Why I Chose to Plant Trees

 

Recently I have been feeling compelled to have a structured charitable component to my website. I've done many different charitable initiatives over the years. I've done many fundraisers for the Terry Fox Foundation which funds research into all forms of cancer, a topic near and dear to me as a sibling of a childhood cancer survivor. I also created and co-organize a not-for-profit fundraising community festival each year called the Camlachie Summer Send-Off (check us out here) which has raised nearly $60,000 to construct a new indoor/outdoor sports facility for our small town of Camlachie. 

However, I still felt there was more I could be doing. I went back and forth for a long time on what initiative and charity felt like the right fit. I knew I wanted to do something that benefitted children, and there are so many amazing organizations I found that could work really well. 

As a product-based business, I use a lot of resources and materials to create my product. I try to be as environmentally friendly as possible with the materials I choose: sustainable North American grown soy wax, jars from an Ontario-based supplier, compostable shipping materials, etc. Despite that, it's undeniable that I am creating a larger carbon footprint in manufacturing and distributing approximately 10,000 candles each year. 

So ultimately my focus was narrowed down to two areas; the wellbeing of children, and the environment. I met with a few different environmental companies, and ultimately One Tree Planted was the right fit for me. 

One Tree Planted is a nonprofit that is on a mission to make it simple for anyone to help the environment by planting trees. Their projects span the globe and are done in partnership with local communities and knowledgeable experts to create an impact for nature, people, and wildlife. Reforestation helps to restore forests that have been degraded or deforested, provide jobs for social impact, and restore biodiversity habitat. Many projects have overlapping objectives, creating a combination of benefits that contribute to the UN's Sustainable Development Goals. You can check them out and learn more at onetreeplanted.org. 

Every purchase made on my website will help fund their efforts and plant trees. You also will have the option to add trees onto your order at checkout. Each donation of $1USD plants one tree.

Enjoy your candles + plant a tree with me!

Happy shopping!

Nic