Team Trees   

Sam Verduzco, Staff Writer

YouTubers and public influencers come together for #TeamTrees, which is an organization that allows fans and creators to donate. The goal of #TeamTrees is to collect $20 million by the end of 2020, in order to plant 20 million trees. #TeamTrees was started by MrBeast and Mark Rober on October 30, 2019 and supported by the Arbor Day Foundation. 

The Arbor Day Foundation has been around since 1971 and has been planting trees and educating ever since. 

MrBeast has a very active fan base, averaging 20 million views a video which he releases about once a week, he is considered by many to be the hottest YouTuber of 2019. His fans challenged him to plant 20 million trees for reaching 20 million YouTube subscribers.

This stunt may seem like it’s very far-fetched and unrealistic to many, but to his fans this is just a normal MrBeast stunt. MrBeast is known for doing stunts like, donating thousands of dollars to unsuspecting streamers, giving away expensive cars, thousands of dollars and even a full-sized house in his challenges. His generosity is what makes his fans believe that this is possible. 

Within the first week of the donation pool going live, they reached over 12 million dollars. Many other public figures such as Tesla CEO, Elon Musk, and Shopify CEO, Tobias Lutke have donated $2 million to the cause.  

Many other large donations have been made, but together, the smaller amounts like $1-$20 make up most of the donations. 

With the donation pool being so successful and surpassing the halfway mark in just the first week, the 20 million trees will in fact make a difference, but not if carbon emissions, pollution, and deforestation continue at their current rates. 

Although causes like #TeamTrees are great things, other changes need to take place in order to preserve our planet. 

https://teamtrees.org/