How Ecor Pro makes sure its carbon footprint is smaller than our competitors

From Little Acorns… Why Ecor Pro Is Committed to Protecting Trees in Wales

The oak is one of the UK’s most ancient tree species, capable of living for over 1,000 years. An oak of that age would have started life as a single fallen acorn, germinating at the end of the Anglo-Saxon period and growing steadily through the Norman invasion of 1066.

It would have stood through the reigns of King Richard III, King Henry VIII, and every monarch from Edward the Confessor to Queen Elizabeth II. Even her 70-year reign is just a small chapter in the oak’s incredible lifespan.

What makes these trees extraordinary isn’t just their age—but their resilience. Over the centuries, they’ve escaped the axe despite widespread felling for house and ship building, mining, agriculture, and firewood. They’ve withstood world wars, storms, floods, landslips, and countless threats that could have ended their lives far too soon.

While few oaks reach this kind of venerable age, Ecor Pro is committed to helping more of them get the chance. Because protecting these trees isn’t just about preserving the past—it’s about securing the future of our planet.

It’s often said that an oak spends 300 years growing, 300 years resting, and 300 years dying. So let’s consider a 400-year-old tree—still a relative youngster. Let’s call him Oakenfeld.

By now, Oakenfeld stands 19 metres (62 feet) tall and spreads 30 metres (98 feet) wide. His root system likely covers just as much ground, anchoring him to the earth like a living monument.

Each spring, he shakes off winter’s rest, sending out flowers and catkins. By late spring, his canopy bursts into full leaf—over 700,000 leaves filtering sunlight, capturing carbon dioxide, and driving photosynthesis. With this energy, he adds a new ring of growth and marks another year of life.

By autumn, Oakenfeld has added more than 250 kg to his 10-ton mass, released around 340,000 litres of oxygen into the atmosphere, and locked away roughly 25 kg of carbon in his wood. All the while, he provides a home for birds and insects, and shelter for couples, families, and children swinging from his branches or picnicking in his shade.

Could there be a more powerful reason to protect and prolong the life of a tree?

Planting New Trees? Absolutely. But There’s More to the Story.

Yes, we can—and should—plant new trees. The government strongly promotes woodland creation as a key solution to environmental challenges. But at Ecor Pro, we believe that focusing solely on new planting offers short-term gains and carries hidden costs.

Take the UK, for example. Land is limited, and using fertile farmland for tree planting can backfire. If we lose productive agricultural land, we risk importing more food—racking up air miles and increasing our overall carbon footprint. In trying to solve one problem, we may simply export it elsewhere.

That’s why, while we welcome new trees in our beautiful countryside, our focus remains on protecting existing forests. We’re committed to helping our oaks, horse chestnuts, silver birch, elms, and other native species live long, healthy lives.

Remember This:

A 1,000-year-old oak will have removed 25,000 kg of carbon from the atmosphere and released 340 million litres of oxygen.

When a tree is turned into furniture, that stored carbon stays locked away. But if it’s burned—for example, as biomass heating—that carbon is released right back into the atmosphere.

Rooted in the UK—Just Like Our Products

We build Ecor Pro dehumidifiers in the UK—and that’s where we plant the seeds of our environmental commitment, too. It only makes sense to offset our carbon footprint here at home.

We know there are countless tree-planting initiatives around the world. But we want to be sure our money—and the money entrusted to us by our customers—goes to a project we believe in. One we can visit. One we can see making a difference.

Check back soon—we’ll be sharing photos of the trees we’re helping protect, including our old friend, Oakenfeld.