Tree planting or re-greening is a simple thing that anyone at any level can participate in, from government initiatives on a global scale to local involvement at community and individual levels.

Tree planting has so many advantages, not only does it offer increased privacy for residential properties but can also enhance beautiful views or masque less than picture perfect ones while reducing the amount of glare and sound. Planting trees is also a great property investment as it raises the value of your home especially with landscaped grounds.

These advantages extend far beyond the aesthetic, well positioned trees can actually lead to lower energy usage due to the increased shading reducing the need for additional cooling from air conditioners with the greatest benefits arising from their positive effects on the environment. Not only do they absorb harmful carbon dioxide from the air enabling us to offset some of our environmental impact through our carbon producing activities but they also produce oxygen and water, two very important by-products from photosynthesis that we need to survive.

Tree planting also helps to recover from the devastating effects of deforestation all over the globe. The resulting environmental impact from the loss of trees has caused several of the problems that our planet faces today including climate change and extreme weather conditions that with the proper ground cover would normally insulate us from.

Another benefit of tree planting is the conservation of rainwater and the reduction of water pollution. By lessening the amount of paved surfaces in favor of trees and ground vegetation, the amount of excess groundwater runoff is decreased. This means that we can effectively reduce what ends up going into our drains and consequently our ocean simply through the process of tree planting. With the greater volume of trees the more ground water runoff can be absorbed back to the earth before it has a chance to reach the storm water drains. Pollutants are also absorbed into the ground with the trees root system removing harmful toxins as it percolates down through the top soil layer.

Tree planting is one the most selfless things a person can contribute to their environment because it’s a long term solution for future generations to benefit from, consider your tree planting a gift to the world and your legacy to leave behind. Speaking of legacy, you can have a wonderful time teaching your children about the environment with a tree planting which shows them one of the best ways to give back to their environment. There are many things that you can teach your children about energy consumption and finding alternative ways to supply their energy needs, however tree planting can be a great solution to repair some of the damage done to the planet.

Being more conscious of the way that we use our resources and finding ways to replace them is something that we as human beings owe our planet. Plant a tree in your yard or join a tree planting movement to become involved in this very worthwhile pursuit. Your planet will thank you for your efforts.