Sumthing's Up September 2024 🌱🐝

We’re very happy to share with you the 2nd edition of our Sumthing’s Up newsletter. This brand new LinkedIn format is there to provide a monthly digest of all good things happening for nature, making regeneration more accessible to all. You can help out in growing our regenerative movement by spreading the word in your networks; it’s the sum of things that counts!

-Mike

In this edition:

1. This Month in Nature: “evapotranspiration” and water buffalos as living tractors

2. Did you Know: Maximizing your Money-to-Impact Ratio

3. Tech for Good: Using drones in biodiversity research 

4. Voices from the Field: planting superhero trees in Scotland

5. Company Spotlight: Give back for the use of planet’s resources

6. Other News & Mustreads: The Shopify Plugin and spreading the Sumthing gospel 

This Month in Nature 🌿🪸

• We knew it was coming for a while, but the actual moment when it came into force on the 18th of August was still a historic moment 🙏💯 The EU’s first continent-wide legislation for the long-term recovery of nature is here. The law aims to restore 20% of the EU’s degraded ecosystems by 2030 and all ecosystems in need of restoration by 2050. IUCN.org
• Last month, we talked about the awesum results of the green corridors project in Medellin, which led to an average 2 degrees celsius temperature drop. But how does that capacity of trees to cool down cities actually work? 🌳 It’s a process called evapotranspiration and it can be broken into two parts: Evaporation - water like dew or rainfall gets evaporated from wet surfaces of the tree (leaves, branches or bark) into the atmosphere 💦 Transpiration - water that gets absorbed from the soil moves through the tree and exits into the atmosphere through small pores in the leaves 🌿 As water evaporates from the leaves, it absorbs heat from the surrounding air, creating a significant cooling effect. A mature tree can transpire up to 400 litres of water a day, which can provide cooling equivalent to five standard air conditioners running for 20 hours. Linkedin.com
• We’re staying on the topic of green in urban areas. Ever heard of Guerilla Gardening? 🌷🌻This awesum concept is not new, but the movement is growing rapidly. Guerilla Gardening means growing plants on land owned by another person or establishment. As early as the 1600s, guerilla gardening pioneer Gerrard Winstanley planted a vegetable garden on common land in Surrey, England to protest against big and influential landowners. Nowadays, guerilla gardeners plant flowers and (food) plants in urban or desolated areas to protest against urban decay, but also to beautify, to grow food or to attract pollinators. Inspiring! 🤩 Todayshomeowner.com
• Asian water buffalo 🐃 turn out to be handy landscape managers and crucially important ecosystem engineers. In various projects worldwide, the buffalo is ‘used’ to restore nature. These ‘living tractors’ thrive in wetlands. They help trees grow by grazing back grasses and they clear invasive plants. Amphibians like marsh frogs forage on the body of the buffalo 🐸 And, finally, the buffalo create wetland clearings that are home to small insects, amphibians and fish 🐟, that are again food sources for frogs and snakes. All of these plants and animals find their surroundings transformed and their fates improved by the presence of buffalo. Time to add the buffalo to the Sumthing platform? 😎 BBC.com

Did you know? 🔍✨

When you choose to support a cause, it's important to know where your money is going and how it's being used. Donating always comes from good intentions, but the impact can vary greatly depending on the transparency and efficiency of the organisation you choose.

But how can you be sure that your euros are actually turning into that little sapling being planted or that fragile coral reef getting a second chance? 🥺🌱🪸

In our latest blog, we dive into the New Standard for Giving, and how Sumthing doesn’t allow for any detours. Check it out here.

Tech for Good 💻🦋

Research in biodiverse treetops now possible, thanks to drones

DJI, the Environmental Robotics Lab at ETH Zurich and NGO Wilderness International have announced their collaboration in a pilot project on biodiversity monitoring. They have developed a method to collect environmental DNA (eDNA) from treetops 🌳🌳 Treetops are rich in biodiversity, but very difficult to access, especially when it comes to rainforests. With this new technology, the upper layer of rainforests can also be reached and examined, supporting efforts to preserve the habitat of an estimated 60-90% of species 🐿️🐛🪲

With conventional methods of biodiversity monitoring, treetops have always been under-sampled. With this awesumproject, the global leader in civilian drones and aerial imaging technology, DJI, and their partners created a faster, minimally invasive and cost-effective solution to bridge the knowledge gaps in biodiversity research. Kai Andersch, CEO of Wilderness International, says the project is groundbreaking for their conservation work. “It enables us to protect primary forests more efficiently.” 🙏

Source: susanews.com

Voices from the Field 🌿🪸

Did you know that native Aspen trees have superpowers? 🦸♀️💫 They grow fast, significantly improve the soil quality and enrich biodiversity. Mossy Earth has recently planted 563 native Aspen trees in northern Scotland, to replace the dying ash* that were planted there 20 years ago. The Aspen trees will once again fill the holes in the canopy of the native woodland. 

Mossy Earth is a social enterprise on a mission to restore nature and fight climate change through their reforestation and rewilding projects. This Aspen planting project is a great example of how they restore wild ecosystems, support wildlife and biodiversity and help fight climate change. 

We are thrilled to have contributed to the planting of these 563 Aspen trees and we are looking forward to watching them grow into true superheroes in the coming years! 

Thanks Mossy Earth 🙏🌎

* European ash trees are suffering from ash dieback (Hymenoscyphus fraxineus), an Asian fungus that was introduced in Europa about 30 years ago. The fungus does not affect the ash trees in Asia, but it unfortunately kills the European ash species since they have no natural defence against it. 

Company Spotlight 🏆

Patagonia's pledge to give back to the planet

Take a simple idea: ☝️ Because companies profit from the resources they take from the earth, they should give back to protect those resources.

Add two successful and climate conscious businessmen, and a movement is born. 👌

1% for the Planet is a global network of businesses and NGOs, working together to support people and the planet, by donating 1% of their annual sales - not profits - to environmental organisations. 1% for the Planet was founded in 2002 by Craig Mathews, founder of Blue Ribbon Flies and Yvon Chouinard, founder of Patagonia. 

Patagonia - indeed, a steward owned company as well 💁♂️ - has always been well known as a brand that cares deeply for the environment. Many people recognise Patagonia as a responsible and eco-conscious company, but few know the full extent of their contributions beyond just their products. By co-creating 1% for the Planet, the company expands its vision of corporate responsibility and encourages other businesses to do the same.

We are proud that 1% for the Planet brands like Lowlander and Green Gear Supply have chosen the Sumthing platform to actually give their 1% for the Planet. Together, we are giving back for use of our planet’s resources while crafting nature’s comeback story. 🐝🌎

Source: 1% for the Planet

Other news & must reads

• The new Sumthing Shopify plugin; the future of e-commerce is regenerative 🌎🙌

Connecting nature restoration to your business has never been easier. With the Sumthing Shopify plugin, it’s simple as one two trees to clean up a kg of plastic for every order, plant a bunch of mangrove trees for every new client or restore a piece of soil for every promo code that is used. The possibilities are endless! 🤩🌱 And while you are at it, you are boosting engagement, increasing loyalty, driving conversions and lifting average order value. All with just a few clicks. 

Are you ready to turn your store into a force for good? Let’s talk! 👋

• Spreading the Sumthing gospel

Mike has been actively spreading the Sumthing gospel this summer 😎 After an interview in the ‘Financiële Dagblad’, he was also interviewed in the podcasts ‘Baanbrekende Businessmodellen’  and ‘Klimaat Veranderaars’

Thanks for reading the Sumthing's Up August 2024 edition. If you have any feedback, comments, remarks, please reach out!

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