Reforestation
It can feel like fighting climate change means following a bunch of “don’t’s”: drive less, fly less, buy less. The crucial importance of these individual efforts aside, a recent study has concluded that a "DO" is perhaps the best solution to mitigating climate chaos: restoring the world’s forests on an unprecedented scale. Planting trees to cover an area about the size of the continental U.S. could store up to 205 billion tons of carbon, which amounts to recovering around two-thirds of the carbon damage we’ve done so far.
Massive reforestation is doable. More and more people are moving out of agricultural areas and into cities—freeing up massive tracts of land perfectly suited to reforestation. In the 90s, China reforested a deteriorated area the size of the Dust Bowl—and agricultural production in the area increased because of the return of ecological stability.
Of course, reforestation will do nothing without significant reduction in fossil fuel use. But reforestation is something the public can truly become excited about in a positive way. Conversations like the one about the "Green New Deal" are bringing the benefits of reforestation into the public consciousness: from job creation, to increased quality of life for everyone, to saving life on earth itself.
How Can I Help Restore Forests?
Buy Rainforest Alliance-certified products
Recycle as much as possible and use recycled products
Limit meat consumption or purchase meat from ecologically-friendly suppliers. The meat industry is responsible for extensive deforestation.