They help us live more sustainably, enjoy our everyday lives, and are wondrous living organisms!
Live more sustainably with trees!
- Walk, bike and wait for buses under the shade of trees
- Eat nuts and fruit from trees, as each gram of protein from trees (almonds) requires far less fossil fuel and water than meat (beef)
- Enjoy local fruit from backyard trees, community gardens and farmers’ markets
- Buy sturdy wood furniture that lasts
- Insist on cardboard shipping and paper packing materials
- Always buy paper cups and plates, or bring your own silverware and plates to potlucks
Appreciate trees in our daily lives!
- Notice how trees provide shade and cooler outdoor spaces in the summer heat
- Take time for walking, chatting and relaxing under trees
- Discover how some neighborhoods have few trees, 1-minute video
- Learn more about how trees affect physical and mental health
- Reflect on how trees remind us of the seasons
- Notice how trees and parks bring communities together, from all cultures, genders and ages
- Growing a tree adds nature right away. In five or ten years, you can sit under its shade. And in twenty years it will be a family or neighborhood legacy tree.
Find the wonder of trees!
- Trees are the oldest, biggest, strongest living organisms
- Leaves take carbon dioxide into their leaves and expel oxygen, filter out pollutants, and release water vapor that cools nearby areas (like a “swamp cooler” air conditioner)
- Roots absorb water and take up oxygen from the soil, so trees are stressed by both drought and overwatering
- For birds and other wildlife, trees provide food, shelter, nest sites, and protection from predators
- Learn about more benefits of trees
What can I do for trees?
- Talk with others about what you’ve learned about trees and how they are part of your life
- Take some sustainability steps to reduce your contribution to climate action
- Volunteer to help map and maintain trees (not just plant them!)
- Talk with your family and friends about getting and growing a tree in their front- or back-yard! more info
- Give a shade, native or fruit tree, as an eco-friendly gift instead of adding more “stuff” to the world. Donate $50 so someone else can get and grow a tree, but just can’t afford to purchase it.
- And most important, protect the trees that already bring us shade, nearby nature, and simple pleasures.