December 21, 2023
Events
This year we decided to focus on dedicating more time to the things which we believe would make people’s lives a little brighter and our future a little greener. The contributions we have made this year speak to us at an emotional level and have brought significant joy to our team.
Before the year ends, we decided to fulfill a goal of the team – the planting of trees which may one day become a Calista forest. In cooperation with ClaraLab Center for Rural Future, we have planted 235 trees spread out between three different locations near Lisbon.
The understanding of the need for reforestation has been clear for several years, following one of the most dreadful wildfire summers in 2022. According to the European Commission, the total burnt area in the EU from the start of this year until August amounted to over 460 thousand hectares, or 1.5 times the size of Luxembourg. The year 2022 was even more shocking in that around 750 thousand hectares were burnt. The estimated financial loss from wildfires is greater than €2.5bn, but more importantly, these wildfires result in a huge negative impact on the planet.
Three countries which are the most affected by the wildfires in the EU are Greece, Spain and, Portugal, with the latter to experience 5 of the fires out of the biggest 8 wildfires for the past 20 years. Trees and vegetation (for example, bushes, shrubs and tall grasses) lower surface and air temperatures by providing shade and cooling the air through evaporation and transpiration. As vegetation is burnt, the temperature of the environment begins to rise, which can lead to the soil becoming too dry to hold water. However, with reforestation and afforestation, we have the chance of cooling down southern regions and reduce the amount of fires, especially during the hottest months.
This year, our Calista off-site trip took place in Lisbon. Our team fell in love with the city, and collectively decided that Portugal would be a wonderful choice to start our green journey. We believe that the 235 trees we have planted is only the beginning, and hopefully, with the help of our families, we can significantly expand this number moving forward, to try and have a positive impact on our planet.
