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Our forests are carbon sinks, areas that help reduce the total amount of carbon dioxide in our atmosphere. Some scientists – and even state governments – have proposed planting more forests to offset their carbon emissions. But new research shows that this plan would not be very effective.
In the new study, scientists estimated the amount of land needed to offset the excessive emissions of coal-fired power plants with trees. They also used the same numbers for solar power plants.
They found that coal plants needed 13 times more land to offset their emissions than solar plants. A forest large enough to fully cover coal emissions would cover nearly 90% of the United States.
In other words, it would be neither feasible nor sustainable. And that's only the latest study showing that trees alone can not handle all greenhouse gas emissions. But on a smaller scale, offsetting carbon with trees can help communities reach their environmental goals.
For example, places like Austin, Texas, and Seattle County, Seattle, plant or protect thousands of acres of trees and greenspace to offset emissions. The researchers say California's cap-and-trade program, which includes reforestation efforts, has also been effective in reducing carbon emissions across the state.
But at the national level, researchers say the best solution is to improve alternative energy sources, such as solar energy. They have a lower carbon footprint in the first place and it is easier to make them more efficient than planting a huge new national forest.
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