Save the planet - plant a trillion trees!

According to a recent study planting more trees could save the planet.

The study "Global restoration opportunities in tropical rainforest landscapes", published in "Science" ^[1] last week, highlights the potential for a mass global reforestation project to help offset carbon emissions and lessen the effects of climate change.

The study looks at the benefits of forests on the planet and human life (biodiversity, mitigating climate change, adaptation to climate change, and water security) and how the reforestation and conservation of native forests and eco-systems is vital to our planetary existence as we know it today.

The article is timely given the record breaking heat wave Europe has experienced this summer^[2] which, along with more severe winters are set to be the norm globally every year due to climate change.

With over 50% of the planets rainforests depleted it's no coincidence that we're seeing more extreme weather patterns each year.

There's no denying the earth is getting warmer and it's only going to get hotter as carbon emissions continue to soar and our only means of stablising earth's climate being decimated at the rate of an estimated area the size of a football pitch every second^[3].

In the face of an uncertain future the study offers hope in the form of a plan to restore the worlds rainforests and plant 1 trillion trees. However it's not as simple as merely 'replanting trees'. The study goes on to explain how restoring native and natural forest with their vastly complex eco-systems is the way to go and that we need to do it now to have a shot at this succeeding. On top of that we need to address the issue of carbon emissions by reducing our fossil fuel usage to the point ot cutting it out enirely.

Planting 1 trillion trees looks like the reprieve humanity desperately needs. It buys us precious time to transition to a zero-carbon economy where emissions fall drastically and fossil fuel usage is consigned to the history books. The alternative - where humanity is consigned to history - is something we all must strive to avoid. The question is: can we rally in time to make it happen?

Here's a few campaigns using the Do Gooder platform to stop mass deforestation in Australia and protect local flora and fauna (including humans):

Birdlife Australia are calling for the permanent protection of Regent Honeyeater and Swift Parrot habitat in the Lower Hunter Valley of NSW.
https://birdlife.good.do/huntereconomiczone/petition/

End the extinction crisis calling for a stop on the logging of precious native forests near Bellingen on the mid-north coast.
https://agreennsw.good.do/stopextinction/petition/

Friends of the earth Melbourne calling for the protection of the Greater Glider - a native species in decline due to continued logging of Forests in Victoria.
https://friendsoftheearthmelbourne.good.do/greatergliderstillthreatenedstillnoaction/Greater-Glider-Protection/

CCWA and WA Forest Alliance calling for the protection of the ancient Lewin Forest from the woodchipper!
https://ccwa.good.do/saveourgiantsfromthewoodchipper/email/

Greenpeace calling on Scott Morrison to declare a climate emergency.
https://act.greenpeace.org.au/climateemergency

Wilderness Society calling on the Victorian Environment Minister to reassess dodgy logging deals which have destroyed 20,000ha of Victoria’s old growth forests and killed endangered wildlife.
https://wilderness.good.do/victorianforests/email-lily-dambrosio/