What is a bloomtrigger?
The definition of a bloomtrigger is... "a system that has been created to bring simple, individual actions together, which collectively mushrooms causing a positive movement to happen!"
This is what our project is all about, we are creating a bloomtrigger! By this we mean we are bringing people together from all over the world who each contribute a small part to the project so that collectively we will help to protect a large area of rainforest and make a positive impact.
Ultimately our aim is for this bloomtrigger to act as a blueprint for future generations to replicate!
What is bloomtrigger's strategy for protecting rainforest?
As each piece of rainforest is unique and the threat of deforestation can exist in many different ways, it means there is no single solution to deforestation. Our strategy is to support a range of forestry projects, some big, some small, using a diverse mix of strategies, while ensuring the highest standards of conservation. We believe that using a broad and comprehensive strategy is the most responsible and effective way to invest the money generated by the people who become a part of the bloomtrigger project. To find out more about our strategy to protect rainforest click here.
What is the bloomtrigger 'pilot' project?
The bloomtrigger 'pilot' project’ began in 5 primary schools, with the aim to raise £5,000, to plant 10,000 blooms, to protect 50 hectares of rainforest. This pilot phase has now been sucessfully completed. To read more and to watch a short video about the pilot project please click here.
What is 'the bloomtrigger Generation'?
The bloomtrigger Generation is the name for all the people who have become a part of ‘the bloomtrigger project’. To see 'the bloomtrigger Generation' click here.
What is 'the bloomtrigger Corporation'?
The bloomtrigger Corporation is the name for all the businesses who have become a part of ‘the bloomtrigger project’. To see 'the bloomtrigger Corporation' click here.
What is a 'bloom'?
A ‘bloom’ is the basic monetary unit of the bloomtrigger project. Blooms can be bought in exchange for globally traded currency in order to help protect rainforest. One bloom costs fifty pence and will protect approximately 50m2 of rainforest. This value is pased on £100 to protect 1 hectare or 10,000m2.
Each time one 'bloom' is planted into the bloomtrigger project we invest 50p to help protect 50m2 of rainforest.
What is a CIC ?
Bloomtrigger is a CIC (Community Interest Company). This is a form of social enterprise and means we are a non-profit organisation. A CIC is halfway between being a regular company and a charity. As we are selling blooms, which is providing a service to businesses, Bloomtrigger cannot legally be a charity. As a CIC Bloomtrigger's actions are carefully regulated, while any profits are invested back into achieving our core mission, which is to develop a simple, affordable and creative way for people to protect forests.
Which part of the rainforest is 'the bloomtrigger project' helping to protect?
Our first rainforest project is located in the Manu region, in the south east Amazon rainforest of Peru. We are supporting the work of the CREES Foundation, who has been working closely since 2003 with the local forest community to protect the rainforest on the ground. To find out more about how the rainforest is protected in Peru click here.
Why don’t we just buy the rainforest land in order to protect it?
In certain circumstances this strategy works for protecting rainforest and can be effective, however it is often either not possible or simply not sensible to buy rainforest land in some parts of the world. For example this strategy is not suitable for region of rainforest we are helping to protect in Peru. Firstly it is relatively expensive to buy land and even after securing land titles this does not physically prevent people from deforesting the land on the ground. We believe the indigenous people of the rainforest are the true guardians of the forest and that our strategy should empower them to protect their forests. To learn more about our agro-forestry strategy in Peru click here.
What is a hectare (Ha) and why is it used as the unit to measure an ‘area of rainforest’?
1 Hectare = 10,000m2 This is approximately the area of one and a half football pitches.
Hectares are used right across the world as the standard way to measure the area of rainforest you are talking about. Plus the areas we are often referring to when talking about rainforest are so huge that to measure them in square meters (m2) would mean using ridiculously big numbers. This wouldn’t be practical, but to make these areas simple to imagine and more meaningful we have displayed the equivalent in football pitches.
