Posties plant trees to fight climate change

No longer just the person who gets your letters and parcels from A to B, the humble postie has joined the fight against climate change.


Employees from Royal Mail, Post Office Ltd and Parcelforce Worldwide are signing up to a newly launched scheme to offset their carbon emissions.

Staff who join the initiative will make regular tax-free donations directly from their wage packets to the Woodland Trust, enabling the charity to plant and look after thousands of trees in the UK.

Royal Mail has developed its own carbon calculator, Ollie, which asks employees about their home energy usage, car and air travel before calculating how many trees will need to be planted to offset their emissions.

They can also get tips on reducing their carbon footprint.

It is believed to be the first time a company’s employees have been able to take part in such a scheme, and the Woodland Trust is challenging other businesses to follow Royal Mail’s example.

Clare Allen, head of corporate partnerships at the Woodland Trust, said: “The excellent start this scheme has had with Royal Mail shows its employees are eager to do their bit to help the environment and reduce their carbon emissions.

“The Woodland Trust would like to thank them for their support.”

Ms Allen added: “Planting trees creates vital habitats for more species than any other, traps pollution, generates oxygen, stabilises soil and forms a stunning part of our landscape.

“And yet woods are scarce, with only 12% of the UK wooded, compared to 46% on average in Europe.”

The scheme is the brainchild of Dr Martin Blake, head of sustainability at Royal Mail Group.

“This unique product provides our people with the opportunity to ethically and appropriately offset their residual carbon emissions in what is the final step in a process of reduction,” he said.

“What we’re doing is spreading the word about a sustainable environment, not just giving people a way to offset.”

Kate Martin

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