Payment with either a credit card or a debit card has become essential in today’s life. Though the diverse payment options have made our lives more convenient, they also fostered excessive consumption, resulting in a negative impact on the earth. Are you wondering if there are any convenient consumption methods without causing harm to the planet? In recent years, issuers have started to consider the possibility of making consumption more compatible with environmental protection, and two bank cards have been launched to address ecological issues.

In cooperation with the German environmentally-friendly search engine Ecosia, Treecard has launched the world’s first wooden debit card. Merchants are charged a small handling fee for every consumption through Treecard. Eighty percent of the profits are used for tree planting and climate-related investments. According to estimation, one new tree will be planted for every 60 dollars spent, allowing users to contribute to the earth effortlessly. Ecosia has been planting trees with its advertising revenue since established in 2009. It has cooperated with organizations in more than 15 countries for over 20 tree growing programs, in which more than 120 million trees were planted. It can be regarded as a pioneer in achieving environmental protection goals through business opportunities.

(From Treecard website)

Does it seem contradictory to promote the importance of planting trees with wooden cards? Each treecard is made of sustainably sourced cherry wood with a unique pattern of wood grain, and the chip in the middle is made of recycled plastic bottle waste. Each cherry tree can produce more than 300,000 cards, which is much more environmentally friendly than ordinary credit cards made of plastic. Also, it has demonstrated the uniqueness and sustainability of wood.

(From Doconomy website)

The other card is designed by Doconomy, a Sweden environmentally-friendly technology company that has developed meaningful financial management tools to educate the public and bring positive changes to human consumption habits in response to climate change. Launched in 2019, DO Mastercard displays the carbon emissions of each consumption through its mobile app, which turns abstract concepts into visible figures, making us more mindful about our consumption choices. Also, you can choose to donate to 5 carbon reduction programs certified by the UNFCCC (United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change) and offset all your carbon emissions with one click. In addition, the yet-to-be-launched DO Black card also has a monthly carbon emission limit. The spending function of the card will be immediately suspended if the limit is exceeded, making personal carbon emission limitation a new habit.

Treecard website：www.treecard.org

Doconomy website：doconomy.com