Download an app. Plant a tree

(Apple)

The developer of iPhone app DreamScape is the latest company offering to plant a tree, and combat deforestation every time their application is downloaded.

The DreamScape app, released July 8, is the latest iPhone application claiming to make a contribution to the planet when purchased.

The $0.99 application was developed by gaming company Barefoot Explorers in collaboration with agro-forestry group Trees of the Future. The company claims to plant a tree every time the application is downloaded, and one tree every day for the ten players with the highest scores. Barefoot Explorer previously worked in partnership with Trees for the Future on their first game Panda Hero, a similar scheme which led to 21,000 trees being planted.

A spokesperson for Trees for the Future stated that while their tree plantings are currently not verified by a third party, they do hope to provide GPS data on their projects around the world via Google Earth for members of the public to view: there is also a Flickr page documenting their projects. The trees are planted in developing communities around the world suffering from deforestation. It is estimated that for every three trees planted the carbon dioxide emissions of one car are offset for a year.

Other applications involving similar schemes include iPhorest; users of the $4.99 app plant and nurture their own virtual tree, every time they do so a real tree is planted on their behalf. The iPhone app A Real Tree works on a similar concept however only one tree is planted per download.

Applications are available to download from the Apple iTunes store.