On October 24, the International Day against Climate Change is celebrated, a day supported by the UN, dedicated to promoting actions that counteract the pressing global warming, which is reflected in the rise in global average temperatures. This fact is due to the increase in greenhouse gases that we generate when using energy or by increasing deforestation of the planet. In the last 13 years alone, we have swept 43 million hectares of forest around the world to convert it into crop areas, building land or raw materials.
But we can still improve the world. Adopting habits that encourage energy savings helps reduce your carbon footprint. In this effort, reduce, reuse and recycle has become a key strategy to avoid the extraction of virgin raw materials, such as plastic or wood. But what if I told you that by recycling you can also combat deforestation directly? For the first time, this option is possible through RECICLOS, a innovative application that encourages recycling through rewardsamong which is planting trees in the northern mountains of Madrid.
Its operation is simple. Users accumulate points by recycling cans and plastic beverage bottles in the yellow containers or in the RECICLOS machines available in several municipalities in all the autonomous communities. «You scan the barcode of the empty container before throwing it into the garbage bag at home and, when you take it out to the street, you scan the QR of the container. There, the RECICLES points are generated, which are saved in your account,” explains David López, father of a girl and resident in Alcudia de Crespins, a municipality in the Valencian Community.
Users can Use your points to plant a tree and track it real of the evolution of the sprouts and their care until they are transplanted into the RECICLOS Forest. «First you have to allocate five points for its planting, another five for its irrigation, another five for planting it and ten for transplanting it in the mountains. When you complete the process, it tells you “you have planted a tree, it will be called David,” he explains. He has already contributed to the planting of four specimens. The reasons that have prompted him to do so are two: «The task of absorbing carbon dioxide that they carry out and that my daughter finds it funny to have a tree with her name in Madrid. “I do it for her, to encourage her to take care of the planet.”
Thanks to the more than 600,000 RECICLOS points donated by users like David, they have planted more than 18,000 trees in the Valley of Dreamsa space declared a Biosphere Reserve in 2005, which had been degrading in recent years. “It is expected to close 2024 with a total of 30,000 trees planted and growing, thanks to donations issued through the Ecoembes return and reward (SDR) system,” explains Pedro Ayala, CEO of ReTree, the Spanish reforestation company that is in charge of recovering this area, although they also work at the European level on dozens of projects.
The interesting thing about this company is that they have designed pioneering software that monitors the ultrasynthetic activity of trees, providing “reliable and transparent data” that they make available to companies that pay for tree planting. «Our software Works with NASA and ESA space visions and AI-like calculations. It is a model that no one does in Spain,” explains Ayala. With this system, ReTree calculates how much rural employment is generated with the plantation, how much CO2 has accumulated in the area or the biodiversity that is generated as a result of reforestation.
In addition, Ayala ensures that they always use the most suitable species for reforestation. In the case of the RECICLOS Forest, pines, holm oaks, oaks and cornicabras have been used since the first shoots were planted, in 2022. “Now they are taller than a person,” he celebrates. “And the most difficult thing is not planting, it is taking care of them, providing them with the water they need and keeping an eye on the area,” he says. Thanks to this constant work, The “recycling forest” now has an area of more than 90,000 m2. With it, 210.44 tons of CO2 will be absorbed.
The application also offers the opportunity to exchange points for participation in raffles for products such as backpacks that charge with the energy of the sun or electric scooters. Donations can also be made to other environmental or social projects. Sonia Quejigo, a violinist based in the capital of Valencia and a RECICLOS user since the summer of 2024, acknowledges that before “she didn’t recycle much.” However, “As a result of the app, it seems silly, but I’m paying more attention to recycling smaller containers that I didn’t take into account before,” he reveals.
It all started with the raffles, but two trees have already been planted with a third on the way. «The giveaways were the hook that made me download the app. Now I’m dividing my points between planting trees and a project to fund cancer research. There are also others about the creation of a park at the La Fe Hospital or an initiative on disability…”, he lists.
In his opinion, this platform motivates citizens to recycle plastic beverage cans and bottles, transforming an everyday activity into a more conscious and rewarding experience. For this reason, Sonia has already recommended downloading the app to her friends and family. «I think it is a free way to contribute, which hardly takes any time –he continues–. You only need five seconds to scan the code and you are already collaborating. It is a way to contribute your grain of sand.
Additionally, during Black Friday week in November, “Green Week” will take place with special promotions for planting a tree in the forest RECICLOS is easier than ever for app users.