Sustainable Celebrations: Improving the Environment and Communities

When a grove of 100 trees in Israel was planted in Pradip Shah’s honor, a seed of an idea started to germinate.

Shah, a YPO member since 1997, founded Grow-trees.com in 2010, combining his desire to give back to society with his son Karan’s emerging expertise in computer-based business. The idea was progressive and elegant: Reshape the celebration of special occasions by replacing paper cards and floral bouquets with planting a tree — or an entire grove — commemorated with an e-certificate.

A single new tree can provide value to an impoverished community, restore a damaged environment, attract healthy wildlife and clean the planet’s air — a considerable value, considering the US$1 a tree price tag.

In three years, the company has planted more than 700,000 trees, restoring massive tracts of national forests in India and helping restore a healthy balance in the wildlife population. Equally impressive is Grow-Trees impact on the community. With a permanent staff of only four, the company generated more than 53,000 workdays for low-skilled laborers, helping entire communities improve everyday life.

Growing beyond a shoestring budget, the company has attracted global attention and received grants and awards to partner with acclaimed organizations such as World Wildlife Fund and the United Nations Environmental Programme. Grow-Trees is now considering a global reach to help restore forests around the world, and the idea is taking root.



(The author of this article is Elaine Vitt, contributing writer with YPO)

(Image: Grow-trees.com)