Harrogate law firm Truth Legal has been gifted with a boost to their quest to become carbon neutral in the next five years, in the shape of a tree in a forest in Nepal.
Truth Legal are firmly committed to offsetting their carbon emissions and have joined a number of local environmental initiatives in the last 12 months. Now their efforts have been rewarded with a generous gift.
The tree is a Pinus Roxburghii – a fast-growing species that is straight and cylindrical in shape and classed as an important tree in India – and is a gift from Harrogate Community Radio, who have hosted a number of podcasts from Truth Legal in recent months, including founder Andrew Gray talking about their association with Harrogate’s collaborative ‘Co-Wheels Car Club’ on the Zero Carbon Harrogate podcast.
Carbon offsetting with Truth Legal
It is believed that this one single tree will capture and offset 40Kgs of carbon per year, and while it is expected to live for around 100 years, the carbon offsetting period is limited to 20 years. This means that 0.8 tonnes of carbon are being offset by the tree’s natural life. This will take place in a forest in Nepal. The tree is known as an ‘evergreen’ tree and will grow to a height of 30 to 50 metres. Its trunk is typically 100-200cm but can grow up to 300cm. The Pinus Roxburghii is often seen growing in East Asia, in Himalayan regions of Afghanistan, Pakistan, China, India, Nepal, Bhutan and Bangladesh. The tree is common in north-south-oriented valleys, requires a sunny position and is found on a variety of substrates, from deep soil to bare rocks. The tree is harvested for local use as a food, medicine and source of materials and is also pulped for the paper industry.
When purchasing the tree as a gift to Truth Legal, Harrogate Community Radio named it “Forest of Andrew Gray” after our founder. We now have the option to add to this single tree and purchase more to continue our carbon offsetting. The forest has availability for over 49,000 additional trees to be planted.
Truth Legal in the community
Truth Legal made a formal commitment in 2020 to become carbon neutral within five years. This has involved a number of local initiatives within the Harrogate community, and within our own offices. However, we have also sponsored some trees of our own. Last year Andrew Gray acted on the organisation’s commitment and sponsored an area of woodland called Bank Woods, which is owned by ‘Make it Wild’.
This latest development of being presented with a tree in Nepal is a timely reminder that offsetting carbon emissions has a global effect, and indeed we can all contribute from our various corners of the world. Harrogate Community Radio purchased the tree through the Tree Nation website, where you can visit to see how you too can make a contribution to easing the climate crisis by adding to the forest. Certainly Truth Legal will be making a further commitment and adding to the “Forest of Andrew Gray” in the coming months, so that our positive carbon influence spreads further and further.
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