Climate change Plant trees to offset your carbon footprint - it really makes a difference!

Maciamo

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There are plenty of websites offering to plant trees for you to offset your carbon footprint. Here is a comparison of the main ones I found.

WebsiteCountryPrice per treePrice per ton of CO2e offsetMore information
CarbonFootprintUK/Globalnot mentioned8.4€ to 16.3€
(9.95$ to 19.2$)
Facebook
CarbonFund.orgUSA1$ per tree10$Charity Navigator, Facebook, Wikipedia
EcologiUSA1.1$ per tree7.6$Facebook, Trustpilot, Wikipedia
International Tree FoundationUK/Global1£ per treenot mentionedWikipedia
One Tree PlantedUSA/Global1$ per tree15$Charity Navigator, Facebook, Wikipedia
Saving NatureUSA/Global2$ per tree5$Facebook
Tree-NationEU/Global0.1€ to 10€ per treefrom 1.25€ (India/Nepal)
to 66.6€ (Australia)
Trustpilot
Trillion Tree CampaignGlobalFrom 0.1€ to 16€ per treenot mentionedWikipedia


My favourite is Tree-Nation because they have dozens of projects around the world, they let you choose the type of tree to plant in each project, and they show the amount of CO2 offset by each species of tree. They have nice stats showing the trees you have planted over time. If you prefer a quick solution, you can simply register for their automatic carbon offset plans from 5€/month.

Other ways to plant trees for free include:

  • Use Ecosia as your web browser (each search removes 1 kg of CO2)
  • Add the Click a Tree Tree-Planting Assistant extension for Chrome
  • Book your travel tickets and accommodation via B'n'Tree (including Booking.com, Expedia, Skyscanner, etc.). One tree will be planted for each booking.
  • Get a Tomorrow bank account (with Visa debit card) - if you live in Europe. Trees in the Amazon Forest are protected for every single euro spent.
 
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I have classified and sorted all the trees available at present on Tree-Nation. My purpose was to see which trees are the most efficient at capturing CO2. Overall, the best deals in lifetime CO2 to € per tree are generally found in India, Nepal, and Bolivia. The worst are in Europe, which is to be expected as manpower is more expensive and the colder climate slows the grows of trees.

