“They who plant a tree, plant a Hope!”
Our projects in Delhi, Mumbai, and Jharkhand aim at afforestation. Most of the cities in India have lost their greenery due to urbanisation. Planting trees in cities is essential for the health and well-being of our urban environments. Trees bring numerous benefits, as we all know, including cleaner air, better water quality, increased biodiversity, and a more attractive landscape. They also provide much-needed shade in hot summer, reduce noise pollution, and help with soil conservation.
Trees are required especially in cities because of the amount of concrete, asphalt, and other impervious surfaces. These surfaces absorb heat, leading to the Urban Heat Island effect. This effect can raise temperatures in cities by up to 8° C. Trees help to reduce the UHI effect by providing shade and cooling the air around them. This can make cities more comfortable to live in, reduce the need for ACs, hence reducing the impact on the ozone layer and save energy.
Planting trees can also improve air quality by filtering out pollutants, such as nitrogen dioxide which is created by vehicle exhausts and hence also improving the ozone layer. Trees also absorb carbon dioxide, helping to reduce the greenhouse effect, and can reduce the amount of fine particulates in the air, making it safer to breathe. Some particles can be absorbed into the tissues of the tree, though most particles that are intercepted are retained on the plant surface. Many of the intercepted particles are eventually re-suspended back to the atmosphere or washed off by rain. Trees can also help to reduce the risk of flooding by absorbing rainwater and slowing down the flow of water.
There are numerous psychological benefits of planting trees too. Studies have shown that exposure to green spaces can lower stress levels and reduce anxiety, while also improving mood and concentration. Trees also improve the aesthetics of cities, making them more pleasant places to live and hang out allowing for recreational opportunities such as hiking, bird watching, and picnicking. This can also provide economic benefits such as increased property values, and can also be used for products such as timber and fruit.
And sometimes don’t we just want to escape all the chaos and be at peace amidst the greenery?
In all, there are only boons of planting trees. Do we really need more reasons to plant trees in our cities?
Want to straight away plant trees? Click on the button below and make your city Green!