Why? Well, everybody needs a home... check out this video
Other than providing homes for squirrels, the average mature tree can absorb about 25 kg of CO2 a year (that is a ton of CO2 in a 40 year lifespan!)and releases enough oxygen to sustain two human beings every year. Trees can also help with soil erosion, as a sound barrier from noisy roads, for passively cooling your home and are great to climb! Trees also help reduce ozone levels in urban areas; in New York City, a 10% increase in urban canopy translated to a reduction of peak ozone levels by about 4 parts per billion.
We may not all be able to plant trees in our backyards (largely due to many of us not having backyards) but there are many local, national and international initiatives that you can get involved with -the United Nations even has a tree planting initiative, which illustrates that this is of global importance! An important thing to remember is to get children involved. I remember growing a tree from a seed when I was little and planting it, which was a big step for me in learning what trees do for the environment and why we are so dependent on them for the air we breathe, the water we drink, the homes we live in, the paper we write on and so much more!
So, if you have a place in your yard for a tree, do a bit of research into what type of tree is best for your area -perhaps one that you can eventually hang a tire swing off of for your children's children. For those of us sans backyard, there are many ways to get involved with community tree planting initiatives or even sponsoring an acre of rainforest!
A final thought is this Greek Proverb:
A society grows great when old men plant trees whose shade they know they shall never sit in
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