‘Planting trees, changing minds’: that is the slogan of tree-planting and environmental business Green Pop. It is a social organisation that truly believes in its cause of making the world a greener place and at the same time a sustainable and accessible one that encourages more participation and education. It aims to inspire a more conscious and inclusive mentality when it comes to taking care of our planet. Most importantly, it hopes to encourage people to start doing instead of looking in a state of unaffected apathy. Volunteer in Zambia to be a part of the Green Pop projects and help out contributing to your own ecological revolution.
Zambia needs you
Zambia has one of the highest deforestation rates in the world and it needs your assistance to save its trees. Trees are often big indicators of wealth disparity as there is a divide between the privileged, leafy suburbs and the poverty-stricken urban sprawls of poor areas and informal settlements. By planting trees at schools and rural areas, you can help strengthen a culture of ailing environmental awareness.
Why care for trees?
Green Pop stresses the symbiotic relationship between human beings and trees. They produce the largest amount of our oxygen and therefore if they are under threat, we are under threat as a species. It has also been noted that almost 4/5ths of our original forestlands have been lost in what can be seen as a global arboreal cull. Green Pop states that trees increase biodiversity as well as enrich soil with nitrates allowing for plants like vegetables to grow more plentiful and efficiently. Trees also contribute to the society around them by providing fruit to eat and improving water quality.
The planting of trees also has economic and social benefits. Indigenous trees increase the property values of an area and fruit trees are massive contributors to feeding schemes. On top of feeding children and locals, they can also be a source of income when the schools or communities sell the fruit. What it certainly does is put in place the beginnings of a system that be grown with sustainable input and care. The programme is also incentivised with those beneficiaries who keep trees alive qualifying for more, leading to a more concentrated and serious approach to the project.
What would you do?
By supporting trees on your gap year, you too can promote life just as a company like Green Pop does. One of their main goals is to plant fruit trees at schools so as to lessen rates of malnutrition amongst kids. Children need food to concentrate and do well in class and when trees are planted in their playgrounds, they will both learn to take care of it as a sustainable food source and also learn about responsibility and care.
The power of change
Don’t be afraid to contribute to a positive change in society. It will most often come with hard work and investment that creates a sustainable change in society. What is most important is facilitating an environment for education and self-maintenance. Short-term contributions will not help in the long run and it is up to you to participate in your productive gap year in Africa.