PROTECT AND PLANT TREES
FOR A COOLER, CLEANER WORLD
PROTECT AND PLANT TREES
FOR A COOLER, CLEANER WORLD
Have you ever noticed how much cooler it is in a grove of trees, or even how much more comfortable you feel just hearing the sound of the wind rustling in the leaves? Besides the aesthetic pleasure they give, trees can improve our quality of life in other ways as well.
Because they use carbon dioxide as they grow, trees can offset and even reduce CO2 emissions. If you plant three trees on the southeast and southwest sides of your home, you can cut your air conditioning bills as well as clean up the air and cool the globe. According to American Forests, the nation's oldest citizens' conservation organization, there are at least 100 million spots around our homes and in our towns and cities suitable for trees. When trees shade houses, buildings and pavement from the sun, they help cool down the "heat islands" that build up around pavement and other dark surfaces. "Nature's air conditioners" also help clean up he air, by filtering airborne particles with their leaves and branches.
Planting three trees around your house can block incoming sunlight by as much as 70 percent and reduce air-conditioning cost by 10 to 50 percent.
Awnings, overhangs and shutters mounted on the south, east and west sides of your house will save you $100 to $150 each year thereafter in cooling costs.
Tree-filled neighborhoods can be up to 9 degrees cooler than unshaded streets.
Trees and the forests they create play a critical role in maintaining the health of our environment. Their root systems prevent erosion and thereby protect water quality. Their leaves filter the air and, through the shade they cast, reduce global warming. The natural community that develops around forests also helps protect the planet by providing a safe and nurturing environment for all kinds of fish and wildlife.
Unfortunately, forests in this country and around the world are being squeezed by increasing demands for wood and paper. For example, between 50 and 100 acres of tropical rain forest -- an area the size of ten city blocks -- are destroyed every minute. At that rate, there will be no intact tropical forest left within one hundred years. Forests in North America, particularly the ancient forests of the Pacific Northwest, are also under stress.
Many offices and individuals have already begun to address deforestation issues at home and abroad by recycling paper and by buying recycled paper products. Here are a few other actions you might consider to minimize your need for wood:
Written by: Earth Share
RELATED LINKS:
|
|---|
| * * * IN-HOUSE RESOURCES * * * |
|---|