Next time you book with Eurostar you can opt to plant a tree

Eurostar has announced that it will be working with an environmental organisation to help reduce the carbon footprint of rail journeys.

The high-speed rail service that connects the UK with destinations in mainland Europe will offer passengers the chance to plant a tree when booking their journey, in partnership with Trees4Travel.

Will planting a tree with your train ticket help the environment?

The deal with Trees4Travel will see the rail company offering passengers the opportunity to fund the planting of trees when they purchase their tickets.

Customers booking a journey using the business travel platform Eurostar for Business can choose to pay £3 (€3.50) extra that will finance the planting of a tree.

The train company has also pledged to match each donation.

The Trees4Travel group will plant new saplings as part of reforestation projects in developing countries. The company carries out its replanting schemes in countries including Haiti. They say the project aims to restore ecosystems and biodiversity and support Indigenous communities through employment.

But will it make a difference?

Tree planting schemes have been criticised as a trendy way for companies to appear environmentally conscious in the past.

Unfortunately, these schemes can result in adding trees that don’t belong in a particular environment or generating monocrop forests that lack biodiversity.

Tree planting projects should benefit the existing ecosystem and any communities involved in the process. It is also important that schemes ensure the trees are cared for in years to come.

Making rail travel more sustainable

The train company’s scheme comes following increasing demand from Eurostar business customers to see more eco-friendly travel initiatives.

“We are proud to be the greener way to go between the UK and the continent and we are committed to reducing our own impact on the environment,” Eurostar’s Head of Indirect Sales & Distribution, Paul Brindley said.

“We know that sustainability is at the heart of business travel policies and we are always looking for more ways we can help our business travellers to be part of creating a more sustainable future.”