How do you convert an ‘area of rainforest’ into the equivalent in football pitches?
Firstly we have to calculate the average size of a football pitch. Now taking English premiership football as the most widely recognized standard, where a football pitch ranges from 90 – 120m to 45 – 90 m.
The biggest football pitch possible is: 90m x 120m = 10,800m2
The smallest football pitch possible is: 45m x 90m = 4,050m2
Therefore we have taken a sensible average of 6,000m2
1 Hectare = 10,000m2
10,000m2 / 6,000m2 = 1.666666666667
1 hectare = 1.7 football pitches
Or 10,000m2 = 1.7 football pitches
Or 200 blooms = 1.7 football pitches
Or 118 blooms = 1 football pitch
How does protecting rainforest ‘save carbon’?
1 hectare of rainforest = 300 Tonnes of CO2
When calculating the carbon saving of helping to protect 1 hectare of rainforest from being destroyed, we are referring to the total amount of carbon locked up in all the trees and vegetation within that hectare, this is called the ‘carbon stock’. This is the amount of carbon that would be released into the atmosphere if that hectare rainforest is allowed to be deforested.
Typically a hectare of rainforest contains between 300-500 tones of CO2. This amount varies due to factors such as vegetation type, climate and altitude. Therefore we are taking a conservative estimate of 300 tonnes per hectare.
Am I ‘carbon offsetting’ when buying blooms?
NO! It is important to understand that when buying blooms and helping to protect rainforest you are NOT carbon offsetting. You cannot offset your personal CO2 emissions against helping to protect rainforest in ‘the bloomtrigger project’. Buying blooms gives you no rights of ownership to any carbon value or forestry credits generated from the forest projects that bloomtrigger helps to protect. Any reference to carbon on the website is solely for educational purposes. We believe the true guardians of the rainforest are the local forestry communities and therefore they should be the primary beneficiaries from any additional value generated from the protected forest, through selling carbon rights or otherwise.
How do you convert tonnes of carbon into more meaningful equivalents?
Converting CO2 into the equivalent of ‘leaving on a lightbulb (100W)’
0.5 tCO2 = Is the amount of CO2 emitted to power 1 light bulb (100W) for a year.
This is how we calculated it…
Assume a 100W lightbulb.
Assume the lightbulb is on all the time (never off).
Assume 1 year = 365 days (some years don't, like a leap year)
1 year = 365 days = 8,760 hours
KWh = 0.54522 Kg CO2 per unit = 0.00054522 tC02
The definition of a kWh is kW consumption for an hour.
100W = 0.1 kilowatts (kW) per hour
So we have 0.1 kW on for 8,760 hours = 876 kWh per year
876 kWh x 0.54522 = 477.61 Kg CO2 per year
876 kWh x 0.00054522 = 0.4776 tCO2
= 0.5 tCO2
Therefore a 100W lightbulb, which has been left on for a whole year will cause approximately half a tonne of CO2 to be emitted into the atmosphere.
Converting CO2 into the equivalent of ‘miles travelled by a car’
1 tCO2 = 3000 miles in a medium size car (1.4 -2.0L engine)
This figure is based upon our medium size car being a Ford Focus and using a carbon calculator by Climate Care.
Converting CO2 into the equivalent of ‘number of people flying from London to Peru’
1 person taking a flight from London to Peru (Long haul flight) = 1.46 tonnes of CO2
A flight from London to Peru is approximately 6180 miles, which is a typical distance for a long haul flight.
This figure is based upon one person flying from their home in London in the UK to Cuzco in Peru visit bloomtrigger's rainforest project. Again we used a carbon calculator by Climate Care.
I have a really good question that is not answered on this page!
If you have any question relating to the bloomtrigger project, please do not hesitate to contact us and we will do our best to answer it as soon as possible. You will be helping us to communicate the project better and remember there is no such thing as a stupid question!