Since our founding in 2007, thousands of teachers have traveled on GEEO programs. we believe in the transformative power of travel to educate and inspire teachers and their students to make the world a more inclusive, just, and peaceful place. We believe that part of ethical travel must include efforts to mitigate the impact that travel has on the environment. That’s why we are excited to introduce our partnership with G Adventures and Planettera’s Trees for Days initiative.
The Trees for Days program is aimed at creating a positive impact on the environment and local communities by planting trees. For each and every day one of our travelers spends on a trip with us, a tree is planted in their name to help communities around the world adapt to the growing impacts of climate change. This endeavor allows us to combat carbon emissions and support communities in need. So far, Planeterra is committed to growing trees in 17 communities across the world, from Madagascar to Peru to Sri Lanka, but that is just the start of this global initiative that will expand far and wide.
Why Trees?
Trees are nature’s superheroes. They play a pivotal role in absorbing harmful greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide, providing habitats for wildlife, and making ecosystems more resilient to natural disasters. And aside from all of that, trees are undeniably majestic.
How It Works
As soon as you book and pay for your trip with GEEO, the process of sourcing your tree bundle begins. One tree is grown for every day of your travels. Planeterra’s reforestation process commences in cooperation with local communities who ensure your trees receive all the care and attention they need to thrive in their new environment. See the FAQs below for more information about Planeterra’s Trees for Days initiative.
1. When you book your flights, try to take as direct a route as possible. According to a NASA report, 25 percent of airplane emissions occur during takeoff and landing. The more stops you have on your flight route, the greater your carbon footprint will be. You can also book with an airline that has carbon offset or environmental standards in place.
2. Teach your students about the importance of environmental stewardship. You can use these lesson plans on climate change from the New York Times as a great framework for your classroom.
3. Contact your representatives and ask them to take action on climate change. Here’s a good place to start when calling, emailing, or writing letters to your representatives. This site offers a template for writing letters to Congress. You could even help your students write letters!
What measures are in place to ensure transparency and accountability?
Planeterra has signed contracts with each tree-growing partner to ensure that monitoring and reporting responsibilities and timeframes are clearly understood by all parties. These reports will contain a mix of statistics, photos, videos, and individual and community impact stories. As the program progresses, Planeterra field staff will periodically visit the sites to get a better understanding of the fieldwork and progress.
How will this initiative be sustained in the long term?
G Adventures is supporting and sustaining this initiative through its trip sales. A percentage of each trip sale is donated to Planeterra to manage the portfolio of tree-growing projects. An initial commitment of five years has been agreed upon between G Adventures and Planeterra, with the idea of renewing for longer once the concept is proven.
How will progress be monitored and reported?
G Adventures, via its partner Planeterra, will monitor and evaluate data from program partners on a quarterly basis to check the progress of project activities including, but not limited to: growth of trees, tree survival rate, income generated through employment, income generated through the sale of produce harvested from trees, and other well-being factors from a community perspective. This data will be analyzed and reported in an annual program impact report.
Who is involved and what is their experience?
The tree-growing partners are organizations local to the areas in which they are growing trees. They were selected based on their ability to deliver long-term projects that yield positive social, economic, and environmental impact for communities. These organizations have been working for at least five years to deliver positive impact through community development activities (e.g. food and water security, agroforestry, education, etc.) and have strong links with their communities.
How will donations from G Adventures be used?
Donations from G Adventures to Planeterra will continue to support the work they do to uplift communities through tourism enterprise development, and support tree-growing partners as they propagate, plant, and protect trees that benefit communities.
What is the purpose of Trees for Days?
The purpose of this initiative is to grow trees that directly benefit communities. These benefits focus on tangibly mitigating the impacts of climate change (e.g. drought, floods, soil erosion, desertification), improving community resilience and well-being, and inspiring travelers and host communities to become guardians of nature.
