From the beginning of 2021 onwards, DFC committed to planting trees as part of a rewilding project in the Highlands of Scotland.

Global warming is a huge issue facing us all and has many complex layers. This can make it feel like a problem that is simply too large for an individual to solve. However, small changes by lots of people can make a difference.

DFC as a consultancy is a lean business and operates largely using cloud-based platforms. However, simply operating in the cloud does not necessarily lessen our contribution to global warming. There are estimates that put global online presence pre-pandemic and will have only increased during the pandemic as more companies move into cloud-based platforms.

Whilst some of the major online platforms are aiming for carbon zero or negative within the decade, as a small company using services provided by others, online or otherwise, it can feel like change is simply outside of our control. However, that is not the case as even a small change can positivity impact a locality and therefore the planet.

By planting trees, DFC hopes to make a small positive change. The trees planted are a range of native varieties and will not be harvested for timber in the future. After circa. 40 years, a single tree can sequester approximately 1 tonne CO₂e, and this increases for every additional year the tree continues to thrive. As we are talking periods of several decades, DFC will be planting one tree every month for each member of staff. This will equate to approximately 300+ trees in 2021, projecting to increase to 400+ trees in 2022, and potentially increasing each year beyond. You can see the progress of our tree grove here.

We know that simply planting trees will not solve global warming, but it is a small positive change that we can do; it will sequester carbon from the atmosphere over the long term, and also recreate lost habitats for the benefit of local species, including us.

Feel free to join us in making a small change, any positive change will be good for us all.

Useful info can be obtained from many sources, including the following:

• https://climate.nasa.gov
• How Bad are Bananas?: The Carbon Footprint of Everything, Mike Berners-Lee
• Drawdown: The Most Comprehensive Plan Ever Proposed to Reverse Global Warming, Paul Hawken

– Jonny Joinson, Director