This past February, my partner Julia and I welcomed our daughter Anastasia into the world. There is nothing like starting fatherhood to refocus attention on the future.

When thinking about the world today, it is easy to feel anxious about the future. If she is fortunate enough to live a normal life expectancy, my daughter could live into the 22nd century. My grandmother, my daughter’s namesake, is currently 96 years old. She was born in Northern Ontario just before the start of The Great Depression. When I envision the change that my daughter will see in her lifetime, I think about the change that my grandmother experienced in her lifetime. Humanity faced some great challenges over those 96 years, but her generation also found impressive solutions to those challenges.

Of course, one of the most concerning issues for anyone anticipating the future is the reality of climate change. I do not know enough about climate science to understand what real impacts climate change might have on my daughter’s life, but the problem certainly brings me pause. The many expressed opinions about climate change can confuse our understanding. Still, I think that most would agree that humans should do whatever we can to slow its impact as humanity transitions from a hydrocarbon-based energy supply.

One of the cheapest and most effective ways to sequester carbon is to plant more trees. Trees passively sequester carbon with little more than the additional ingredients of water and sunshine. Plus, trees provide the additional benefits of filtering air, slowing the wind, insulating city noise, and providing habitat for wildlife.

A few times a week, I take a walk through Downsview Park to get some fresh air. Between the park and the rail line is a neglected strip of ground, an area with only gravel and scrubby weeds and shrubs. Toronto is a well-treed city, but if you look carefully, there are many patches of neglected ground that could have trees but do not. This year I decided to take matters into my own hands. This spring, I ordered 100 bare-root tree seedlings from Ferguson Tree Nursery. After a little research, I decided on 50 jack pine and 50 white pine seedlings. Both tree species are native to Ontario, so they can help maintain the area's natural biodiversity. Jack pines grow quickly and are one of Ontario's most resilient tree species. Jack pines can basically grow in a gravel pit with nothing more than sunshine and rainwater. White pines are less resilient until established, but they are the tallest trees in Ontario, typically growing to a height of 40 meters at maturity, and can live well over a century. There is something special about seeing a mature white pine towering over the other trees in a forest.

Recently my trees arrived, and I planted all 100 in Downsview Park in a couple of hours, much faster than anticipated. I did not ask anyone for permission, nor are they part of any official plan. There were no carbon credits, no committees, no environmental clubs, no corporate sponsorships, no municipal permits, just some tree seedlings and a shovel. Sometimes you must pick up a shovel, get your hands dirty, and put some trees in the ground.

I do not know yet how many of these trees will survive to maturity, but some will. I hope that someday, many decades from now, my daughter can walk beneath some of these tiny trees when they tower over the current landscape. I also hope this post might inspire others to take similar actions. One person alone cannot change the trajectory of climate change; this problem requires a change in the mindset from helplessness to action across the entirety of humanity.

Some fun facts about trees and carbon. The average Canadian produces roughly 20 tons of carbon emissions per year, well above the global average. An average tree will typically absorb and sequester about one ton of carbon over its lifecycle, but this varies widely based on species and environmental conditions. Large, long living trees, can absorb as much as 5 tons of carbon. Overall, with the back of the napkin calculations, approximately 1,700 trees grown to maturity are required to reach carbon neutrality for the average Canadian lifetime. That is a lot of trees, but it is quite feasible for a person to materially reduce their carbon footprint by planting trees where there would otherwise be no trees. Tis the season to plant trees, so I would encourage anyone reading this post to get out there and put some trees in the ground. Now when I walk through Downsview Park I will gain some extra enjoyment from watching my trees grow a little more each year. I plan to do the same next spring.