This organisation is fighting climate change, saving wildlife and generating jobs for tribal people

Over the last few decades, rapid development across the country in mobility, infrastructure, and urbanisation has been a boon. But the effect of these changes on our environment has been alarming.

It is estimated that we have only 12 years to save our planet from the rising temperature - and climate change.

However, several initiatives are being taken by nations and individual organisations to tackle climate change. Mumbai-based Grow-Trees is one such organisation, which has planted 2.48 million trees in the past decade. These trees have helped reduce 78,252,500 kg of carbon emission every year. In addition, the company also generated 205,000 days of employment.

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Co-founded by Karan Shah, an MBA graduate from Harvard, and his father Pradip Shah, also the founder of CRISIL, India’s largest credit rating agency, in 2010, Grow-Trees is now present in 14 states across India.

When asked about the motive of the organisation, Karan said to The Logical India,

We want to inculcate the habit amongst individuals and companies to Greet with Trees – plant a real tree in public lands and dedicate it to greet employees/customers/friends with an attractive eTree Certificate. We have different thematic projects – Trees for Tribals, Trees for Elephants. These trees not only enable one to distinctively greet a friend but also help create incomes for rural residents, improve wildlife habitats, enhance water catchment, and fight climate change.

The organisation is also supported by the UN Environmental Programme and the World Wildlife Foundation, reports Forbes.

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Karan also encourages individuals to plant a tree on certain personal occasions. Speaking on the same, he said,

We offer people to plant a tree in the name of their dear ones at a nominal expense of just Rs 85. A consequent eTree Certificate would be delivered digitally to the recipient, reports The Logical Indian.

The organisation plants saplings and trees on only public land without tax breaks or other government support. Further, it audits each plantation every year and replaces saplings that have died.

The cost of planting trees is taken care of by the sponsors associated with Grow-Trees. Speaking to India Climate Change Dialogue, Zahabia Rajkotwala, a member of Grow-Trees, said,

The organisation later asks a third party to conduct an audit to ensure that the saplings survive. Communities, which include tribals, take ownership and plant trees in areas near villages. Areas for plantation have been carefully selected, depending on the environmental and social impact, even in the remotest of tribal areas were few ventures.

Besides plantation drives, the organisation also focuses on employment for forest dwellers and women in remote areas. In 2018, the organisation said that its 25,000 trees created 3,000 work days.

Grow-Trees has also taken steps towards wildlife conservation. In the last six years, it has planted 3,00,000 trees in Sariska Tiger Reserve in Rajasthan, which has bought tigers back to the area. Speaking about the impact, Karan said,

In Sariska, we have seen a rise in the groundwater table. Similar results have been observed in other plantation zones as well. In Madhya Pradesh, we have planted forests on the banks of the tributaries of the Narmada river, aiming to increase water percolation, reduce flooding by decreasing soil erosion and enhancing the soil retention capacity, reports The Logical Indian.

So, what are you waiting? Go grab your own eTree Certificate and do your bid for the planet!

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