As our world grapples with the escalating threats of rising global temps, we’ve been talking about a lot of potential fixes — from technological advancements to policy changes.

But one of our most potent solutions has been with us for millions of years:

Trees.

The power of trees to heal our environment, sequester carbon, and reinstate balance is unparalleled. Let’s take a look at the current science around reforestation and uncover why these green giants are central to our global strategy against climate change.

How Trees Help Combat Climate Change

Trees absorb carbon dioxide (CO₂) during photosynthesis to produce oxygen and glucose. In this process, carbon gets stored in the tree's trunk, branches, leaves, and roots.

A mature forest can sequester significant amounts of CO₂ from the atmosphere annually. You thought your multitasking skills were on point? Trees are literally cleaning the air while they lounge in the sun.

Trees also help increase the amount of carbon that's stored in soils. Roots and fallen leaves contribute organic matter to the soil, and this organic matter can be a long-term carbon store.

So trees are pretty amazing — but is there a limit to how many can thrive on our planet?

In 2019, Swiss researchers published a study in the journal Science that estimated we have enough space for new trees to cover 3.5 million square miles, which is an area roughly the size of the United States.

If we planted those new trees and they were allowed to grow to maturity, they could store approximately 205 gigatons of carbon. That’s about one-third of the carbon human beings have released into the atmosphere to date.

Global Initiatives: The World's Push for Reforestation

To help in the effort to fight climate change, several nonprofits and companies have launched reforestation campaigns — and Showcase Workshop is pitching in!

Here's a snapshot of some of the most significant campaigns:

Trillion Trees Program: This initiative — a collaboration between the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), BirdLife International, and the Wildlife Conservation Society — aims to restore one trillion trees by 2050. The organization’s efforts involve both protecting existing forests and planting new trees.

Plant-for-the-Planet: A school project by nine-year-old Felix Finkbeiner originally launched this program, and now it has grown into a global movement. Plant-for-the-Planet uses innovative apps to allow individuals to directly track and contribute to reforestation efforts.

World Economic Forum’s Trillion Tree Initiative: This is a global effort aiming to conserve, restore, and grow one trillion trees by 2030. The WEF unites governments, private sector entities, civil society, and individuals in this collective reforestation commitment.

The Forest Releaf Fund: Doubling Your Eco-Impact

When you manage your content with Showcase, you're doing more than just streamlining your workflow — you're actively participating in a mission to save our environment, one tree at a time.

The math is simple but powerful. A single tree produces approximately 8,500 sheets of paper, equivalent to 17 reams of standard office copier paper. So, for every 8,500 slide views in your Showcase app, you're effectively saving a tree.

How? Because each slide viewed digitally represents one fewer page printed out.

And while saving trees is commendable, we wanted to make your impact go even further.

For every 8,500 slide views our users make, we also donate $10 to Trees that Count — and that donation directly funds the planting of one native tree. It’s all part of our Forest Releaf Fund, which we kicked off in 2018. Since the program’s inception, we’ve helped plant more than 5,000 trees.

So when you manage your content digitally with Showcase, you’re saving trees by not printing pages. And with the Forest Releaf Fund, you’ve facilitated planting new trees, as well.

And if your organization saves 20 trees in a quarter (amounting to 170,000 page views), we offer the chance to make the donation under your company's banner.

It's easy to keep tabs on your eco-contributions. Navigate to your Reporting tab to monitor your page views and see how many trees you've saved — and planted.

We’re proud to offer this fulfilling loop of transforming digital engagements into tangible tree plantings.

Join the Reforestation Revolution

Trees are an indispensable ally in our quest for a sustainable and balanced planet. By supporting and amplifying these initiatives — including Showcase’s Forest Releaf Fund — each one of us can contribute to a greener, healthier future for everyone.

Support reforestation projects today and pledge your commitment to a world that breathes a little easier.

Get a free trial of Showcase Workshop to discover how going digital might just make you the most popular person at the next Arbor Day party.