Aptus pledges more than 1000 trees to Plant A Tree climate programme  

We are proud to be partnering with international conservation charity the World Land Trust by pledging support for their Plant A Tree programme. The programme forms part of the organisation’s global efforts to restore lost forests, repair damaged ecosystems and mitigate climate change, which has been deemed vital in the face of a climate emergency.

At the COP26 climate summit in November more than 100 world leaders promised to “halt and reverse deforestation and land degradation” by 2030 in order to avert a climate catastrophe. Tackling deforestation is critical if we are to reduce carbon emissions and achieve Net Zero by 2050, say scientists.

Why are forests so important?

Trees and other plants absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere as they grow, which is converted into carbon and stored safely in the plant’s branches, leaves, trunks, roots and in the soil. When forests are cleared or burnt, stored carbon is released into the atmosphere, mainly as carbon dioxide which is the biggest contributor to greenhouse gases. Forests also regulate local, regional and even continental climate. Deforestation is directly linked to climate change and extreme weather events such as heatwaves, floods and forest fires.

Environmental responsibility

At this pivotal moment, every business must play its part and do what it can to preserve our planet. With at least one football pitch of rainforest lost worldwide every six seconds we signed up to the Plant A Tree programme and pledged to support WLT in their vital work in an effort to meet our environmental goals.

The World Land Trust (WLT) works with conservation partners to protect some of the most threatened habitats across the globe. Experts report that not only do forests play a critical role in removing carbon from the atmosphere, but that deforestation accounts for up to 20% of all annual greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions – more than is produced by every car, boat and plane combined.

OUR PLEDGE

Our commitment is to donate £5 to Plant A Tree for every vehicle we have on the road in a month. Since April we have donated 1,011 trees for the vehicles that were on the road in the months until the end of September.

Each £5 donation covers the seed collection, growing, planting and protection, guaranteeing a new forest to help biodiversity and tackle climate change. So far, Plant A Tree has planted over 2 million trees across 5,930 acres in areas such as Borneo, Brazil, Kenya, and India.

By championing Plant A Tree we can help to restore these crucial landscapes at a time when the planet needs it most. Visit the World Land Trust to get involved.

OUR COMMITMENT TO GOING GREEN

Our ISO 14001 accreditation, which we have held for over a decade, sets out an environmental management system by which we strive to improve our environmental performance.

On Earth Day 2021 we reinforced our commitment by launching a Green Campaign aimed at engaging employees in achieving our green goals. These include reducing waste, promoting recycling, and increasing energy efficiency. It has also led to initiatives such as introducing plants for wellbeing at all our depots and offices, organising litter picking sessions, and challenging our offices and depots to go as paperless as possible.

Published on 3rd November 2021