Healthy forests for healthy people: International Day of Forests 2023
Posted on 31 March 2023
In the words of Franklin D. Roosevelt,
“A nation that destroys its soils destroys itself. Forests are the lungs of our land, purifying the air and giving fresh strength to our people.”
These words are more true now than they were back then. Today, we’re faced with a rise in billion-dollar natural disasters, struggle to combat diseases, and wrestle with world hunger. While reforestation might not solve these world issues, it can certainly help.
This March, we’ll celebrate the International Day of Forests the classic Joan style. Anyone from anywhere in the world with a laptop, tablet, or smartphone and an internet connection can plant a tree without getting up from their seat.
But first, let’s explore how trees keep us healthy.
Clean air
Most people see forests as essential environments to convert carbon dioxide to oxygen. This conversion not only gives us air to breathe but helps combat the rise of greenhouse gases and climate change.
Every large tree can provide one day’s worth of oxygen for up to four people. On the other hand, it takes about 500 full-sized trees to absorb the carbon dioxide produced by the average driven car. Ultimately, we need more than just an oxygen source. We need to start reversing the greenhouse gases we’ve emitted into the atmosphere.
Purify water
By changing any element of an environment, you change the environment itself. Consider this: two decades after reintroducing wolves into Yellowstone National Park, scientists observed changes in the very landscape itself.
Trees influence rivers, lakes, and the availability of pure drinking water. Healthy forests act as a water filtration system to keep pollutants out of water. Strong roots influence the path of water and limit erosion. Without this root system, sediments flow into streams and pollute drinking water, affecting the health of the local people.
Provide food
Two billion people around the world suffer from nutrient deficiencies. Forests provide a variety of healthy foods including fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and edible oils that can diversify diets and address nutritional gaps. They’re also a source of a wide range of edible plants and fungi.
And then there’s the food chain. Forests are home to more than 80% of the world’s life on land. 50,000 species become extinct every year due to deforestation. These species are a part of the food chain, affecting the availability of foods we eat.
Produce life-saving medicines
“Nearly 90% of human diseases known to medical science can be treated with prescription drugs derived from nature.”
25% of medicines used to treat diseases come from the rainforest. In losing our forests, we’re ultimately losing life-saving resources that many people depend on to survive. Over 121 natural remedies in the rainforest can be used for medicinal purposes. These remedies are used to fight cancer, high blood pressure, heart failure, thrombosis, and more.
As we lose forests, the costs of these life-saving prescription drugs will rise until only a few will be able to afford them. Someday, they may be gone altogether.
Plant trees with Joan
The world has a long way to go before counteracting deforestation. But, you can help by taking advantage of our tree-planting initiative, right from the comfort of your home.
Year-round, Joan commits to planting one tree for every Joan device sold. On the International Day of Forests, we like to amp things up.
Following in the footsteps of our previous campaigns, you, your friends, and anyone you know can plant at least one tree straight from your social media account.
Head over to our recent International Day of Forests posts on either LinkedIn or Facebook between March 21st and March 28th and Like the post — plant 1 tree | Tag 3 friends — plant 2 trees | Share the post — plant 3 trees
