1000 Trees Challenge

Planting Our Way To Carbon Reduction

Tree planting is one of the easiest and most satisfying ways to offset our carbon emissions on the way to becoming Carbon Neutral. CZITT throws out the 1000 Trees Challenge to schools, clubs and corporations to plant and record 1000 trees. We normally recommend Moringa trees due to their ability to rapidly sequester carbon, as well as the health benefits of this wonder tree. However we encourage you to plant any tree – and nurture it!

CZITT will map your trees into our Geographical Information System (GIS) platform which incorporates our Carbon Offset Register or CORE. We are promoting a local moringa industry as a means of making the project sustainable. This is incorporated in our Sustainable Agricultural Carbon Sink project. CZITT’s volunteers hand out and assist with planting the trees. We use the opportunity to raise awareness on the need to offset carbon emissions to mitigate the effects of climate change. It is always a fun event!

Naparima College

Naparima College was established in the year 1894 by Dr Kenneth J. Grant, a Canadian Presbyterian missionary. It is a public school for teenage boys located in the second city, San Fernando.

The 1000 Trees Challenge was launched at Naparima College. The students took the pledge in front of His Excellency Justice Anthony Carmona SC ORTT, President of Trinidad and Tobago, the Principal Dr Michael Dowlath, School Chaplin Rev. Kenrick Sooknarine and Donald Baldeosingh, Founder of CZITT.

Picture of Naparima College students raising their hand for the pledge before the 1000 Trees Challenge briefing.

News

Brazil Secondary School

Brazil Secondary School is a coed High School located in the quiet countryside of East Trinidad. The school is internationally recognised for its work with the Globe IT programme and was the Sustainability Award winner at the Environmental Management Authority Schools’ Green Leaf Awards 2018.

Brazil Secondary School (BSS) engaged in the 1000 Trees Challenge by planting Moringa trees on their school compound and students taking home trees for planting.

St Augustine Girls’ High School

St Augustine Girls’ High School (SAGHS), founded on 19th September, 1950, is one of the top all girls secondary schools in Trinidad and Tobago. They demonstrated their environmental stewardship by participating in the 1000 Trees Challenge. The girls bought and took home their trees. After planting they sent the location of their trees to CZITT.

World Environment Day 2019 – Marking the 150th Birth Anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi

On World Environment Day 2019, CZITT partnered with the High Commission of India to Trinidad and Tobago in an activity to mark the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi. CZITT and local community group, The Felicity Environmental Conservation Organisation (FECO) planted 150 Moringa trees on an abandoned sugar cane field. Six trees were also planted on the compound of the Chaguanas Borough Corporation as a CZITT Forest of Fame to mark the event. 50 additional trees were handed out to attendees to ensure the event was carbon neutral.

News Story

From left, Acting Indian High Commissioner, Mr Raj Kamal, His Excellency, Justice Carmona (Former President), Mayor of Chaguanas, Mr Gopaul Boodhan and Mr Donald Baldeosingh, Founder of CZITT.

Members of CZITT team ceremoniously plant a tree with members of the Indian High Commission and FECO.

JMMB Bank

Jamaica Money Market Brokers (JMMB) Limited, reached out to CZITT as part of the Bank’s Corporate Social Responsibility programme. CZITT distributed 640 Moringa trees to staff and customers at four branches. There was a great deal of interest.

In the JMMB Directors’ Statement document, CZITT was mentioned. The note stated, “JMMB Bank partnered with the Carbon Zero Initiative of Trinidad and Tobago (CZITT), in its 1000 Trees Challenge, by distributing and encouraging JMMB team members and clients to plant Moringa trees. CZITT is a non-profit organisation dedicated to ensuring that Trinidad and Tobago, which is among the Top 10 producers of greenhouse gases, becomes a carbon neutral country by the year 2050.”

Newsday Article

Republic Bank

CZITT collaborated with Republic Bank Limited to plant 20 Moringa trees at Couva East Secondary School. This was part of their Community Engagement Programme in which they sponsored 100 trees.