TREE PLANTING FOR CARBON OFFSET

Join us at 9:30 on 24th October in Cosmo City, North of Johannesburg to help plant 350 fruit trees and 350 indigenous trees. We will be joined by schools, community members, family and friends - all are welcome.

These trees will be planted at low cost houses through Food & Trees for Africa's Trees for Homes Programme*

350 is the magic number!

On October 24, the International Day of Climate Action will cover almost every country on earth, the most widespread day of environmental action in the planet’s history. The thousands of events on October 24 will drive 350 and all that it represents into the human imagination, and change the negotiating environment as we head towards the crucial UN Climate Negotiations in Copenhagen in December of 2009. Copenhagen may well be the pivotal moment that determines whether or not we get the planet out of the climate crisis. The events of October 24 will help our leaders realize we need a real solution that pays attention to the science.

In South Africa, Food & Trees for Africa (FTFA) will be planting 350 trees in Cosmo City on the 24 October in celebration of this day. Many individuals and groups who are passionate about the environment, including a group from the Oprah Winfrey Academy for Girls, will join this event as we address climate change.

The now traditional Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls (OWLAG) is encouraging the girls to actively participate in helping to make a difference by participating in projects that impact on the community at large.
The community of Cosmo City, FTFA and the girls will make a 350 image with trees before they plant these.

FTFA is also launching its new information hub at Backsberg Wine Estate in Cape Town on the 24 October and bottles of excellent Backsberg wine will be laid out as 350 to draw attention to the need to reduce the carbon in the atmosphere.

350.org is an international organization which is spearheading the campaign of maintaining the safe upper limit for carbon dioxide—measured in "Parts Per Million" in our atmosphere. 350 is the number that leading scientists say is a safe number of carbon dioxide level in our atmosphere to decrease the impact of climate change. This is in direct contrast to the safe upper limit of 415 ppm, which is what governments are intending to propose. If we are experiencing this level of climatic disaster at our current level of 389ppm, imagine what would happen if the levels are allowed to rise to 415ppm! Entire countries will be under water, refugees will be flooding into dry land, food shortages and disease will become rampant. The global consequences are enormous.

This is the greatest opportunity we have to ensure that leaders make the right decision, for us, our children and the world we live in. Don`t let this slip past, don`t allow politicians to dictate our future to us, based on their own economical and political agendas. The crisis is happening, yes, in our lifetime, so let`s take a stand. We request your presence, nothing more.

Come and join us as we make our mark on the planet by encouraging others to lighten their mark.
Our planet is worth it, don`t you think?

For more information please contact Joanne Rolt on 073 288 2929 or joanne@trees.org.za

*"Trees for Homes is a highly successful and innovative public greening initiative that contributes nationally in a visible way to more sustainable development and enhanced environments. Trees for Homes started in 2000 and aims to address climate change whilst improving quality of life and contributing to the development of sustainable settlements by giving low-income communities trees to plant at their homes, as well as providing training, some employment and environmental awareness. Environmental issues are inherently linked with quality of life. Environmentally sound human settlements, where air quality is good, housing is energy and water efficient, and planting provides green ‘ lungs’ or even food security, may be seen as healthy, sustainable settlements that support quality living environments.

Few can argue against the fact that to date South Africa’s Settlement Policies have done little to encourage any consideration of environmentally sound practices. The result is that many of our settlements are smoggy, barren wastelands that detract from the quality of life of the residents. In the race to achieve delivery targets, housing beneficiaries are being tied to a future of high energy consumption that will cause local air quality problems and increase greenhouse gas concentrations in the stratosphere.

Since its inception the Trees for Homes programme has organised the planting of over 510 000 trees and training of over 6 500 community based educators at settlements across South Africa, thus creating well spaced urban forest that addresses climate change, adds value in shade and food production as well as a multitude of environmental best practices as outlined in this proposal."