“Alexa, Grow a Tree!” Virtual Assistant Will Do It

Alexa has gone green. Now, the voice assistant will even plant a tree for you. 

Simply say the words “Alexa, grow a tree.” Then, you'll be charged $1. That will pay for a tree to be planted. It's part of Amazon's celebration of Earth Month. The donations go to One Tree Planted. The group is trying to plant 1 million trees by the end of the year. 

Trees play a crucial role in creating clean air and water, keeping the climate healthy, and providing wildlife with homes. Trees also suck carbon dioxide from the air. That's a greenhouse gas. 

Amazon customers can also keep track of how many trees they helped plant through Amazon Pay. People can also donate while shopping.

Projects to be paid for with donations through Alexa include:

• Restoring California forests destroyed by wildfires. 
• Reforesting Pennsylvania lands heavily hurt by mining.
• Fighting hunger in India through planting fruit trees.
• Planting trees to protect a critical wildlife habitat in the Pacific Northwest.

Says Amazon: “We believe that every action and donation, big or small, matters when it comes to supporting a more sustainable future. That’s why we are committed to helping customers easily plant trees."

Photo from One Tree Planted.