First-ever climate telethon raises millions to plant trees in Denmark
CC BY 3.0 Gribskov Forest in the northern part of Sealand, Denmark. (Malene Thyssen / Wikimedia Commons)
The good people of Denmark phoned in enough kroner to plant nearly a million trees.
The people have spoken, and the people want trees.
Earlier this month, the BC Parks Foundation in British Columbia, Canada successfully crowdsourced $3 million from the public to purchase nearly 2,000 acres of forest in order to protect it from logging. And now this week, the people of Denmark have shown their charitable side in a forestation fundraiser billed as the first-ever event of its kind.
The televised event – a climate telethon – took place at Gisselfeld Klosters Skove forest on the island of Zealand, reports German news outlet, DW.
Organized by the Danish Society for Nature Conservation and the Growing Trees Network Foundation, the event invited musical guests to perform and was broadcast on Denmark’s public TV channel TV2. The goal was to raise 20 million Danish kroner (just under $3 million dollars) to plant 1 million trees. With donations from both individuals and businesses, the event concluded just short of its goal with a grand total of $2.67 million; enough to plant 914,233 trees.
What a great idea this is; for just 20 kroner ($3), one tree will be planted – that’s like half the price of a latte in New York CIty! And the organizers are thinking ahead as well. Twenty percent of the total donated will go toward forest conservation efforts.
“It’s the first time a charity show has focused on climate issues on TV, it’s very exciting,” said Kim Nielsen, founder of the Growing Trees Network Foundation.
“It’s a positive way to inspire people,” he added, “showing how to make a difference, with a small act to tackle the climate crisis.”
We know that planting trees won’t solve the climate catastrophe on its own, but it is a crucial step in the battle – and the people are here for it.
(The event is over, but anyone can still donate. Visit the Growing Trees Network Foundation for more information.)