We have recently teamed up with Treepoints to allow you to plant a tree at checkout. For 50p you can plant a tree and we will match every single tree planted! Let's make 2021 the year of reforestation. We spoke to co-founder Anthony about what Treepoints is and their values: 

How was Treepoints started?

We’ve been worried about the climate crisis for a long time, but it wasn’t until Autumn last year that we decided it was time to do something. When the pandemic hit, our travel tech startup went very quiet and we realised we had an opportunity to use this time to contribute to the fight against climate change.

From speaking to friends and family, it was clear to us that lots of people are really concerned about climate change, but because of the size and complexity of the issue, they don’t know where to start in fighting it and how to have a meaningful impact. We set out to help simplify positive climate action for individuals and businesses, making it straightforward for everyone to make a difference. With this goal in mind, we created Treepoints. 

How does Treepoints help fight climate change? 

Put simply, Treepoints is a platform that helps people to understand their impact on the environment and then do something about it. We make it possible for individuals and businesses to calculate their carbon footprint, understand where this comes from, and then offset it. This involves tree planting and supporting carbon reduction schemes, such as building wind turbines and solar energy technology, speeding up our global transition to green energy and reducing carbon emissions from fossil fuels. 

We also work with businesses to help them have a positive climate impact. This could be carbon offsetting, planting trees, or both! For example, we work with Georganics to plant trees for every order. 

What kind of projects are you involved in? 

In terms of carbon offsetting projects, we partner with independent standards including Gold Standard and VCS (Verified Carbon Standard) to donate to a varied portfolio of certified carbon reduction schemes around the world. This takes the hassle and confusion out of carbon offsetting for individuals, as Treepoints researches and selects projects which have been verified to the highest standard. 

For example, current projects include generating clean electricity from wind power for the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh; producing clean energy via hydroelectric power in Honduras; and in Istanbul, capturing methane waste and using it instead to power turbines for electricity. With that project, the Turkish capital is likely to save an estimated 818,841 tonnes of carbon dioxide-equivalent emissions per year.

Our tree planting is similarly spread out around the world. We plant trees in Haiti, Honduras, Indonesia, Kenya, Madagascar, Mozambique, Nepal, and Nicaragua. As well as reducing carbon (trees absorb CO2 from the atmosphere as they grow), this supports sustainable development in the global south, as tree planting offers a source of stable income and employment for communities. 

What are Treepoints? 

We wanted to reward people for doing good for the environment and also incentivise people to spread the word, to get more people involved in fighting climate change. So in return for offsetting their carbon footprint, we reward our subscribers with Treepoints. These work like airmiles, except you earn them for helping the environment, not harming it. You can also earn them for referring your friends and family to Treepoints. These points can then be spent on our rewards platform, with sustainable brands like Brewdog, Hotel Chocolat, and Patagonia clothing.  

Who are your climate change heroes?

Mike Berners-Lee is a big inspiration to us. We’d highly recommend his book ‘There Is No Planet B’ to everyone. In it, he lays out the current climate crisis very simply and looks at what we could do to save our planet’s future. 

David Attenborough is also a hero to us, of course. At 94 he is still creating documentaries to raise awareness of the climate crisis, and celebrating the beauty of our natural world. His most recent documentary ‘A Life on Our Planet’ is especially powerful, and should be on every school curriculum. 

Click here to shop and plant a tree with your order.