Planting Trees for Your Home and the Planet

I always hear green skeptics say things like - “You tree huggers, always talking about planting trees!” Which of course is far from true, there are plenty of green actions you can take that have nothing to do with tree planting.

That said, tree planting (not to focus on green stereotypes) is one great way to green your house, and the environment, all at the same time. Here are some benefits of planting more trees near your home…

It’s easy: Of all the green action steps you can take, tree planting has got to be one of the easiest. Anyone can plant a tree.

Trees save energy: Using smart landscaping, the average home can save $150+ a year on energy costs. Trees add as sun and wind blockers, create natural awnings, and more. Trees also help reduce water needs on plants planted nearby.

Trees create, restore, and promote habitats: Birds, animals, insects, and people all need trees to enjoy. As habitats are destroyed, as we fill in land with concrete, we’re making the world a less nice place to be. Planting trees helps to restore balance.

Trees promote human health and well-being: Trees are relaxing. I always feel better in say, Oregon than the middle of Albuquerque, where large trees are rare. Trees reduce the amount of carbon dioxide in the air, and a newer study shows that neighborhoods with plenty of trees have reduced instances of youth asthma.

Trees protect land: Besides cleaning the air, which is great for animals and people, trees stop massive erosion and create natural shade for other shrubs and plants. In fact less mulching is needed for plants who live under trees.

Read on
The painting is by Nancy Merkle

Kids living in tree-lined streets less prone to asthma: study

New York (PTI): Children who reside in tree-lined streets are less prone to develop asthma, researchers have suggested.

It is the first time that tree density has been linked with asthma. There has been around 160 per cent increase in asthma cases globally in the last two decades. The rise in asthma cases is believed to be linked with reduced exposure to bacteria that leaves the immune system underdeveloped.

The findings, reported in The Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, suggests that a leafy suburban lifestyle goes some way to protecting children against the disease.

"Street trees were associated with a lower prevalence of early childhood asthmas," the team led by Dr Gina Lovasi wrote in the journal.

The analysis, based on data on asthma rates across New York, found that children in the greenest streets were least likely to develop asthma, although the degree of leafiness was not correlated with the number of more serious asthma attacks that led to hospitalisations. In New York City, asthma is the leading cause of admission to hospital among children under 15.

Researchers from Columbia University in New York found that asthma rates among four-to five-year-olds fell by almost a quarter for every 343 extra trees per square kilometre in an urban area, the report said.

"There may be something else healthful about the areas that had more trees. For example, trees could be more abundant in areas that are well maintained in other ways," Lovasi said.

Article here