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Does planting trees actually cool the planet? - Carolyn Beans

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1,568 Questions Answered

TEDEd Animation

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In fighting climate change, few solutions are discussed more than planting lots and lots of trees. It sounds simple enough: trees absorb CO2 from the atmosphere, so planting more should help eliminate greenhouse gasses. The trouble is, tree planting efforts don’t always work as planned. So, when is it bad to plant trees? Carolyn Beans explores strategies to successfully re-green the planet.

Why can planting trees in certain regions, like drylands or snowy terrain, potentially contribute to a warmer planet?

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About TED-Ed Animations

TED-Ed Animations feature the words and ideas of educators brought to life by professional animators. Are you an educator or animator interested in creating a TED-Ed Animation? Nominate yourself here »

Meet The Creators

  • Educator Carolyn Beans
  • Director Ivana Bošnjak, Thomas Johnson Volda
  • Narrator Alexandra Panzer
  • Music Stephen LaRosa
  • Sound Designer Stephen LaRosa
  • Director of Production Gerta Xhelo
  • Producer Sazia Afrin
  • Editorial Director Alex Rosenthal
  • Editorial Producer Shannon Odell
  • Fact-Checker Charles Wallace

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