Tree speciesHeightLifespan (years)Carbon sequestration (CO2/tree/year)Lifetime CO2 absorbed€/treeCost efficiency (€/ton of CO2 offset)Country
Bombax ceiba25 - 35 m404080011.25Nepal
Cryptomeria japonica35 - 60 m3004080011.25Nepal
Terminalia arjuna20 - 60 m504080011.25India
Terminalia bellirica35 - 45 m1004080011.25India
Choerospondias axillaris (hog plum)15 - 20 m45112200.31.36Nepal
Pinus roxburghii30 - 50 m1003570011.43Nepal
Tectona grandis (teak)25 - 35 m603060011.67Bolivia
Tectona grandis (teak)25 - 35 m603060011.67India
Acacia catechu6 - 10 m40122400.52.08Nepal
Acacia auriculiformis15 - 30 m304040012.50Bolivia
Anadenanthera colubrina10 - 25 m504080022.50Bolivia
Artocarpus heterophyllus (jackfruit)15 - 25 m704080022.50Bolivia
Eucalyptus camaldulensis (red gum)15 - 45 m1004080022.50Bolivia
Syzygium cumini (Java plum)10 - 30 m1004080022.50Bolivia
Acacia auriculiformis15 - 30 m304040012.50India
Artocarpus heterophyllus (jackfruit)15 - 25 m704080022.50India
Madhuca longifolia10 - 20 m603876022.63India
Grevillea robusta10 - 20 m301530013.33Tanzania
Casuarina equisetifolia15 - 25 m501827013.70Kenya
Luehea divaricata15 - 25 m40316202.54.03Brazil
Azadirachta indica (Neem)15 - 25 m1001224014.17Kenya
Albizia gummifera6 - 20 m3061200.54.17Tanzania
Newtonia buchananii10 - 25 m17061200.54.17Tanzania
Azadirachta indica (Neem)15 - 20 m1002244024.55Bolivia
Pinus caribaea30 - 40 m203060035.00Colombia
Flemingia macrophylla2 - 4 m1002040025.00Peru
Ceriops tagal2 - 25 m252400.25.00Madagascar
Rhizophora mucronata2 - 10 m251200.15.00Madagascar
Araucaria angustifolia20 - 50 m201938025.26Brazil
Pseudotsuga menziesii (Douglas fir)60 - 75 m5001631026.45France
Eucalyptus cinerea10 - 17 m301530026.67Kenya
Tabebuia impetiginosa8 - 12 m341530026.67Bolivia
Croton megalocarpus15 - 35 m701428027.14Kenya
Markhamia lutea30 - 40 m80714017.14Tanzania
Careya arborea12 - 20 m50714017.14India
Bruguiera gymnorrhiza8 - 25 m252400.37.50Madagascar
Swietenia humilis (mahogany)25 - 35 m304590077.78Nicaragua
Bridelia micrantha5 - 20 m301224028.33Kenya
Margaritaria discoidea20 - 30 m201122029.09Kenya
Pseudotsuga menziesii (Douglas fir)60 - 75 m7081601.59.38USA
Bombacopsis quinata30 m3025500510.00Nicaragua
Copaifera pubiflora25 - 30 m15020400410.00Colombia
Podocarpus latifolius25 - 35 m2010200210.00Tanzania
Albizia saman25 - 35 m2538570610.53Nicaragua
Swietenia macrophylla (mahogany)25 - 28 m10011275310.91Brazil
Acosmium nitens20 - 25 m5018360411.11Colombia
Simarouba amara25 - 35 m10018360411.11Colombia
Vochysia obscura25 - 30 m5022440511.36Colombia
Gmelina arborea10 - 18 m5015240312.50Kenya
Heliocarpus popayanensis6 - 12 m30102002.512.50Brazil
Avicennia marina1 - 10 m252400.512.50Madagascar
Carpinus betulus (hornbeam)15 - 20 m1206150213.33France
Psidium guajava150213.33Brazil
Cornus sanguinea (dogwood)2 - 5 m150213.33France
Acacia mangium10 - 20 m1022220313.64Colombia
Moringa oleifera8 - 10 m25770114.29Kenya
Anacardium occidentale (cashew)30770114.29Bolivia
Anacardium occidentale (cashew)30770114.29India
Hevea brasiliensis (rubber tree)20 - 30 m9514274414.60Brazil
Quercus Petraea30 - 35 m50051001.515.00France
Acer campestre (maple)15 - 25 m2006120216.67France
Cecropia glaziovii8 - 16 m1201502.516.67Brazil
Anacardium occidentale (cashew)12 - 15 m70225501018.18Colombia
Fagus sylvatica (beech)35 - 40 m7092304.519.57UK
Pyrus communis12 - 20 m150320.00France
Croton lechleri10 - 25 m508160425.00Peru
Croton floribundus6 - 10 m3051002.525.00Brazil
Anacardium occidentale (cashew)8 - 12 m50150426.67Kenya
Quercus ilex16 - 25 m3505100330.00Spain
Markhamia lutea10 - 15 m20360233.33Kenya
Olea africana5 - 10 m50360233.33Kenya
Aniba rosaedora150533.33Peru
Pinus halepensis10 - 20 m100480337.50Spain
Quercus petraea20 - 40 m8041204.537.50UK
Schinus terebinthifolia5 - 10 m30575340.00Brazil
Quercus rotundifolia8 - 25 m3005100440.00Spain
Gliricidia sepium6 - 15 m16648241.67Nicaragua
Eugenia uniflora6 - 12 m30460350.00Brazil
Caesalpinia velutina6 - 10 m12320150.00Nicaragua
Citrus limon3 - 6 m35120150.00Bolivia
Citrus limon3 - 6 m35120150.00India
Carpinus betulus (hornbeam)15 - 25 m703854.552.94UK
Syzygium cumini (Java plum)10 - 30 m202448362.50India
Juniperus oxycedrus5 - 15 m100360466.67Spain
Aniba williamsii1501066.67Peru
Corylus avellana (hazel)8 - 10 m503604.575.00UK
Crataegus monogyna (hawthorn)5 - 14 m603604.575.00UK
Quercus coccifera2 - 10 m80240375.00Spain
Handroanthus chrysotrichus5 - 10 m30575680.00Brazil
Quercus cerroides25 - 30 m1005100880.00Spain
Inga edulis7 - 25 m360583.33Colombia
Pinus halepensis15 - 20 m702404100.00Spain
Theobroma cacao (cocoa)4 - 7 m202405125.00Brazil
Crataegus monogyna (hawthorn)3 - 10 m332405125.00Spain
Euterpe oleracea (açai)11 - 12 m253304133.33Brazil
Psidium cattleyanum3 - 6 m401152133.33Brazil
Bixa urucurana5 - 7 m501203150.00Colombia
Genista spartioides3 - 5 m501203150.00Spain
Retama sphaerocarpa2 - 3 m501203150.00Spain
Bactris gasipae12 - 15 m252204200.00Brazil
Oenocarpus bataua10 - 25 m2408200.00Colombia
Gliricidia sepium10 - 15 m601204200.00Peru
Retama sphaerocarpa1 - 4 m201204200.00Spain
Cornus sanguinea (dogwood)1 - 8 m451205250.00Spain
Rosa canina1 - 3 m501103300.00France
Quercus coccifera1 - 6 m7512010500.00Spain
Quercus faginea20 - 25 m37552520800.00Spain
 
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I have searched a lot of websites to try to find the most efficient species of tree to sequester carbon dioxide. It's surprisingly hard to find information on the subject.

This site has a short list of the best trees to sequester CO2 in North America, Australia and Europe. I have converted the values in pound to kg.

Tree speciesCarbon sequestration
(CO2 per tree per year)
Silver Maple200 kg
American Sweetgum170 kg
Yellow Poplar62 kg
European Beech50 kg
Eucalyptus30 kg
Laurel Oak30 kg
Red Mulberry30 kg
London Plane Tree22.5 kg
 
This BBC article provides an important caveat.

"Specifically, according to a 2007 study that has been repeatedly confirmed, the best place to plant new trees is the tropics, where trees grow fastest and thus trap the most CO2. In contrast, planting trees in snowy regions near the poles is likely to cause a net warming, while planting them in temperate climates – like that of the UK, much of Europe and parts of the US – may have no net effect on climate."


Indeed this 2018 scientific study confirms that the same species of trees sequester far more CO2 in tropical regions than in temperate or boreal ones.

Bernal-2018.png
 
Are there any people here who have been trained as wildlife conservationists? How hard is it, and how much does it cost to train?
 
It's good that people are talking about it and trying their best to maintain the state of our nature.
 

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