, we always encourage all of our members to donate to these conservation charities instead of us! We are exposed to a lot of gossip, whether filtered or not. That private land is just full of trees.. These weekly videos of real planting would bi great. A charity that spends 100 percent of its funds on chopping will not be more efficient than an organization that can spend time on sharpening the tools first. The average price of a gallon of self-serve regular gasoline in Los Angeles County rose Wednesday for the 28th consecutive day, increasing 1.3 cents to $4.856, its highest amount since Dec. 4. But they are working towards a very noble cause. Or is it a scam that's taking advantage of people's desire to help further the environmental cause? This article is purely based on information I could gather online and simply reflects my opinion based on those facts. Michael Burnett. The . The article claims 20,000 trees were planted in a single day. I saw that they are not a charity. I think the great landscape photographer Ansel Adams put it best when he helped run tree-planting Boy Scouts off the prairie in whats now the Golden Gate National Recreation Area: I cannot think of a more tasteless undertaking than to plant trees in a naturally treeless area, and to impose an interpretation of natural beauty on a great landscape that is charged with beauty and wonder, and the excellence of eternity. Treeless landscapes are not only natural, in many casestheyre better for the Earth, too. Despite what 8 billion trees says, they're usually connected to buying a timeshare, joining a vacation club, or entering into some other sort of contract. Women are change agents. Upcoming Events. I think Ill shoot them up with a follow-up email so see if they would answer my questions a bit, so stay tuned. With that said, your satisfaction is a priority we strive to achieve. Michael is apparently from a family with a passion for environmentalism and conservation. First, I just have to say thank you for TAKING ACTION. The 20th century happened to the forest, says Laird. In February Delta Air Lines pledged to zero out its carbon emissions by spending $1 billion over the next decade. We badly need to know how much of our funds are getting to the projects on the ground, and how good these are in terms of using native species, providing livelihoods for local populations, follow up etc. People Behind 8 Billion Trees Transparency is extremely important in these types of operations, even if it's not a non-profit. According to Kevin Anderson, professor of energy and climate change at the U.K.s University of Manchester, the entire carbon offset industry is a scam. In 2019, after two decades of carbon offsetting, CO2 levels peaked at the highest levels in recorded history. They. Sterling Morton moved to Nebraska from Michigan in 1854, he decided that Mother Nature had gotten it all wrong. I care for the environment dearly. I got my money back quickly with a chargeback. of course, millions of followers, subscribers, and likes are not the first thing happening. I became an 8 Billion Tree monthly donor, but needed to cancel the monthly contribution due to personal circumstances. Consider the yet-to-be-launched initiative to plant 2.4 billion trees in Indias Cauvery River basin, which is the brainchild of the Isha Foundation, based in Coimbatore, India. This sharp depletion is resulting in drinking water scarcity and difficulty farming. So they are technically a company but they focus on social goals, in this case, reforestation. A large storm system took aim at the U.S. Northeast on Friday, threatening heavy snow and coastal flooding after heavy winds and possible tornadoes damaged homes and buildings, left . Covering Phoenix, Mesa, Glendale, Scottsdale, Gilbert, the valley . We are doing it because we are the ones who have to collect the firewood. There are currently almost 8. Politicians are waking up to the potential of natural climate solutions reforestation and other ecological restoration to capture carbon and tackle the climate crisis. There is no member platform of any sort, where people could ask about the project and maybe see where the funding is going. Trees also play a crucial role in natural water cycles, spreading of deserts, preventing erosion, and revitalizing unusable areas. When Clare Duboiss car skidded on an icy road in Stroud, Gloucestershire, a tree prevented her vehicle tumbling into a ravine. According to their website, 8 Billion Trees has managed to plant over 900,000 trees in 19 different countries and funded the conservation of over 166,000 acres of existing forest. Native plant communities cant survive in these plantations because eucs kill competition with their own herbicide, creating what botanists call eucalyptus desolation. Eucs evolved with fire and prosper from it. Does the money go where it's supposed to, planting trees? Then they wanted 17 bucks. Alternatively, please call our office headquarters during normal business hours at +1 (510) 330-2991. Feb. 22, 2023. Through people's empowerment, the 8 Billion Trees can plant more trees, rebuild even more habitats, and sequester even more carbon emissions, Chambers said. Clare Dubois, founder and CEO of TreeSisters. Hi! Thanks for letting me know that this is not a scam, I will definitely check out the organisation. I just wish theyd improve their marketing tactics and transparency by providing more information. It was, she says, a sign. Trees can stop us going over the edge. Im sorry but yiu havent presented any information speculation. The tiny clip from a supposed news program is what gave it away to me. Consider Plant for the Planet, the organization behind theTrillion Tree Campaign. Not sure what else can be done. The founder of IHateWorking.net. I think 8 Billion Trees answers most of the questions presented on that document quite well, but I'd still prefer there was more information about the owners and the teams, how money is allocated etc. On top of encouraging direct donations to these groups, 8 Billion Trees donates thousands each month in company contributions. As a charity, we would be severely limited in our ability to market and spread the word. The Commission published its dedicated EU Forest Strategy for 2030 to improve the quantity and quality of EU forests. The latest Arizona headlines, breaking news, in-depth investigations, politics, and local community stories that matter to you. I would find it extremely unlikely that Plant-It 2020 would publish this about 8 Billion Trees on their website if they were a scam. 8 Billion Trees seems to be a legit operation with a mystifyingly small digital footprint and media coverage. Researchers counted over 1.8 billion trees and shrubs in the 1.3 million square kilometer (501,933 square