Taking Action – What about You?
Value of Trees
Last week I listened to the Broadcast on NPR by Tom Ashbrook in On Point called “Heat Waves – The New Normal.” The broadcast featured Stanford scientist, Noah Diffenbaugh, who just released a new report stating that heat waves will become commonplace in the next 30 years. Tom Ashbrook moderated a lively discussion between Noah Diffenbaugh and some global warming skeptics. No matter where on the climate debate you stand, supporter or critic, one message stood out clearly for me: We need to plant more trees in urban areas. Trees provide shade and cool our cities. More and more people will live in urban areas and incorporating more nature in our cities will make city living more desirable. So, what’s not to like about trees in the city? I feel like I have done some good work in this area. Since I moved into my current home exactly 5 years ago, I have planted 31 trees (12 Crape Myrtles, 3 Oaks, 10 Fruit Trees, 2 Mulberries, 2 Strawberry Trees and 2 Acacias) – an average of more than 6 trees a year. The benefits are obvious: “Over the course of 50 years, a single tree can generate $31,250 worth of air pollution control, recycle $37,500 worth of water, and control $31,500 worth of soil erosion,” as pointed out by the Arbor Day Foundation. Did you know that you can give a tree for less than it costs to buy a Latte? ($3) Did you know that you can donate a tree for less than what you pay for using the internet every month? ($25) Wouldn’t it be worth it to stay cool years down the road? My next tree will be a “Lebkuchenbaum.” How about yours?
