If you’ve ever been to Nepal you know how kind and friendly the Nepalese people are. You’ll also recall how poor they are and how they so generously share what they have. If you haven’t been to Nepal yet we hope this project sparks an interest and you put Nepal on your bucket list.
As beautiful as Nepal is, Kathmandu is one of the most polluted capital cities on the planet. But it isn't the people, government, or companies that are the biggest problem. The government of Nepal has taken all cars, trucks and buses over 20 years old off the road. It has also purchased 18 electric buses. Yet, the pollution is still dangerously high at many times throughout the year. So, where does the pollution come from? The pollution comes mostly from New Delhi, India.
We all know planting trees is the most effective way to combat air pollution, but how to plant more trees when the city is so crowded? There is little room for more trees at street level in this crowded city, so we are working with schools and civic organizations to make Kathmandu a rooftop forest. Just 15 trees will capture 1 ton of carbon each year. We have a plan to plant 10,000 highly productive trees on rooftops. This many trees will capture 150,000 tons of carbon each year. Not only will this make the air and climate better in Kathmandu, but the polluted air continues up to the Himalayas and is damaging that sensitive ecosystem that is so important. It provides water for over a billion people. So, for your gift of one ‘foster tree’ you are helping a billion people. Talk about stretching the budget! Not only will your small gift help the people in Kathmandu, but it will help the animals that live in the Himalayas, like the red panda, snow leopard, yak and so many other creatures.
How does it work: With your gift of $20 we provide a tree for a family in Kathmandu. The family also pays a small amount to participate, from $4-8.
We are using the typical model from the US whereby schools have the students sell things like candy or Christmas wrap to pay for field trips, uniforms, sports equipment, etc. Students will participate in a program to help them learn the importance of trees and taking care of the environment. Then they will present the project to family and friends who have a home in Kathmandu asking them to have a tree planted on their rooftop. We have spoken with several principals of schools and they are all eager to participate in the project. We also did a marketing survey asking people about how eager they would be to support such an initiative. We got 100% enthusiasm.
As we look out our window overlooking Kathmandu we often see a haze filling the air. Children are developing asthma and such. Older people are having more and more health challenges.
You may be wondering why the people, obviously homeowners, are unable to pay for something as inexpensive as a small tree. People here in the city earn from about $80 a month. This is actually what nurses earn, but several other occupations earn up to $500 a month, or $16 a day.
Here's what it would take for a person to plant a tree on a rooftop in Kathmandu. First, you’d need to go to Kirtipur where the government gives a free tree to anyone. They are very small trees, less than a foot tall. That's at the edge of the Valley and it will take over an hour each way if the person lives in even the center of Kathmandu. Many people have a motorcycle or scooter, so it would take 2 people to go. Others would need to take the bus, which would take at least 1 ½ to 2 hours each way. Next, you need to buy a pot, which will cost $13 or more for a plastic 18-inch pot. Ceramic pots that size will cost as much as $20. Then you'd need to go elsewhere to get some compost for about $5-10. You would probably need to make 2 trips if you take a motorcycle or scooter because the passenger would have to hold everything. There aren’t transfers in the Kathmandu Public bus system, so the person would need to carry the compost home from the bus stop and each time they change buses. With everything at home, now you'd have to carry everything up 5-6 floors to the rooftop and plant the tree and then clean up the mess. It would likely be an all-day chore and you'd spend well over $20, more than a day's pay; in many cases a week's pay.
We need help to get the project started. We have selected trees that are hardy and known to clean the air better than most trees, such as the bay leaf tree. We are using trees that are already over 2-foot tall, not little saplings. We also need help due to needing to hire a little truck, a driver and one day-helper. They will only be able to plant 10-15 trees per day.
Some of the difficulties include the fact that homes do not have street addresses. The purchase invoice will have the approximate location and then the family will need to be contacted by phone. Often someone will come to the main road to escort the person.
Therefore, we have set this project up so the homeowner will pay a small amount so they feel empowered and will take care of the tree for our donor.
As an appreciation gift for each of our donors, we’ll send you a postcard from Nepal. We will have the family take a picture of all the family members around the tree and send it to us via Facebook. We will print it out as a postcard and will send it to you. Your small gift will go 100% to the actual purchase and delivery of the trees, T-shirts for the interns and students, a bicycle to be raffled and a laptop computer for the sponsoring school and small pay for our project manager. Our other expenses are financial, such as marketing and platform charges.
