Plant trees and help the environment! The United Nations Billion Tree Campaign is underway. It is a program that is challenging everyone to plant 1 billion trees worldwide in 2007.
One of our major wholesalers – Bailey Nurseries - has joined the campaign with their part – entitled “Trees are Cool”. They have pledged 100,000 trees to the UN campaign and encourage others to plant a tree(s). We will have information here at the nursery this year promoting this wonderful project.
Each year, we donate trees to various organizations and will continue to do so as one small part of how we help.
The following are just some of the statistics regarding the value of a tree is to the environment.
- In one year an average tree produces enough oxygen for a family of four, for one year.
- One tree will absorb the CO2 from 4 cars every year.
- To make up for the loss of trees in just the past decade, we would need to replant 321 million acres, which would entail planting approximately 14 billion trees every year – for 10 consecutive years.
- Planting trees remains the cheapest, most effective means of drawing excess CO2 from the atmosphere.
- Planting 100 million trees could reduce carbon by an estimated 18 million tons per year, while saving American consumers $4 billion each year on utility bills.
- Shade trees can reduce utility bills for air conditioning by 15-50%.
- Healthy trees can add up to 15% to residential property values.
- The net cooling effect of a young, healthy trees is equilavent to 10 room-size air conditions operating 20 hours a day.
- Studies indicate that trees help create feelings of relaxation and well-being.
- “When we plant trees, we plant the seeds of peace and seeds of hope” – Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Wangri Maathi of Kenya.
If you can’t plant a tree – consider giving a Gift Certificate for the next wedding, birthday, house warming present, baby present, funeral memorial, etc. Donate a tree for one of your annual charitable contributions. Other ideas – use e-mail instead of “paper” mail, get involved in your local DNR or arboretum, and probably one of the easiest and maybe most important – discuss this with friends and relatives. Educate others who may not realize the importance of a tree!
