MOTHER'S TREES

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But that isn't all. Consider that:
A single mature tree absorbs around 13 pounds of carbon dioxide a year, while a younger, actively growing tree may absorb up to 26 pounds of CO 2 , per year—approximately five tons per acre of trees.

Whether as a family project or an individual one, the point is to plant!

About half of the weight of any tree is carbon. To maximize the amount of carbon dioxide absorbed, trees should be planted that gain weight the fastest. Depending on the trees' densities, these may or may not be the same ones that gain diameter the fastest. Some common trees that "bulk up" quickly (in various parts of the country) include river birch, sycamore, tulip poplar, willow oak, red maple (commercial varieties), green ash, and black gum. In the South, try lobolly pine; in the West, Douglas fir; and in the Deep South and the tropics, leucaena. If in doubt, plant any native species that generally do well locally.

Reducing atmospheric CO 2 , through tree planting costs about 0.3 ¢ to 1.3 ¢ per pound. Doing the same thing, by improving the energy efficiency of appliances costs about 2.5 ¢ for each pound of CO 2 ; and by improving electrical supply efficiency, about 10 ¢ per pound. While tree planting can make a significant contribution to reducing CO 2 buildup, it won't solve the problem, not unless we all turn into Johnny Appleseeds. For it to do so, we would have to replant all the planet's deforested areas—or double the growth rate of existing forests—to compensate for humanity's excess carbon dioxide production. It's been estimated that a typical family of four would need to plant six acres of trees to offset its CO 2 generation.

In many locations, the cooling effects of trees can be more important than their ability to absorb carbon. Using landscape trees to shade buildings (and thus decrease the need for air-conditioning) results in CO 2 , emission reductions that are 15 times as great as the amount of the trees alone can absorb. Indeed, shade trees on the south and west sides of a house can lower its air-conditioning bills by up to half.

Cities are particularly important locales for new tree-planting efforts. All that concrete and asphalt creates a "heat island" that makes cities 5° to 9° warmer than surrounding areas, so the cooling effects of trees can be especially helpful. The American Forestry Association estimates that there are 100 million tree-planting sites available. Planting them all would reduce carbon dioxide emissions from energy production by about 18 million tons per year and save consumers $4 billion each year in energy costs.

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