miles) area that covers the western-most portion of the Sahara Desert, the Sahel, and what . Did you know that there are people making passive income online from the organic search traffic from Google searches? The coupons are basically worthless. Carbon offsetting has been likened to indulgences, the forgiveness notes hawked by the pre-Reformation Catholic Churchgo and sin no more unless, of course, you pay us off again for future sins. A study led by the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory concludes that any carbon sequestration benefit from trees planted much north of Florida is more than offset because solar heat absorbed and retained by the trees makes the climate warmer. trees that live two-to-three times as long; two, when a forest is logged, it can be performed in ways that generate insignificant, minimal, medium or large amounts of damage to the different aspects of the forest ecosystem. This morning I wrote a diary about the $8 Billion "pre-existing condition" amendment being slapped onto the AHCA in order to win over enough "moderate" GOP votes to cram the Trumpcare bill . The notion that any significant percent of the carbon humanity spews can be sucked up by planted trees is a pipe dream. Instead, record deforestation ensued and in 2018 an area of primary forest the size of Belgium was lost, the third-highest annual depletion since records began in 2001. Then they asked for more. Ultimately, we knew that being a charity would restrict us in a key way: It would limit our growth and impact. Its also concerning that all the publicity seems to highlight Jon and what a terrific sacrifice he is making, without the transparent, detailed info you would expect from an organisation, however small, that is handling pretty huge amounts of money, and has charity status which carries its own obligations. In other words, making a difference in the world is more important than short-term cash. As a social enterprise, they emphasize on social goals (a.k.a. Besides being an engineer, I'm an online marketer. Thanks for the tip! I guess Jos is the guy in most of the pictures on their site but neither seems to have any kind of digital footprint I could find easily. Thats why 8 Billion Trees was founded with personal investments that immediately funded tree planting and forest conservation. The downside is that you dont get to target your money as well as with smaller, more specific organizations but at least they are established and transparent. Well, I must say I saw a few red flags when I started investigating them. Not consenting or withdrawing consent, may adversely affect certain features and functions. Verdict: If it's true what the government . I saw that they are not a charity. Eden employs local people to gather and plant mature propagules from mangroves. According to a mantra heard for more than three decades, trees are good, even if they disrupt native ecosystems, because they can serve as carbon sinks. Shin . At this point I would have to say that 8 Billion Trees is definitely not a scam at all. 8 Billion Trees Shadyno pun intended. BBC Panorama 16/8/2022 - The Billion Pound Savings Scandal#bbcpanorama Once a mangrove forest is cut down it takes generations to refill, the mud starts eroding and kills the reef and a negative cycle starts. I joined 8 Billion Trees recently. Yes 8 billion trees is a scam. Such solutions could provide 37% of the greenhouse gas mitigation required to provide a good chance of stabilising global heating below the critical 2C threshold. I can work on them from anywhere in the world at any time. I might shoot them a follow up when I find the time as people seem to be interested in the company. You have to find a different source of fuel and make it affordable. Then there is a charcoal mafia: You get in the way of charcoal directly and youre in the way of peoples money and people dont like that., Shattenberg is optimistic, however, about visible changes to the environment and consciousness. UX Collective. Google Earth reveals it is decidedly patchy. The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. I know some people think of scams automatically when they see certain kinds of ads but the truth is that they work. BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. (AP) BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. (AP) Endeavor Group Holdings Inc. (EDR) on Tuesday reported a loss of $206.2 million in its fourth quarter. First and foremost, 8 Billion Trees is a social enterprisenot a charity. Ultimately, we decided that furthering our mission was the most important thing to us. All I need is an Internet connection. The colonial regime harvested native forest and replaced it with eucalyptus and pine plantations non-native monocultures that are a killer in terms of biodiversity, according to Laird. In Madagascar, the charity is helping Eden Reforestation Projects replant lost mangrove and dry deciduous forests on the north-west coast. They seem to be running a legit operation and have partnered with some very credible organizations that confirm their partnership on their websites. Welcome to my 8 Billion Trees review! Politicians, business leaders, YouTubers and celebrities are calling for the planting of millions, billions or even trillions of trees to slow climate change. The team mapped how tree crown diameter, coverage, and density varied depending on . A corporate partner's backstory. "We were very surprised to see that quite a few trees actually grow in the Sahara . On the 8 Billion Trees website, they claim to have planted 200,000 trees just last month. At this point I am confident that 8 Billion Trees is not a scam. In my honest opinion WWF is one of the best organizations to support as they are doing a lot for the environment, reservation of species, habitats etc. Then they asked for more. I bet they are doing the best they can with the resources they have. The Green Energy Scandal Exposed The wood-burning Drax power station in Yorkshire provides 12 per cent of the UK's renewable energy. So consider joining their monthly Carbon Credits program if you can afford the $43 dollars for a very good cause or buying something from their online store. Their documentary gave me some clues into how they truly operate. They also support countless species of plants and animals. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. Politicians, business leaders, YouTubers and celebrities are calling for the planting of millions, billions or even trillions of trees to slow climate change. This is a bit different from my regular reviews since it doesn't really have anything to do with online business opportunities or SEO. Appreciate your thoughts! There are many different reasons for this, but they all revolve around impact.