We are quickly increasing our clean energy production. One day, the amount of greenhouse gasses we emit will start to go down. But no energy production is completely green. For example, wind turbine components need to be mined, manufactured, transported, installed, maintained and ultimately recycled, all of which produce some emissions. We are always going to have some adverse effect on the atmosphere through our need for energy. It just needs to be a lot less than burning fossil fuels. To offset some of this inevitable emissions, we should plant many more trees.

Cover Areas Like The Highlands Of Scotland In Trees

We should create woodland areas, especially where trees used to exist before people came to the land. Take the Highlands of Scotland for example. This largely wilderness area used to be a blanket of trees, before being cleared for livestock and the production of charcoal. Charcoal production is a thing of the past and livestock rearing is now on a much smaller scale. But the trees have largely not been replaced.

Insignificant, Barbaric Industry

Centuries ago, the forests in this area were replaced with moorland. With investment, much could be restored to it's previous natural state. Currently large swathes of the Scottish Highlands belong to very rich absent land owners, many of whom sell animal shooting services on this land. This insignificant, barbaric industry requires vast amounts of land and should be banned, the land returned to it's natural state. This would benefit the local people, visitors, wildlife and the environment. There are many areas in other parts of the UK, Europe and the world where similar forest replanting would be beneficial for everyone.

Landowners Have Responsibilities To The Environment

Large landowners could be given incentives to convert land not used for agriculture or livestock to woodland. Trees that are never to be harvested.

The amount of carbon that forests pull from the atmosphere is significant and planting trees should be included as part of the overall repair package for the damage caused by fossil fuels.

About The Author
Jane Duncan
Chewells Contributor

Jane is passionate about the environment, she is our main contributor for the renewable industry blogs. She... »

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Replies

• Scott (Feb 15, 2024)
  There should be compulsive purchase orders for large parts of land, same as they do for roads etc. Bring it back to government ownership and then plant with trees and wind turbines.
• Marky (Feb 10, 2024)
  The oil and coal companies should pay for the trees.

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