BlueSky celebrates a green Christmas.....

16 November 2007, 10:16am

BlueSky celebrates a green Christmas with National Forest tree planting

Aerial mapping specialist BlueSky is continuing its proactive support of environmental programmes with a tree-planting project to celebrate Christmas 2007. The project will see fifty trees, sponsored by BlueSky, planted in the National Forest helping to absorb carbon emissions, contribute to the sustainable development of the local area and tackle climate change. BlueSky has funded this project in lieu of the more traditional festive activity of sending Christmas cards and gifts.

“It was important to us that we celebrate Christmas in an environmentally friendly way,” said Rachel Tidmarsh, Managing Director of Leicestershire based BlueSky. “The National Forest is a locally based organisation that provides a national resource and was therefore the perfect partner for our festive activity.” She continued, “By planting these trees we are doing something positive and lasting for both the global and local environments. In addition by not sending traditional greetings cards and gifts we are reducing the carbon footprint of our Christmas.”

The National Forest covers 200 square miles of the counties of Leicestershire, Derbyshire and Staffordshire, including the town of Coalville, home to BlueSky. In the last twelve years the National Forest has turned one of the least wooded areas of England into a multi-purpose, sustainable forest providing environmental and economic benefits, including landscape enhancement, creation of new wildlife habitats and major new access and leisure opportunities. It is an excellent example of sustainable development, with environmental improvement providing a stimulus to economic regeneration.

The National Forest is also helping to reduce the effect of carbon emissions in a number of ways. Firstly, carbon is stored in the living tree, roots and in stable forest soils as well as in timber products. With ambitious planting projects, such as one supported by BlueSky, the National Forest aims to plant ¼ million trees per year, ‘locking up’ carbon for the future and guaranteeing a more environmentally friendly form of land use. Secondly, the National Forest is developing and promoting locally grown wood as a greener alternative to fossil fuel energy, and thirdly by providing accessible open spaces and leisure facilities it is reducing unnecessary carbon producing travel.

The tree planting project sponsored by BlueSky is just one of a number of environmentally friendly activities supported by the company. BlueSky already funds a range of environmental programmes, including forest restoration, with a CO2 Offsetting service from Climate Care, and is an active supporter of recycling projects, energy efficiency practices and safe disposal of hazardous material.

“I remember reading recently that an estimated 200,000 trees are felled every year to produce to 1.7 billion Christmas cards and another 50,000 are felled to produce 8,000 tons of wrapping paper,” Rachel Tidmarsh continued. “When you factor in the extra packaging around our Christmas gifts and festive treats Christmas is not exactly the season of goodwill for our environment. Projects such as this show that it is possible for everyone to do their bit.”

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