Plant a Tree in Your Community

Contribute something important to the nation's well-being.

Almost everyone loves trees, but did you know that trees can help people heal faster?

It's true. According to the International Society of Arboriculture, hospital patients have been shown to recover faster when offered a view with trees. And while trees certainly benefit any landscape -- whether lining residential streets, dotting urban areas, or in full resplendence in the forest -- they are actually important to our daily well-being.

Trees improve the quality of the air around us by absorbing dust and other particulates. Their leaves also absorb noxious gaseous pollutants, such as carbon dioxide, ozone, carbon monoxide, and sulfur dioxide, before we ever inhale them. Plus, trees protect us from the effects of the sun and from rain, hail, and snow -- which can wreak havoc on unprotected homes -- and emit clean oxygen for us to breathe.

If the health of people and the environment isn't high on your list of concerns, perhaps your wallet is: Trees make economic sense. A home surrounded by trees costs less to cool and heat. Neighborhoods with trees are often several degrees cooler than those in similar climates that don't have trees. In winter, trees can keep your house warmer by blocking high winds. Also, less water is needed in tree-shaded areas where the sun isn't constantly beating down on the earth below.

Besides, trees can enhance privacy, block objectionable views, and boost the value of your home. Unfortunately, these days, mass construction projects tend to wipe out all the trees in an area before creating new neighborhoods and buildings. That's why it's more important than ever to plant a tree in your community.

Check out the National Arbor Day Foundation online at ArborDay.org to find out more about planting a tree in your area or how to volunteer in an urban center. You can even donate funds to help the foundation replant trees in New Orleans. Trees also make great gifts and wedding favors; the Arbor Day Foundation can tell you how to plant a tree in someone's name as a gift, donate a tree in someone's honor, or memorialize a loved one by planting a tree. Make Arbor Day a true holiday this year -- plant a tree.

From For America

 

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What's your New Year's resolution?

Quit smoking or drinking Get out of debt Lose weight Spend more time with loved ones I don't have one.

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