Miles per tree. Seriously.
Discussion
Basic assumption is that apparently an 'average' tree absorbs 1 tonne of CO2 over a 100 year lifetime.
I'm happy to tweak this if any experts want to correct me.
Based on that and a g/km figure for one's car, you can now enjoy your miles per tree figure.
How you ask? Well I've made it simple.
Just take 6230.5296, and divide it by your g/km figure.
I get 16.2 miles before I have to stop and plant a tree. Which I do of course.
I'm happy to tweak this if any experts want to correct me.
Based on that and a g/km figure for one's car, you can now enjoy your miles per tree figure.
How you ask? Well I've made it simple.
Just take 6230.5296, and divide it by your g/km figure.
I get 16.2 miles before I have to stop and plant a tree. Which I do of course.
SturdyJ said:
Basic assumption is that apparently an 'average' tree absorbs 1 tonne of CO2 over a 100 year lifetime.
I'm happy to tweak this if any experts want to correct me.
Based on that and a g/km figure for one's car, you can now enjoy your miles per tree figure.
How you ask? Well I've made it simple.
Just take 6230.5296, and divide it by your g/km figure.
I get 16.2 miles before I have to stop and plant a tree. Which I do of course.
Trees seem very efficient, can we drive them?I'm happy to tweak this if any experts want to correct me.
Based on that and a g/km figure for one's car, you can now enjoy your miles per tree figure.
How you ask? Well I've made it simple.
Just take 6230.5296, and divide it by your g/km figure.
I get 16.2 miles before I have to stop and plant a tree. Which I do of course.
What other natural phenomena absorb CO2?
I think your maths is WAY off... unless your daily drive is a top fuel dragster.
Let's say you have a car "polluting" at 200g/km. This means that 1Kg would be emitted over 5 km. Therefore to emit 1 ton of CO2, you would have to drive 5000 km (let's call that about 3000 miles give or take) emiting at a constant 200 g/km. The assumption here is that the tree will live for 100 years. Let's reduce that to 20 years, and you're still looking at 1000 km per tree, assuming it only absorbs 1/5 the mass of CO2.
Let's say you have a car "polluting" at 200g/km. This means that 1Kg would be emitted over 5 km. Therefore to emit 1 ton of CO2, you would have to drive 5000 km (let's call that about 3000 miles give or take) emiting at a constant 200 g/km. The assumption here is that the tree will live for 100 years. Let's reduce that to 20 years, and you're still looking at 1000 km per tree, assuming it only absorbs 1/5 the mass of CO2.
Motorrad said:
How many cows do I have to kill to offest my V8?
I'm not much of one for tree planting or hugging but I do enjoy a good steak.
Hmm, think you could be onto something there- kill the cow, stop the methane/greenhouse gas production, whilst enjoying steak.I'm not much of one for tree planting or hugging but I do enjoy a good steak.
Surely it would enhance your green credentials to eat more veal?
SturdyJ said:
Basic assumption is that apparently an 'average' tree absorbs 1 tonne of CO2 over a 100 year lifetime.
I'm happy to tweak this if any experts want to correct me.
Based on that and a g/km figure for one's car, you can now enjoy your miles per tree figure.
How you ask? Well I've made it simple.
Just take 6230.5296, and divide it by your g/km figure.
I get 16.2 miles before I have to stop and plant a tree. Which I do of course.
Ummmm are you sure about that?I'm happy to tweak this if any experts want to correct me.
Based on that and a g/km figure for one's car, you can now enjoy your miles per tree figure.
How you ask? Well I've made it simple.
Just take 6230.5296, and divide it by your g/km figure.
I get 16.2 miles before I have to stop and plant a tree. Which I do of course.
mikeyb123 said:
hmm
mine does 109g per KM
that gives me 175g per mile (109x1.60934)
given there are 1000000g in a tonne I get:
1000000 \ 175 = 5714miles per tree
There is a failure in the logic of this of course.... It assumes that the wood will fossilize and not rot, turning back to CO2 again mine does 109g per KM
that gives me 175g per mile (109x1.60934)
given there are 1000000g in a tonne I get:
1000000 \ 175 = 5714miles per tree

Read about the evolution of lignin digesting bacteria at the end of the carboniferous period if you want to learn something new today. More interesting than it sounds, I promise!
Rovinghawk said:
When the tree dies it rots, releasing the CO2 back into the system.
Over the tree's entire lifetime its effect on CO2 is zero, despite the message greenpeace try to suggest.
And for anything that doesn't, it gets compressed for a few hundred thousand years, we then suck it out the ground and burn it.Over the tree's entire lifetime its effect on CO2 is zero, despite the message greenpeace try to suggest.
So everytime I put my foot down, I'm just completing nature's cycle

SturdyJ said:
Basic assumption is that apparently an 'average' tree absorbs 1 tonne of CO2 over a 100 year lifetime.
A tree locks away 0.9 t of CO2 per cubic metre of timber, so it all depends on how big the tree gets!http://www.woodforgood.com/
And yes, I am connected with the timber industry

Whitean3 said:
I think your maths is WAY off... unless your daily drive is a top fuel dragster.
Let's say you have a car "polluting" at 200g/km. This means that 1Kg would be emitted over 5 km. Therefore to emit 1 ton of CO2, you would have to drive 5000 km (let's call that about 3000 miles give or take) emiting at a constant 200 g/km. The assumption here is that the tree will live for 100 years. Let's reduce that to 20 years, and you're still looking at 1000 km per tree, assuming it only absorbs 1/5 the mass of CO2.
The problem as i see it is the average tree may be able to absorb an amount of CO2 over x years but how much of the CO2 you're creating is it absorbing and over what time period.Let's say you have a car "polluting" at 200g/km. This means that 1Kg would be emitted over 5 km. Therefore to emit 1 ton of CO2, you would have to drive 5000 km (let's call that about 3000 miles give or take) emiting at a constant 200 g/km. The assumption here is that the tree will live for 100 years. Let's reduce that to 20 years, and you're still looking at 1000 km per tree, assuming it only absorbs 1/5 the mass of CO2.
A few years back, the Daily Telegraph ran a competition to win James May's old Bentley. It was one of those finish the sentence type competitions: "I should win James May's Bentley because...".
The winning entry, if memory serves, was:
"I should win James May's Bentley because I already own a forest and I want to be carbon neutral".
The winning entry, if memory serves, was:
"I should win James May's Bentley because I already own a forest and I want to be carbon neutral".
Skodasupercar said:
A tree locks away 0.9 t of CO2 per cubic metre of timber, so it all depends on how big the tree gets!
http://www.woodforgood.com/
And yes, I am connected with the timber industry
Perhaps?http://www.woodforgood.com/
And yes, I am connected with the timber industry



Bisonhead said:
Dont trees absorb oxygen during daylight and emit CO2 at night?
No no no!You are forgetting your basic biology!
During the day, trees absorb light and turn the light into carbon dioxide, which is why deserts are so hot as nothing absorbs the sun.
At night time, trees take in Oxygen, and turn it into wood, making them grow in the dark so they get bigger without anyone seeing them moving.
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