Cards to Trees: Our Path to Planting 1 Million Trees

Our Goal

Plant 1 million new trees.

Sustainability is the Starting Point

From Day 1, we pledged that we would build Paper Culture as an eco, sustainable business. That’s why we’ve pledged that our cards will not cut down any new trees. That’s why our cards use exclusively 100% post consumer recycled paper or alternative non-tree fibers. That’s why we’ve always operated our business CarbonFree™. However, doing just that, simply leaves the environment no worse off than when we started. That is not enough.

Constructive Action is the Real Goal

Preserving the environment is only the starting point. What we really want to do is to make a positive, constructive contribution. That’s why we launched Cards to Trees. For every order placed, we plant a tree in a US national forest. In effect, your cards plant trees. Each customer has an opportunity to dedicate a tree with every purchase (see sample dedications). We know that planting a million trees will not happen overnight. In fact, it will take years. But every tree really does make a difference (examples). We are focused, we are determined and we hope you will join us in our path to a million trees.
At Paper Culture, we plant a tree with every order and give you the opportunity to dedicate the tree.
Sample Tree Dedications from Our Customers:

Living Tree Facts

We call this “living” tree facts because it’s a living list of reminders of how every tree really does make a difference. We’ve selected some of our favorites, but we invite you to contribute your own tree facts, quotes and stories through the comment modules on the right.

  • 2011 is the International Year of Forests
    www.fao.org/forestry/iyf2011/en/
  • Deforestation of rainforests could account for the loss of 100 species a day.
    United Nations Forum on Forests (UNFF)
  • A single rubber tree yields an average of about 4–5 pounds of rubber per year.
    MorlanWoodGifts.com
  • Projections suggest that 100 million additional mature trees in US cities (3 trees for every unshaded single family home) could save over $2 billion in energy costs per year
    Mike McAliney, Trust for Public Land
  • A single grown tree can yield 4,384,000 commemorative–sized postage stamps.
    American Forest & Paper Association
  • Deforestation accounts for 20% of the global greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to global warming.
    World Bank
  • A tree releases more than 8 times as much moisture into the atmosphere compared to the equivalent area of ocean.
    United Nations Forum on Forests (UNFF)
  • Forests cover 26 percent of the Earth’s surface.
    World Bank
  • One tree produces nearly 260 pounds of oxygen each year.
    International Society of Arboriculture (ISA)
  • The paper pulp from a typical tree can yield 460,000 personal checks.
    American Forest & Paper Association
  • 40% of the world lives in regions infested by malaria. Compared against forested areas, deforested areas can see a 300 times increase in malaria infection.
    United Nations Forum on Forests (UNFF)
  • Shoppers are willing to pay up to 11 percent more for products purchased in shops along tree–lined streets than they would pay for the same item in a barren setting.
    Georgia Urban Forestry
  • One tree that shades your home in the city will also save fossil fuel, cutting CO2 buildup as much as 15 forest trees.
    Arbor Day Foundation pamphlet #90980005
  • A single tree can produce 2,700 copies of an average daily newspaper
    American Forest & Paper Association
  • A normal grown tree can yield 61,370 No. 10 business envelopes.
    American Forest & Paper Association

  • Over the course of its life, a single tree can absorb one ton of carbon dioxide.
    Save a Tree
  • Rainforests produce over 40 percent of the world’s oxygen.
    United Nations Forum on Forests (UNFF)
  • The carbon stored in the world’s forests exceeds the amount of carbon currently in the atmosphere.
    United Nations Forum on Forests (UNFF)
  • A University of Illinois study finds that trees in urban areas are directly correlated with lower levels of fear, fewer incivilities, and less violent and aggressive behavior.
    F. E. Kuo, herluiuc.edu
  • The net cooling effect of a young, healthy tree is equivalent to ten room–size air conditioners operating 20 hours a day.
    U.S. Department of Agriculture
  • A mature leafy tree produces as much oxygen in a season as 10 people inhale in a year.
    Arbor Day Foundation
  • One acre of trees can absorb as much carbon in a year as a car produces while driving 26,000 miles.
    David Nowak, USDA
  • The average fully grown tree can yield 942 100–page, hard–cover books.
    American Forest & Paper Association
  • A “typical” fully grown tree can yield 1,000–2,000 pounds of paper.
    American Forest & Paper Association
  • A single grown tree can release enough oxygen back into the atmosphere to support 2 human beings.
    Mike McAliney, Trust for Public Land
  • The death of one 70–year old tree would return over three tons of carbon to the atmosphere.
    International Society of Arboriculture (ISA)
  • A Sugar Maple tree can produce approximately 3 gallons of sap a day. To make just one quart of maple syrup, it takes 11–13 gallons of sap.
    MorlanWoodGifts.com
  • Earth’s forest are home to 80% of the world’s terrestrial biodiversity.
    World Bank
  • Over 25% of modern medicines find their origin from tropical forest plants.
    United Nations Forum on Forests (UNFF)
  • Check out this site for a list of inspiring tree stories.
    www.spiritoftrees.org/folktales/story_links.html
  • The yield from a typical tree can produce 1,200 copies of National Geographic.
    American Forest & Paper Association

Add Your Tree Fact, Quote or Story

We'll select our favorites to become part of our permanent list.