Each year, a UK citizen’s everyday habits like eating, travelling to work, using electrical appliances, and heating the home contribute to over 8,000 kg of CO2e being emitted into the atmosphere.
Now more than ever, it is crucial that we try to do everything we can to help reduce our carbon footprint significantly to see the necessary changes to lower carbon emissions. While we can make changes to our everyday habits to help the environment, we can also go one step further than that.
One simple and effective way to help reduce our carbon footprint is to plant more trees. Viessmann has launched a campaign called #HowManyTrees that looks at the number of trees that would be needed to make a difference in the fight against climate change.
Watching 30 minutes of Netflix a day generates 584 kg of CO2 each year and would need 58.4 trees to be planted to offset that. Even using a microwave generates around 39 kg of CO2 each year and would need 3.9 trees to be planted.
Although the activity you may be doing may not seem like it’s having much effect on the environment, it does have an impact, and we need to realise just how much it can contribute to our carbon footprint. Here are some tips and advice on how you can grow trees in the UK to help the environment.
What season is best to grow trees?
The best season to grow trees in the UK is autumn or winter. Planting trees throughout October to March will allow the tree’s roots to spread over time to find water and nutrients. Doing this during the dormancy period will let the roots thrive when spring and summer roll around.
What are the best trees to plant in the UK?
The UK has a very unique climate which means that some trees will grow better than others. Some of the best trees to plant in your garden here in the UK are Oak, Silver Birch, Wild Cherry, Crab Apple, Aspen, and Field Maple. A lot of these species of trees will be suitable for the UK’s weather conditions, but you should also factor in the type of soil used and latitude in order for the tree to thrive.
What compost should you use?
It is essential to try and use peat-free compost when planting trees. This is because peat-free compost is better for the environment. When peatlands are mined to try and produce the compost needed to grow trees, it actually contributes to the UK’s carbon footprint, defeating the purpose of planting trees. So wherever possible, use peat-free compost to help the environment.
Which tree is most effective for absorbing CO2e?
The best variety of trees in the UK to help absorb the most CO2e is the Oak tree. There are two types of Oak trees, the Pedunculate Oak tree, and the Sessile Oak tree. Both of these will absorb the most carbon over their lifetime. However, any of the trees we mentioned further up will be incredibly beneficial in the fight against climate change.
