Trees are our friends. Think about it; they let us climb on them and swing from their limbs. They shade us, provide us with food and oxygen and help reduce pollution and floods. The list goes on and on. Trees are always there for us. In fact, trees provide us with environmental and energy saving benefits that we may have yet to even realize. Mindboggling, isn’t it?
Check out some of these amazing tree benefits. And, afterward, you just might want to get outside and hug a tree.
Trees Are Environmental Protectors.
We know trees provide oxygen and shade. But here’s a list of tree benefits that may be a little less obvious. Trees…
- Give water. An acre of maple trees can put as much as 20,000 gallons of water into the atmosphere each day.
- Reduce noise. Did you know that trees help mask urban noise? It’s true! Trees effectively muffle urban noise by up to 50 percent, almost as much as a stone wall. A properly designed buffer of trees and shrubs can reduce noise by about 5 to 10 decibels. (USDA National Agroforestry Center)
- Offer oxygen. Of course it’s commonly known that trees provide oxygen. But, did you know a single tree produces approximately 260 pounds of oxygen per year? That means just two mature trees provide enough oxygen for a family of four. (Carbonday.com)
- Save money. Everyone loves to save some cash, right? Consider that over a span of 50 years, one tree produces $31,250 worth of oxygen, provides $62,000 worth of air pollution control, recycles $37,500 worth of water and controls $31,250 worth of soil erosion. (USDA Forest Service)
- Control carbon dioxide. One person exhales 10 tons of carbon dioxide every year, and that’s just not good for our environment. One single tree removes about 1 ton of carbon dioxide per year, and one acre of trees absorbs 2.6 tons on a yearly basis.
|Trees can save you money on cooling costs in the sweltering summer months. But they’re worth so much more than that!|
Trees Are Enormous Energy Savers.
Clearly, trees are environmental do-gooders. Are you still not sold that trees are beneficial? For every harsh weather condition, from scorching summer sun to freezing winter winds, trees help your home. Here are 4 more ways trees save energy: Trees…
- Save in the summertime. Trees planted on the west side of a home can reduce the summertime electric bill by $25 a year because air conditioning can be used 30 percent less. Now that we are in the heat of the summer, remember this when you receive your energy bill every month. (2009 USDA Forest Service study)
- Equal less work. Experts at the Louisiana State University Extension say air conditioners cooling a fully shaded house work only half as much as those in a house that has its walls and roof exposed to the sun. (Louisiana State University Extension study)
- Are cost cutters. By planting a tree today on the west side of your home, in just five years you’ll see a difference. Trees can reduce energy bills by 3 percent in five years. Wait 15 years, and you will witness a nearly 12 percent reduction. (Dr. E . Greg McPherson of the Center for Urban Forest Research)
- Are windbreakers. Trees can serve as windbreaks by reducing 35 mile-per-hour winds to just 10 mph. Less wind hitting your windows and doors means your furnace works less to keep your home warm. That means your energy bill could be reduced by 30 percent. (Arbor Day Foundation)
Need we say more? Trees are constantly working to benefit us financially and environmentally. This summer, don’t forget to thank your trees for the shade they give and the money they save!
Still not sure how trees have benefited you and your home? Request a free consultation with one of our professionally trained Davey arborists to see how trees could help save you money around your home.