Fly and Plant?

Air travel is a mainstay of our culture, particularly for those of us who love to explore the world. But what does this do to our environment? Environmentalists lament the burning of non-renewable resources and the high C02 emissions produced by air travel, but it seems that, for the individual faced with booking a trip abroad, there is little we can do to solve this problem.

Or is there? One organization based in Wales holds out hope that our consciences will encourage us to take personal responsibility... by planting a tree. Treeflights.com is based on a novel concept. Flying produces CO2. Trees absorb CO2 and purify the air. So if everyone who booked a flight also planted a tree, perhaps something could be done to make the world a better place.

Now, when I first read the strapline, "You Fly, We Plant," I have to admit it made me chuckle. The concept seems rather simplistic at first, but the TreeFlights website does a surprisingly good job of convincing you to appreciate the sentiment here. There are no grand claims about ending global warming for good, just an encouragement to make an effort.

So how does it work? Every time you buy a plane ticket, TreeFlights encourage you to spend an extra £10 (about $18) for your very own tree to be planted in a Welsh forest. You can even visit your tree!

And, of course, the added bonus is that you don't have to actually plant the tree yourself. That feeling of self-satisfaction at having made an effort comes without any effort whatsoever.

http://www.treeflights.com