Christchurch mates (from left) Adrien Taylor, Dan Price and Jeff Willis launched the Trump Forest crowdfunding campaign last year. Photo / Supplied
Christchurch mates (from left) Adrien Taylor, Dan Price and Jeff Willis launched the Trump Forest crowdfunding campaign last year. Photo / Supplied
Three Christchurch mates are still waiting for Donald Trump to thank them for the global forest they've planted in his name - now more than a million trees strong.
"We've built this forest faster than he's built his wall," Dan Price said.
"He can even claim it to make him feel better."
Price and friends Adrien Taylor and Jeff Willis launched the Trump Forest crowdfunding campaign last year as a cheeky, back-handed response to the US president's much-criticised stance on climate change.
It aims to eventually plant 10 billion trees across the planet to offset what the three founders call "Donald Trump's climate ignorance".
They kicked it off just a day after Trump signed a sweeping roll-back of clean energy initiatives introduced under the Obama administration.
That move was soon followed by the US withdrawal from the Paris Agreement, which dismayed other world leaders committed to limiting global temperature rise to a further 2C.
The campaign team says the US Clean Power Plan could have prevented about 650 million tonnes of carbon dioxide from reaching the atmosphere over the next eight years.
It was something which, along with other regulations Trump had moved to scrap, would have steered the US towards its Paris Agreement target.
The team calculated these setbacks could be countered with a 100,000sq km forest the size of the state of Kentucky.
People and businesses could support it by either donating to partner charity Eden Reforestation Projects, or buying and planting their own trees locally and providing a receipt.
The response so far has overwhelmed them.
The trio kicked off their campaign just a day after Donald Trump signed a sweeping roll-back of clean energy initiatives introduced under the Obama administration. Photo / AP/Evan Vucci
Major media outlets including the Guardian, BBC, Reuters, Vox and IFL Science have carried the story and the million-tree milestone was passed in February, much earlier than expected.
"Of course, we are delighted with the traction, but it's not surprising given people's frustration," Price said.
"So far, 3500 people from all over the world have pledged to offset the ignorance coming from the White House.
"The attack on common sense climate policy continues with EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt most recently attacking mileage regulations on cars - why would anyone want to pay for more gas?
"Surely efficiency is something we can all agree is good? Perhaps not when fossil fuel interests dictate your policy direction."
Price said the pledged 1.1 million trees weren't just token gestures: 95 per cent of them were already in the ground.
The three founders are still waiting to get a thanks from Donald Trump. Photo / Supplied
Most had gone into coastal mangrove forests in Madagascar.
"Ignorance seems to be growing trees at a steady rate, so as long as ignorance oozes from the White House, the forest will continue to grow."
High-profile supporters have included actress and activist Lucy Lawless, although Price said their highlight was seeing everyday people calling Trump out and getting behind the project.
"We've seen some support from New Zealand but would love to see more. The majority of support to date has come from the US and Europe.
"All of us can call out climate ignorance, and it's a responsibility everyone should shoulder."
Price said New Zealand was "hidden away at the bottom of the world" but had the potential to lead on climate policy. Recent steps from the Government - including a goal to plant a billion trees in 10 years - lookedpositive.
Thousands of pledges have come in from around the world. Image / Supplied
"How inspiring would it be for New Zealand to chase a carbon neutral status? To electrify the transport sector, to charge ahead on agritech, to start setting ambitious goals and call out other countries that are failing?
"It's time to stop clinging to methods and mindsets of the past and chase technology and opportunity of the future.
"Smart and clean is where the world will eventually go and we need catalyst nations to get us there quickly. It's catalyst time, New Zealand.
"There is no excuse anymore, the climate is already changing.
"The next decade will be crucial, we need to lay the groundwork for effective policy and start to curb emissions fast."
As for Trump, the trio were content with the knowledge there were a million trees out there in his name, which Price joked were now sucking up carbon "at a rate only exceeded by the turnover of staff at the White House".
