9 Mar 2020
In six short years, Bolt has become the go-to ride-hailing option for hundreds of cities all over the world. Along the way, with our fantastic drivers and passengers in mind, we understand that the future of mobility needs to change. As a ride-hailing platform, we’re well aware that we need to become a driver of change (pun intended).
Here’s a question that needed a solution — how can we continue helping the public to efficiently move around their beloved cities while doing our part to address the monumental issue of climate change? Also with urban air quality worsening by the day, we decided that we needed to act.
The first step was launching the Green Plan, where we announced our environmental strategy. Following this exciting announcement we teamed up with Natural Capital Partners to help us coordinate our environmental initiatives. They help connect businesses of all shapes and sizes to green projects around the world and are the leading experts on carbon neutrality and climate finance. Thanks to them, we were introduced to a forest development project reforesting thousands of hectares in the Scottish countryside.
Bolt decided to help plant 6 hectares of native woodland near the Scottish border to directly support their reforestation efforts. We felt that this was an effective way to give back on a local level. Additionally, the commitment made for a great team-building activity as the Bolt team was invited to visit one of the tree planting sites it recently supported the development of.
Last month 3 brave teammates from Bolt, gathered their (really) cold-weather gear and headed up north to do some digging. After a lengthy train ride, they found themselves in remote Scotland amongst the rolling hills. The morning’s agenda? Planting some trees.
Did you know that about 5,000 years ago most of Scotland used to be completely covered in trees? Over time, logging for timber, firewood and charcoal, as well as clearing the land for livestock, have all taken their toll on Scotland’s forests and the wider environment.
After a quick crash course in tree planting, the Bolt team helped to plant a variety of different species including alder, hazel, sessile oak and downy birch. They learned how to dig the perfect hole, what type of soil to look for. They even found out how to protect the new saplings with a special sleeve, shielding them from elusive voles (small mice) who like to feed on the sugars naturally stored in new tree saplings.
Our brave Bolters faced harsh weather conditions but even so felt a great sense of achievement. As they packed up, they heard how this visit was a step in the right direction, helping to restore native woodland and represented a move toward repairing Scotland’s ecology. It also provided a new carbon sink to help in the fight against climate breakdown.
It was a great reality check for our whole team to see how such a project is actually maintained, firsthand.
Why is this important? Because our green plan extends well beyond the cities in which we operate within. Also, it feels good to give back to Mother Nature. If you’re feeling like giving back yourself, get out there and plant a tree, or two, or three! The more the merrier.
Now, time for a cup of tea!
