Intersectional Environmentalist, Leah Thomas, pens her first book, plus Greenstand, the tree-Tracking App. It’s the Bristol Climate Hub, and Scotland’s Nature Restoration Fund!
The Bristol Climate Hub, Scotland’s Nature Restoration Fund, Greenstand–The Tree-Tracking App, IE Leah Thomas’s New Book!
GREENSTAND
As reported by The Climate Daily, scientists agree that massive forestation and re-forestation of deforested regions of the planet are keys to immediately sequestering carbon and slowing the worst effects of climate change in the short term. The global paradigm has shifted from tree planting to growing diverse and valuable forests.
Greenstand is a U.S.-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization developing open-source technology to address climate change and alleviate poverty through digitizing environmental goods and services
It was co-founded in 2015 by David “Ezra” Jay and Tom Morrison, PhD in Anchorage, AK. Greenstand’s mission is to create a global, open-source marketplace to digitally track and compensate farmers for growing individually managed trees to support reforestation and alleviate poverty.
Its goal is to create a self-sustaining restoration platform that connects local communities in developing countries with socially- and environmentally-concerned global citizens. The app enables those folks, along with individuals, organizations, and donors growing trees to track and trade their ecological impact.
HERE’s how it works: Using our Treetracker app, tree growers anywhere in the world can take photos of the trees they care for and upload them to our system to be verified. The platform allows for tree growers to display the periodic growth of their trees, which helps us collect valuable data on tree survival rates.
Greenstand’s software stack consists of two distinct components: Capture and Verification Service and Impact Wallet and Trading Service. As for tree growers, the app proves they own their environmental impacts, and they have the option to trade or sell their Impact Tokens on an open market platform. Investors and donors can purchase those Tokens directly from tree growers.
In 2017, the app had 100 users. Two years later, it tracked its 200,000th tree. Just one year later, in 2020, over half a million trees were tracked. Last June, it tracked its one millionth tree.
DEEPER DIVE: GREENSTAND, BLOG, Trillion Tree Project
THE BRISTOL CLIMATE HUB
Back in 2018, the city of Bristol, England, declared a climate emergency. Then in 2020 it declared an ecological emergency in response to climate change and other threats to local wildlife and ecosystems. So, in November 2020, Bristol launched One City. A survey of Bristol citizens revealed a majority of people in the city care deeply about the environment. They just don’t know enough to take action, where or how to start.
In response, One City created an online platform called Bristol Climate Hub to bring Bristol residents together to solve its complex climate change and environmental issues. The One City concept originated with Bristol’s One City Environment Board. The board is responsible for producing the One City Climate Strategy. The strategy is the overall framework for the city to get to Net Zero by 2030
According to the website, “Bristol Climate Hub is helping residents and business owners make informed decisions through taking action to reduce their own household and business carbon footprints.” Each suggestion on the website comes with a rating, indicating the extent of impact each action carries. Areas of best practices include:
- transportation
- home
- workplace
- shopping
- lifestyle
- campaigning
- preparedness
The hub also shares short interviews with everyday Bristol climate heroes doing what they can to contribute to the city’s climate goals. Why does Bristol Climate Hub matter to us? Once again, a local community is developing a replicable plan to help its citizens take action to offset the worst effects of climate change, and to create strategies to adapt to and become resilient in the face of climate change.
DEEPER DIVE: Bristol Climate Hub, Independent, Bristol Live
INTERSECTIONAL ENVIRONMENTALIST, LEAH THOMAS RELEASES HER FIRST BOOK
About a year ago, The Climate Daily brought you the story of Leah Thomas, the Intersectional Environmentalist, and also of her movement of the same name. This year, we bring you Thomas’s book, The Intersectional Environmentalist: How to Dismantle Systems of Oppression to Protect People + Planet.
Intersectional Environmentalism matters because it is an inclusive version of environmentalism that identifies ways in which injustices happening to marginalized communities and the earth are interconnected.
Thomas shows how not only are Black, Indigenous and people of color unequally and unfairly impacted by environmental injustices, but she argues that the fight for the planet lies in tandem to the fight for civil rights; and in fact, that one cannot exist without the other. An essential read, this book addresses the most pressing issues that the people and our planet face, examines and dismantles privilege, and looks to the future as the voice of a movement that will define a generation.
Says one reviewer B&N reviewer, Mimi 96, “Such a powerful read, written by an amazing human. Leah Thomas was born to be a writer, The Intersectional Environmentalist allows for the reader to take a dive into what intersectionality looks like in the environmental justice world, and also explains the work that needs to be done! If you are someone passionate about the environment, social justice or just looking for an inspiring book to read, then this is it! 10’s across the board darling!”
SCOTLAND’S NATURE RESTORATION FUND
Launched July 2021, the Nature Restoration Fund (NRF) is a competitive granting organization funded by The Scottish Government. NRF receives all kinds of applications but specifically looks for projects that “restore wildlife and habitats on land and sea and address the twin crises of biodiversity loss and climate change.”
Not even a year old, NRF has awarded grants to 54 projects. Some of these projects include: a project The Climate Daily highlighted– the restoration and preparations for native oyster enhancement work in the Firth of Forth and an urban grasslands biodiversity improvements project in Edinburgh.
Also, The Futures Route Fund. The aim of this fund is to help young people to improve their local environment, increase their knowledge and understanding of Scottish biodiversity, and to provide more opportunities for them to connect with nature.
AND the Scottish Rural Development Program. Within SRDP, the Agri-Environment Climate Scheme (AECS) promotes land management that protects and enhances Scotland’s natural heritage, improves water quality, manages flood risk, and helps mitigate and adapt to climate change.
DEEPER DIVE: Nature Scot, Greenspace Scotland, Energy Live News