Inspired by the new movie Evan Almighty (the sequel to Bruce) Universal Pictures has teamed up with The Conservation Fund to help people plant virtual trees. That's right, real live digital trees that stand tall in the interactive Almighty Forest.

Before I scrapped the do-gooder tree-planting link sent to me courtesy of my movie savvy friend, I decided to wander around the forest. Turns out, The Almighty Forest is the real deal; for every virtual tree planted (there are currently 5,917), a real tree is planted in one of a number of forests across the country by The Conservation Fund GoZero Program. The goal is simple, to get everyone to leave a legacy--plant a grove, or a forest--and help fight climate change and restore wildlife habitat. Since 2000 the Conservation Fund has restored over 30,000 acres and planted 9 million trees, leading the nation reforestation efforts.

I was a bit skeptical. Scientists advise that carbon sinks are not the answer to global warming--the answer is reducing CO2 emissions - but there is broad agreement that the trees buy us time by keeping heating trapping gases from accumulating in the atmosphere. According to a recent study on Global Climate Change, the U.S. should include storage of CO2 in their climate change policies. The EPA agrees, stating that having a Douglas fir forest for at least a century is 25 to 50 percent more effective than using that land to grow biofuels.

The amount of sequestration per tree in the Almighty Forest varies by species and location, which are determined by research through third party experts(Winrock International, Environmental Synergy and The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service). In the Lower Mississippi River Valley (IL to LA), one of the Conservation Fund's core areas of carbon sequestration efforts, each tree traps approximately 1.33 tons of CO2 over 100 years. Other carbon sequestration sites where The Conservation Fund will plant Almighty GoZero trees this fall include Bogue Chitto NWR and Big Branch NWR in Louisiana, Edwin B. Forsythe NWR in New Jersey and San Joaquin River NWR in California. Each year the Fund completes three to four carbon sequestration projects, combining GoZero trees with existing and future projects. After the completion of each project you will be notified where your trees have been planted.

I was convinced. I continue to look for ways I can reduce my carbon footprint, but I have a greater appreciation now for the role trees play in my own and our collective efforts. So, using the Almighty Forest virtual service, I've arranged for 5 trees to be planted in my home state of New Jersey.

Learn more about carbon sinks.