American Forests: Climate Change Information

Global climate change, sometimes referred to as global warming, is the looming environmental threat that all of us will have to face in the 21st century. Industrial society, based for 200 years on the combustion of oil, coal, and gas, has changed the basic mechanics of our planet's self-regulating temperature balance.

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here is another simple, effective way you can be part of the solution today: Plant a tree, cool the globe. You can plant trees to offset your personal carbon dioxide emissions and reduce CO2 in our atmosphere. Read on to learn how trees and forests, the skin of the earth, can help us in this critical effort to restabilize the Earth's atmosphere.

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Trees absorb carbon dioxide (CO2), the primary gas causing global climate change. Trees retain the carbon (C) from the CO2 molecule and release oxygen (O2) into the atmosphere. The carbon makes up half the dry weight of a tree.

Forests are the world's second largest carbon reservoirs (oceans are the largest). Unlike oceans, however, we can grow new forests. Planting new trees remains one of the cheapest, most effective means of drawing excess CO2 from the atmosphere. One acre of forestland will sequester between 150 - 200 tons of CO2 in its first 40 years.

Anticipated Effects of Climate Change

Extreme weather, such as hurricanes and typhoons, will occur more often and become more violent. Increased flooding in some areas. Increased drought in others. 100-degree plus days will become more common. Tropical diseases such as malaria will become more widespread. Melting ice caps and glaciers will cause sea level to rise. Rising sea levels will cause coastal flooding.

What can you do about it?

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hange your lifestyle: Our Personal Climate Change Calculator reveals just how much impact your lifestyle is having on the planet and how many new trees it would take to offset that debt.

Involve Your Company: Let us work with you to design a program that can help your company go "climate neutral." Learn more!

Plant Trees in a Global ReLeaf Forest: Planting 30 trees each year in a Global ReLeaf Forest offsets approximately 10 tons of carbon dioxide, the average annual emissions for a U.S. citizen. Learn more!

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