There are numerous ways to calculate carbon impacts depending upon your assumptions and what you value. The Nature Conservancy, the World Wildlife Fund, and others have calculators that may be of help in determining your carbon footprint. Additionally, many estimates exist on the amount of carbon that an individual tree can absorb. A tree may absorb up to 48 pounds of carbon per year, reaching a ton over 40 years. The exact amount of carbon absorbed and sequestered varies based on plant species, age, and several other factors. MRT plants a diverse variety of native tree and shrub species. The average cost of the planting and establishment of a tree or shrub is approximately $4 per plant.
Several airlines’ and the International Civil Aviation Organization’s estimates for carbon emissions from round trip air travel between Portland, OR and New York, NY, range from 1159 to 1955 pounds of carbon. Given these estimates and calculations, one may wish to enable the planting of three to five trees to address their carbon impacts from that trip. This traveler or one making a similar trip, may choose to donate $12-20 to the Earth Care Interfaith Fund for this cross-country trip.
If you calculated your carbon footprint to be 43 tons of carbon released per year, you may wish to sponsor the planting of 43-53 trees. You may wish to donate $172-212 to the Earth Care Interfaith Fund for your annual carbon contributions.
*These local grassroots partnerships are not regulated by, nor participating in the international Verified Carbon Standard program.
McKenzie River Trust
120 Shelton McMurphey Blvd, Suite 270
Eugene, OR 97401