Happy Earth Day to all of our friends, partners, clients and followers. Today marks the 49th Earth Day, bringing the opportunity for each of us to consider how we can work together to make our planet a better place for everyone and everything that inhabits it.
Today for Earth Month, Windmill Capital is making special note of trees. Earth is home to more than 60,000 tree species, ranging from a one-foot banzai to a 300-foot redwood. Trees are varied and diverse in their fruit, shape and color. They bring us beauty, shade and serenity.
Globally, trees cover 30.6% of the earth’s land area. But that’s down from 31.6% in 1990. Deforestation is the major threat to trees. Trees are removed for lumber, to create agriculture land and for commercial and residential development. Climate change, insects and fires have also reduced the number of trees.
Why save trees? Trees play a central role in the ecosystem by storing and releasing carbon from the atmosphere. They maintain nutrient-rich souls for other plants to grow, provide food and habitat for animals and contribute to the water cycle. Economically, trees generate more than $400 billion of annual activity from fuelwood and wood-based products.
Additionally, trees have a powerful role in providing well-being in both urban and rural environments. They clean our air and keep nearby temperatures at a healthy level.
What can you do? Many organizations promote reforestation. For example, the Earth Day Network’s Trees for Earth campaign aims to plant 7.8 billion trees – one for each person on earth – by Earth Day 2020. In addition, Windmill Capital has partnered with One Tree Planted to plant a tree for every kW of renewable energy we finance.
