The TNT Initiative - Trillion New Trees
“Forests are vital for life, home to millions of species, they protect soil from erosion, produce oxygen, store carbon dioxide, and help control climate. Forests are also vital for us to live as they provide us with food, shelter, medicines, as well as many other useful things. They also purify the air we breathe and water that we need to survive. Deforestation by humans is causing all of these necessary functions to be lessened, and hence damaging the atmosphere even further.”
“Forests play a huge role in the carbon cycle on our planet. When forests are cut down, not only does carbon absorption cease, but also the carbon stored in the trees is released into the atmosphere as CO2 if the wood is burned or even if it is left to rot after the deforestation process.”
“Smaller crops, e.g. plants and agricultural crops, also draw in carbon dioxide and release oxygen, however forests store up to 100 times more carbon than agricultural fields of the same area.”
- Climate and Weather Website
TNT'S GOOD NEWS
“One million trees can supply the oxygen needs of up to 4 million people each day. They provide $62 billion worth of air pollution control every 50 years.” - UPS Forestry Initiative
We know how to collect seeds, start nurseries, how to care for the seedlings, when to plant, and manage the resulting growth.
Currently, there are organizations who train farmers/villagers in developing countries how to plant/care for/benefit from trees. This approach is very cost effective and promotes local control and ownership.
TNT's APPROACH
There are already numbers of reforestation projects operating across the globe. We have already identified several key GIST actions.
Number 1
TNT will develop and promote a game plan to encourage village level “Bamboo Co-ops” to supply a sustainable supply of bamboo for cooking fuel at the village level. GIST anticipates the initial Bamboo Co-op sites will be in Kenya, Philippines, and Zambia.
Pound for pound, bamboo has as much BTU’s as many hardwoods. In local villages, well-managed bamboo banks would meet the cooking needs for developing country villagers, reach carbon neutral status in 5 years or less, and allow other varieties of trees to be grown for their intended uses (fruit, soil retention, lumber, etc.).
Number 2
As a way for Americans to actively work side by side with developing country villagers, GIST will promote the establishment of the “Tree Corps”. Properly trained and equipped motivated individuals can positively impact everyday living for thousands of individuals and families.
GIST will work with a team of experts using existing low cost strategies, existing reforestation efforts, and local leaders, to create a game plan to recruit, train and equip thousands of farmers and villagers across the globe to reforest the land they deforested. No cash exchanges hands. This approach will save significant amounts of money, while giving local farmers / villages more control, dignity and equity.
Their payback will be restoration of their soil and rainfall, improved quality of life and cash at harvest time. The expertise and methodologies to accomplish this approach already exist.
TNT will provide the vision and game plan to “rally the troops”.
We Believe The
Solutions Already Exist
- Some of the solutions need improvements, tweaking or additional partners.
- Others need a reallocation of resources, improvement of policies and/or manpower.
- Most importantly, they need a team of committed people!
We’ll say it again, the solutions already exist. The power to achieve change is within our wheelhouse.
How You Can Help
GIST is a 501(c) (3) Nonprofit Organization Registered Under EIN: 81-5059333.