Billions of trees are cut down every year to satisfy man’s inordinate and excessive demand for paper. And a lot of this paper ends up idly in massive heaps and piles all around our offices and homes.
I’m sure a lot of people reading this would wonder, “ So what? Why should that even bother me”. Apart from the fact that paperless forms and paperless business forms in your offices are actually more effective for office life, you will save trees and reduce your carbon footprint. Sometimes you hear people classify people as “tree huggers” with gross disdain because they feel they take “caring for trees” way too seriously. But I’m going to give you guys a list of 13 reasons why you should be a tree hugger or at least, why you should love these trees:
Trees erase some of our carbon footprint:
According to the U.S. Forest Service, the trees around the world removed about one-third of fossil fuel emissions annually between 1990 to 2007.
They help keep our houses clean:
A study from Lancaster University found that trees by the road reduced the presence of airborne particulate matter (pollution from cars) inside nearby homes by 50 percent.
They relieve the stress of workday:
Office workers who can gaze upon trees from their windows report less stress and more satisfaction, according to a study from Chungbuk University, South Korea.
Trees feed us:
Trees provide food for people and wildlife beyond what we likely imagine. A single apple tree alone can produce up to 15-20 bushels of fruit per year. Afterall, an apple a day, keeps the doctor away, so they say
They provide shelter and support:
Three hundred million people across the globe live in forests and 1.6 billion depend on them for their livelihoods, according to the World Wildlife Fund. Forests also provide habitat for a large number of plants and creatures, many of which we don't even know about.
Trees keep cities cooler:
Trees lower urban temperatures by up to 10°F by shading and releasing water vapor into the air through their stress-soothing leaves.
They make buildings more comfortable:
Of course shade trees produce shade; a lot. Strategically placed trees can cut down air conditioning needs by 30 percent and can save up to 50 percent in energy required for heating.
They take in carbon dioxide:
Biology 101 tells us that trees absorb carbon dioxide (CO2), removing and storing the carbon while releasing the oxygen back into the air – but the amount is remarkable. In a single year, an acre of mature trees absorbs the amount of CO2 equivalent to a car driven 26,000 miles.
Likewise, they give us breath:
Four people can get a day’s worth of oxygen from one large tree. Yes, research actually says that.
They give us water:
In the United States alone, watersheds protected by forests provide water to more than 180 million people.
Trees fight crime:
A study by the University of Vermont and U.S. Forest Service found that in Baltimore alone, a 10 percent increase in tree canopy corresponded to a 12 percent drop in crime.
They make places more aesthetically appealing:
Trees beautify our environment. And, in outdoor spaces with trees, there is less graffiti, vandalism and littering in comparison to place without greenery, says a study from the University of Washington.
Trees keep us healthier:
They give us cleaner air. Also, Research found that people who live on streets with high tree density are less likely to report a number of health complaints.
Yet with all these great reasons to love trees or at least know how important they are, 1.5 acres of rainforest is lost every second to land development and deforestation, with tremendous losses to habitat and biodiversity. Now you see, that is why we need to become tree huggers. We need green life to sustain OUR life. In fact, we need them more than they need us. This is why we need to go paperless as much as we can, plant frees, fight for forest conservation; and basically, play our parts in saving these useful trees.
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