THE MANY BENEFITS OF PLANTING TREES
Imagine planting 49.1 million trees in one day. That’s what about 800,000 volunteers in Uttar Pradesh accomplished recently. Hoping to set a Guinness World Record, they planted 80 varieties of trees along railroads and roads and in public land.
The tree-planting effort—and others like it around the country—was part of a commitment India made on Earth Day 2016 to spend $6 billion to reforest 12 percent of its land.
Trees are valuable for many other reasons, of course, even without cutting them down and turning them into homes or furniture. Having lots of trees around your home means that you’ll probably also have lots of birds, squirrels, and other animals. Many homeowners love to see birds and other creatures in their backyards.
Another major benefit of trees is that they help reduce pollution, not just air pollution but also noise pollution. If your home is near a busy road, just plant a lot of trees and the traffic noise will disappear. All you will hear will be birds cackling.
Trees are also valuable for preventing soil erosion. The roots cling to the soil, and the leaves keep the rain and wind from pushing the soil away.
Of all the reasons to appreciate trees, perhaps the top reason has to do with food. Many trees produce fruits and nuts. Imagine a world without mangoes, guavas, peaches, and plums, not to mention cashews and almonds.
And just when you think your list of tree benefits has come to an end, along comes Lane Malouf to correct you. Malouf, a Colorado man, was recently sought by police on assault charges. So what did he do? He climbed a tree. The police eventually forced him down, but thanks to that tree, he enjoyed six more hours of freedom.
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