Dublin eco activist Lesley O’Connor organised a 10/10/10 tree-planting work party. She planted 50 trees in Dublin and encouraged people throughout Ireland to also plant trees as part of the global Day of Climate Solutions.
She prepared the following facts about CO2, trees and the role that people play in creating carbon emissions:
CO2 Emissions & Me – The Facts
Did you know that the average Irish citizen:
Is directly responsible for contributing personal emissions of 5.7 tonnes of CO2 annually?
o 42% home energy/heat, 35% transport, 21% air travel & 2% waste disposal
Is part of the Irish system that creates total annual per capita emissions of 10.3 tonnes?
o this is 24th worst of 123 countries world-wide
o It’s nearly twice as much as the Swiss or Swedes, more than twice as much as the Chinese and over 8 times more than the Vietnamese
o It puts YOU in the top 12.5% of polluters in the world … between 50 & 500 times worse than the bottom 12.5%…
Is likely to drive a car that emits 164g of CO2 per kilometer
o Average Irish commute is 22.4km, so your drive to work probably emits 1.7 tonnes CO2 per year (similar to per capita total for Costa Rica), or 77 tonnes over your working life
o Average school run is 7.2km = 5.8 tonnes over a 14 year school career
o Taking e.g. the train to Cork instead of driving saves 26Kg CO2 for one person or 11Kg each for two sharing, each way
Is likely to be on one of the e.g. 4.5 million flights between Dublin and London each year: emitting 84Kg CO2 per person, each way
o Air travel accounts for an estimated average of 1.5 tonnes per person, or 2.2 tonnes per person in a two-person household each year (I know I’m guilty…)1
So…. Knowing the facts, are you willing to take small actions to reduce YOUR footprint?
For energy efficiency at home & in the car see the Power of One http://www.seai.ie/Power_of_One
In transport for instance though – do you have alternatives? Can you / the kids walk/cycle/share lifts to work / school?
Often the answer is yes…. but sometimes it’s no. And let’s face it – despite best efforts on windy rainy days, for a variety of reasons even the most determined will take the car for what remains a significant portion of journeys.
So… when this is inevitable, what else can you do?
More Trees Please!
Trees & CO2 Sequestration – The Facts
Based on research carried out for the COFORD CARBIFOR II Project , we have information on per-tree sequestration rates: the cumulative amount of CO2 removed from the atmosphere by a single tree over its lifetime. Available data is for Sitka Spruce, but we’ll use it as our guide – NB slow-growing broadleaved varieties remove about half the CO2… When the tree dies and decays most of the CO2 is released back into the atmosphere, but if it is harvested and its wood used, for e.g. furniture, while it is still healthy, the carbon is removed from the cycle.
What the graph tells us is:
In its first year a tree removes 3Kg of CO2 from the atmosphere!
By age 5 it removes 23Kg of CO2 – equivalent to the drive from Dublin to Waterford.
By age 30 this is nearly one tonne (1,000Kg) of CO2! Full details at end of doc.
Tree Planting & Managing My Footprint
So… planting trees and allowing them to mature before harvesting the wood as a material (not a fuel) can make a real and measurable difference to our carbon footprints. In other words, we can at least partly off-set our personal emissions from other activities by creating a carbon sink – i.e. planting new trees! If we burn the wood, it is a carbon neutral fuel, but then growing the tree doesn’t off-set e.g. any road-trips… so decide which you’re growing it for!
10/10/10 marks the last day of National Tree Week, it’s autumn and the tree seeds are abundant – so what better time to start? Plant now and enjoy lots of baby trees in the spring :o)
Given Biodiversity and general ecological considerations, native species are probably best in the Irish environment. These include:
Tall: Ash (40m), Oak (30-40m), Scots Pine (20-20m [practically native!])
Medium: Alder (20m), Wild & Bird Cherry (20m), Elm (15-20m), Holly Yew(15-20m), Birch (10-20m), White Beam(10-20m), Rowan (5-15m),
Small: Spindle, Crab Apple (7-10), Hazelnut (5-7m), Juniper (5-6m), Arbutus (5m), Hawthorn & Blackthorn (5m), Goat & Grey Willow (-10m).
Note: broad-leaved varieties will grow more slowly and therefore sequester less CO2 in the same time-frame…but variety is the spice of life!
Care
Water newly planted trees during drought periods until the root systems develop
Apple, Cherry and Juniper are best if you want to keep them in pots long-term – e.g. on your patio – and prune the roots.
For other trees start in pots and progress to bigger pots unti you’re ready to re-plant elsewhere. [We have ambitions to secure agreements with local councils for a few years time… so keep in touch!]
Don’t use chemical pesticides, fertilizers (use the nutrient-rich soil from your compost heap!) or herbicides as their production is very carbon intensive so this will undo your great work!
Remember, your beautiful new trees, as they mature, will also be good for:
Fresh air – increased oxygen
Shade & Shelter
Noise-buffering/reduction – traffic etc
Habitat – birds, bees and butterflies
Asthetics & Perfume: Flowers, autumn leaves and good spring/summer smells :o)
Enjoy!
On 10/10/10, in every corner of the globe, we will bring our communities together to implement solutions to the climate crisis: from solar panels to community gardens, wind turbines to bike workshops.
We’ll tell leaders: “We’re getting to work—what about you?”
10/10/10 and 350.org are about mobilising concerned global citizens like you to promote international action. But don’t stop there – take responsibility and TAKE CONTROL!
Why not add your weight to some of these other actions:
National
1 – Irish Climate Change Bill: get it done!
Send a letter to the Taoiseach and TDs to keep the pressure on for an Irish Climate Change Bill the government promised a year ago and was due last summer – online form here:
http://www.foe.ie/takeaction/24-hours-to-save-the-climate-bill/
Local
2- Covenant of Mayors: EU Sustainable Cities initiative – Ireland is significantly under-represented
Sign our petitions…. coming soon!
Individual
3 –Energy Efficiency in YOUR Home and car – the Power of One
SEAI Power of One… http://www.seai.ie/Power_of_One
4 – Alternative Transport: Car Pooling, Bike/walk-to-work, Public Transport, Take The Train
http://www.tripmi.ie/ – car pooling online community: check it out!
Cycling: don’t want to arrive wet or sweaty? Ask your employer to install a shower and lockers at work – easy!
No planes – maybe trains? http://www.ecopassenger.org/ or the ferry…
5 – At Work – Become a Sustainability Champion in YOUR workplace