Tree People
An example where this has become an extreme problem is Los Angeles. The temperatures in L.A. (and surrounding suburbs) is usually 5-10 degrees hotter than rural areas. However, it wasn’t always this hot. In the 1930’s, L.A’s recorded high temperature for ’34 was 97 degrees. Now, as less and less trees are apparent, the highest recorded temperature in the 90’s was 105 degrees and is still climbing.
In 1973, Andy Lipkis, the founder of Tree People (nonprofit), was camping in the San Bernardino Mountains, east of L.A. He learned there, that the pollution from L.A. was killing many of the cities trees. Lipkis (15 years old at the time) organized other campers. They tore up a parking lot in San Bernardino’s and planted 8,000 trees. This was the beginning of TreePeople. A quote from an interview from YES! Magazine, Lipkis says “Trees are like acupuncture needles, they help heal the Earth.”
According to their spokesperson, Leslie Mylius, she champs that planting trees next to one’s home provides not only shade for a house, but saves money since less air conditioning is required. An interesting fact, according to the Heat Island Group, electricity demand rises about 2 percent for every degree Fahrenheit the maximum temperature rises. Costing the citizens about $100,000 per hour, or $100 million per year. Also, with less air conditioners running, means less fossil fuels being burned, not only are the trees providing us with oxygen, but they are improving our air quality in general.
Another comment from the Heat Island Group, shows that even a little bit more area devoted to trees along with lighter roof colors, could bring temperatures back to the levels of the 1930’s.
Not only to the TreePeople plant trees, but they continually care for them as well. Lipkis mobilized over 700 volunteers to care for 1,800 trees on L.A. campuses and neighborhood communities. But they don’t force their beliefs and trees on others. They wouldn’t say, “There you go; there are your trees,'” says TreePeople’s Mylius. “Someone needs to care for them for at least five years until they’ve established themselves, and that only happens if they’re in an environment where people care about them and have a sense of ownership.” TreePeople will train and find people that will dedicate ample time to these plants.
The tree people get their word across generally by word of mouth or through other nonprofit organizations and government agencies allowing the community to come to them. However, citizens can’t expect the TreePeople to do everything for them. For example, if a townsperson came to the group with the hope of planting trees in their neighborhood, they can give you anything from general information to classes to become a Citizen Forester.
As a Citizen Forester, one spends five Saturdays attending TreePeople’s training. Here you learn how to select the right trees for a neighborhood, how to organize your neighbors for help, and general planting and preparation tips. They also teach the practice of mulching and the use of tree fungus to discourage pesticide use. For example, Roy Frankel, wanted to plant new trees in the neighborhood. TreePeople suggested he become a Citizen Forester. After his training he went door to door acquiring donations for each tree. The neighborhood then plants the trees with the help of TreePeople volunteers. According to Frankel “The planting gave our neighborhood a sense of local pride”. Again another benefit of TreePeople-a heightened sense of community. The pride that was accumulated kept people friendly with each other and diligent when it came to tending the trees.
Aside from the Citizen Foresters, the TreePeople help out in the Cool Schools program, which instead of planting in neighborhoods, these trees are planted in school yards via the help of teachers, students and even parents. Since it’s start, Cool Schools has ripped up 60 million square feet of asphalt and replaced it with greenery. With these trees, children have a more lush, rich environment, and there is less exposure to direct sunlight lessening the risk of cancer. Even more specifically for an Elementary school in L.A. it will reduce flooding, a problem at some schools in the area.
Many of the Los Angeles schools that believe asphalt play areas are cheaper have been turned around by TreePeople whom performed studies and showed the costs and benefits of tree planting.
The Tree People don’t stick to just planting trees however. TreePeople in collaboration with other organizations have modeled a bungalow to show how a home can work with nature’s cycles of flood and drought. They endorse heat reflecting roofs, and trees placed to cool the house, as well as special drains that reuse rainwater. This vision is even becoming apparent. Four of the Cool Schools sites, are being retrofitted like the model bungalow to be sustainable sites.
TreePeople is a versatile organization committed to helping the environment but equally committed to helping people figure out the benefits of TreePeople without forcing their ideas on others.
In this world, sometimes our only happiness can be found in the outdoors; in the spirit of mana: a Tree.
