Every year the Sahara desert grows by 270,000 square km – that’s an area the size of New Zealand stripped of trees every single year. Despite the creeping sand more than 350million people live on the southern fringes of this desert in a daily battle to survive. This is where TREE AID works, and why Shambala Festival-goers have chosen to join TREE AID’s Tree Revolution, to help plant and protect 1 million trees in 2011.
Each year Shambala reduces even more of the environmental impact of their small and lively festival, including offering their visitors the chance to offset the carbon they create by travelling to and from the festival. This year, TREE AID was one of three organisations put to the carbon vote – and 47% of punters chose to join TREE AID’s Tree Revolution by donating £1907 to help rural families in Africa’s drylands to plant and protect trees.
A fun-filled four days of creativity, music, theatre and cabaret all topped off with mouth watering food from around the globe, Shambala also has an eco focus. Having recently been the first ever festival to win the maximum 3 stars in the Industry Green Award, Shambala is officially the UK’s greenest festival, and since 2010 Shambala have reduced their carbon footprint per person by 50%, making them the ideal festival to team up with TREE AID to help some of the poorest people in the world cope with to the increasing effects of climate change.
Especially because for African families living in the drylands, trees do more than just absorb carbon. Trees mean shade from the searing 40ºC heat of the West African sun. Trees mean food for families when other crops fail. Trees mean a poor woman can lift her family out of poverty by selling tree products like shea butter, dried mango and honey. Trees mean families can stay together, that children can go to school and that teenagers are not driven to find dangerous work in the city slums.
Ultimately, trees mean life. For families in Africa, as well as for families here in the UK.
This year’s Shambala Festival is once again set to be full of unexpected surprises, with ticket holders being asked to vote for the bands they want to play over the weekend, plus the legendary Saturday night fancy dress carnival – all 99% powered by solar, wind and recycled veggie oil! You can find out more about TREE AID’s Tree Revolution at the Festival, or at www.treerevolution.org.uk.
It costs £1 for a family to plant a tree in Africa. Join the Tree Revolution today: text TREES to 81400 to donate £3 and plant 3 trees.