I have two thumbs and neither one is green, in any way, shape or form. Nature and plush, pretty gardens fill me with joy, but don’t let me anywhere near a shovel or pruning shears – tragic mishaps are likely to occur.

I’ve been responsible for many a premature death due to my apparent lack of “intuition” when it comes to growing green things. But even I could probably take on a Grow Me a Tree and nurture it through adolescence and into adulthood.

The Silver Birch seeds arrive “grow ready” in a compostable brown sack filled with soil. Rip off the top of the sack and care for the seeds (i.e. water, assure proper sunlight exposure, etc.) until the tree is mature enough to plant outside. Seems easy enough. But please note that the Silver Birch can grow as tall as 30 feet high. Plant carefully.

Despite my trepidation, I ordered one for myself and plan to focus as if the future of the planet depends on it. If others followed suit, and each grew a tree, what a wonderful world it might turn out to be.

Find the Grow Me a Tree at snowhome for approximately $8.50 (plus $15 shipping from the U.K. to the U.S.).

- via Nigel’s Eco Store

Boris Trajanov, who organized the planting of 6 million trees in one day in Macedonia, knows that such huge efforts are not impossible when you put your heart and some great organization into it! Now, Mokugift, a leading online tree gifting service, pledges to plant 5 million trees by the end of 2009.

Mokugift is in partnership with the United Nations Environmental Programme’s Billion Tree Campaign. The UNEP is sending out the call to citizens globally to plant over 7 billion trees, or roughly one tree per global citizen, by the close of 2009.

It’s being called Plant for the Planet: The Billion Tree Campaign. The campaign got a head start in the first 18 months following its launch in 2006. Individuals and communities, private sector companies, organizations and governments in 166 countries have planted 2.5 billion trees already, making it one of the UN’s most successful environmental campaigns yet. The campaign has exceeded all expectations because of strong grassroots support and well-planned global outreach strategies.

“Plant for the Planet: The Billion Tree Campaign” stresses the power of solidarity because everyone matters, and every tree counts.

If you missed out on the action in Macedonia, Mokugift makes it possible for ordinary people to join in the fun!  Each tree planted cost only $1. All you have to do to plant a tree is make a few refined turns of the index finger, click the mouse and – this could be the hard part – choose a country in which you want your tree(s) planted. In mere moments, you can go from web surfing to becoming a global tree planter participating in the reforestation of the planet.

Giving a tree really is as easy as sending an e-card.  When that someone special receives a tree, they can proudly display their trees online at Facebook, MySpace, iGoogle and other popular Web sites. Mokugift even enables iPhone and iPod touch owners to plant a tree and they make it as easy as buying their favorite song.  Plus, Mokugift plants a tree when iPhone and iPod touch owners purchase A Real Tree application on Apple’s iTunes AppStore.

Image: McPig