it's almost Arbor Day!
The environment is very much at the top of many people's minds these days. Just a few days ago we celebrated the 40th Earth Day! People are now watching the amount of waste they create and the amount of fuel that they use with an eye towards keeping our planet healthy and strong.
But before Earth Day, there was Arbor Day. It's a day to celebrate one of natures greatest gifts - trees! This celebration dates back over 100 years. It started in
Nebraska, when J. Sterling Morton and his family moved there from Detroit. They missed their trees, and Morton, through his job as a newspaper editor, started a movement that has changed the landscape of the state.
I love trees. My home is only on a small quarter of an acre, but I have 8 trees on it (and several very large bushes!). I can't imagine a home without a tree to provide shade in the summer, or leaves to play in and compost in the fall. It almost hurts when I drive by construction sites where they've torn up dozens of mature trees just to plant some dinky shrubs around a field of concrete.
Trees are so important to the environment. They provide wood for building, paper, etc. Trees also act as windbreaks, which help lower heating costs. They also provide shade, which helps reduce air conditioning costs. They increase home value, provide homes to birds and wild life, and it said that they help reduce stress by providing a peaceful scene.
Planting trees is important to help fight global warming. Not only do they help prevent soil erosion, they purify the air and water. By taking in CO2 and giving off oxygen, trees play an important role in protecting our planet.
To find out more about Arbor Day, it's history, and the amazing resource that trees are, go to The Arbor Day Foundation website. So, take some time to hug a tree on Arbor Day - or better still, plant one! And let me know which tree is your favorite.
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