Scouting Youth Give Canadians Five Reasons to Think Green this Spring with Scoutrees Program

Scoutrees provide an easy way for Canadians to offset their carbon footprint - More than 80 million Scoutrees planted since 1972

OTTAWA, May 28, 2014 /CNW/ - Scouts Canada is asking Canadians to help make our communities greener by supporting their annual Scoutrees program, which sees approximately 200,000 trees planted across the country each year during the spring and fall months.

What began as only one tree being planted in 1972 has grown into a successful national initiative with more than 80 million trees planted to date.

"With the ongoing reminders of global warming and calls to lower greenhouse gas emissions as well as continued forest depletion due to human and natural causes, planting trees is more important than ever," said Doug Reid, National Commissioner for Scouts Canada. "Spring is the time of renewal and the Scouts ongoing commitment to planting trees each year will help offset our carbon footprint for generations to come."

Per capita, Canada is one of the world's largest emitters of greenhouse gases. Here are the top five reasons why Scoutrees make a difference:

1. Clean air: trees trap air pollutants like dust, smog and smoke, while producing oxygen, making the air safer for us to breath and providing health benefits for all Canadians.
2. Combats the greenhouse effect: trees absorb carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases like nitrogen oxide, smog-forming ozone and sulphur dioxide, the biggest cause of acid rain.
3. Protects land: trees act as windbreaks, providing shelter from the wind, reducing soil erosion and helping to control storm water runoff.
4. Home to many species: trees are home to many birds and animals and planting trees helps create new habitats.
5. Keeps us cool in the summer: trees provide shade that helps keep cities cooler.

By participating in the Scoutrees program, Canadians can help offset their carbon footprints - a $25 donation enables 12 trees to be planted, while $50 allows for 25 Scoutrees - all of which help offset daily activities such as heating a home or driving a car.

Plus, the Scoutree program, coupled with Scouts Canada's other environmental programs, gets kids outside, active and learning.

"Environmental stewardship is a longstanding core value of Scouts Canada," said Kaylee Galipeau, National Youth Commissioner and Chair of the National Youth Network for Scouts Canada. "Through Scoutrees, kids and youth not only spend time outside working together, but they learn about the critical need for conservation and the huge impact of climate change, and as a result, garner a greater appreciation of the environment."

For more information on Scoutrees, or to donate, please visit Scouts.ca/scoutrees.

ABOUT SCOUTS CANADA
Kids in Scouts have fun adventures, discovering new things and experiences they wouldn't discover elsewhere. Along the way, they develop into capable, confident and well-rounded individuals, better prepared for success in the world. For tens of thousands of children and youth across Canada, Scouts is the start of something great. Scouts Canada is the country's leading co-ed youth organization, with more than 100,000 members nationwide. Scouts Canada offers programming for children and youth aged 5-26 in multiple languages, reflecting Canada's multicultural landscape and communities. For more information, visit Scouts.ca.

Scouts Canada is a not-for-profit organization (Charitable Registration No. 10776 1694 RR0028) and a member of the World Organization of the Scout Movement.

Image with caption: "Scouts Canada youth and volunteers plant 200,000 trees a year as part of the Scoutrees program (CNW Group/Scouts Canada)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20140528_C9946_PHOTO_EN_40794.jpg

SOURCE: Scouts Canada

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