Ten Million Trees grew from the extraordinarily successful One Million Trees program, which began in 1998 with the goal of fostering the planting of a million trees by Alcoa employees within ten years. At that time, this amounted to one tree per employee per year. Employees and contractors alike, along with their families at more than 140 Alcoa locations in 20 countries, raced to that goal in half the time expected.
And so, on to 10 million trees before 2020....
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 | Former Chairman and CEO Alain Belda (left) planted the one millionth tree at Pocos de Caldas in Brazil in June 2003. |
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Trees planted as part of the Ten Million Trees program are in addition to those used in revegetation programs that Alcoa routinely undertakes as part of its mine rehabilitation programs. Ten Million Trees is open to all employees, contractors, suppliers, and their families so that 10 million new trees, which can absorb more than 250,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide per year during their lifetime, can be in place by 2020.
Each participating Alcoa location purchases trees for the Ten Million Trees program from a supplier of its choice, and the location’s employees select the types of trees used to match local conditions and purposes.
Under this program, whenever possible, employees are encouraged to plant their trees on the Alcoa property where they work to contribute to the achievement of sustainability and to enhance the environment around the company's facilities. Integrated into facility land management plans, the trees provide shade, offer habitat for wildlife, reduce stormwater runoff, enhance the aesthetics of the facilities, and absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.
Trees can also be planted at home, in parks (with appropriate permission), or at other places that are of special significance for individuals or communities. Many Alcoa locations routinely use a tree-planting ceremony as a way to welcome and recognize prominent visitors to the facilities, providing a permanent memorial to honor those visitors.
A tree census is conducted each December, and locations report on the number of trees planted during the year as part of the program. |
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We’re not guessing at the number of trees we’re planting. We count each and every one. See the links below for some examples of where Alcoa employees have been planting trees.
Western Australia, 2009
Lafayette, Indiana, Earth Day 2008
Kunshan, China, Tree-Planting Day 2008
Alcoa Center, Pennsylvania, Arbor Day 2008
Alcoa, Tennessee 2008
Merxheim, France 2008
Samara, Russia, Victory Day 2007
Baie-Comeau, Canada Day 2006
 more
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