TeamTrees vs REALITY!!

Thunderf00tCited 10× on HN, 2021-2025

524K views · 6 years ago · commentary · dated

Thunderf00t critiques the TeamTrees campaign, doing the math on how little carbon 20 million trees would actually offset. He argues that tree planting is far from adequate against global emissions.

Used as a source for back-of-envelope numbers on tree planting and by critics of feel-good climate gestures.

Climate policy, solutions & debate Environment, agriculture & food systems #teamtrees #carbonremoval #climate #greenwashing #back-of-envelopemath

10 comments from Hacker News

@magic_smoke_ee2025 · in “Where are Mr. Beast's early sponsors now?”

I don't know who they were or who they were targeting. I only remember their #TeamTrees annoying nonsense from 2019 and the popular Youtubers who fell all over themselves trying to celebrate this greenwashing nonsense without using their brains first.[0] 0. TeamTrees vs REALITY!! ▶ this video

CriticalView on HN

@hi-v-rocknroll2024 · in “How to succeed in MrBeast production (Leaked PDF)”

So what really turned me off to this guy was his smarmy ~2019 campaign that also damaged my view of otherwise sensible Youtubers who shilled for him without thinking carefully. As such, pretending to save the planet while failing at math, logic, and physics because getting rich and being a internet->real celebrity are oh so much more important™ than emotionally and financially exploiting your audience or doing what you say you're going to do. sigh "#TeamTrees vs. REALITY" (2019, Phil Mason) ▶ this video

CriticalView on HN

@sacnoradhq2023 · in “Many Climate 'Solutions' Are Dead Ends or Niches and Should Be Ignored”

95% correct. "Planting a lot of trees" has been proven dead wrong because of simple math, plant matter decay, and increasing fucking forest fires. Instead, #teamtrees couldn't face reality while doing the disservice of misinforming and lying to millions of people for egotistical and aspirational post-factual rhetoric. ▶ this video

CriticalView on HN

@1letterunixname2023 · in “Plans to plant billions of trees threatened by undersupply of seedlings”

This is as absurd as it is futile because of forest fires, decay, and math. "TeamTrees vs REALITY!!" ▶ this video

CriticalView on HN

@1letterunixname2023 · in “House Republicans propose planting a trillion trees”

House Republicans, now with more #TeamTrees. "TeamTrees vs REALITY!!" ▶ this video Climate change can best be solved by scalable biological means like phytoplankton and seaweed grown, processed, and sequestered by autonomous robotic platforms. (Sacrificial areas of deep water seem unavoidable.) Fractional distillation of air, planting trees, spraying substances in the air, and solar shades aren't going to work.

CriticalView on HN

@sacnoradhq2023 · in “An Introduction to Forest Carbon”

Remember the delusional, happy-clappy "helping" of #teamtrees? Did they make a dent? And let's completely ignore that trees burn and biomass rots because the message of "I'm better than you!" is more important than reality of anthropogenic global warming. ▶ this video Rake America Great Again!

CriticalView on HN

@danuker2022 · in “Launch HN: Living Carbon (YC W20) – Trees that capture and store more carbon”

A back-of-the-envelope calculation [0] shows that, to offset the US CO2 emissions, you need to plant about 20 million trees PER DAY. [0] - ▶ this video

CitesView on HN

@stooliepidgin2021 · in “We need to take CO2 out of the sky”

TeamTrees vs REALITY!! ▶ this video Doing "something" is futile if it's ineffective, not permanent, and not scalable.

CriticalView on HN

@danuker2021 · in “How green is blue hydrogen?”

It is very difficult to keep up with global CO2 production by planting trees. TL; DW: planting 20 million trees would equal roughly the CO2 emissions of the USA for half a day. ▶ this video

CitesView on HN

@danuker2021 · in “$100M xPrize for Carbon Removal”

Planting trees it is very difficult to keep up with global production. TL; DW: planting 20 million trees would equal roughly the CO2 emissions of the USA for half a day. ▶ this video

CitesView on HN

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