I am Carolyn Rodenberg, Chair of 150 Trees and Me, a workgroup of One Sustainable Planet. We follow the lead of Plant for the Planet and climate science that tells us to plant trees as well as to lower our carbon emissions.

Tuesday, it was 88 degrees in Seattle. Nice summer day? – No, it’s springtime –that was May 4th! The last ten years have been the 10 hottest years in recorded history, and each year is hotter than the last one.

Excessive heat causes health problems and can even cause death. “Many people don’t realize that there are more deaths attributed to urban heat in the United States than all other natural disasters combined”, so says Vivek Shandas, an Associate Professor
of Urband Studies and Planning at Portland State University (“Turning down the heat, turning up the green” August, 2015). We need our trees to provide shade and thermal comfort to help keep us healthy.

When it rains, it can pour – So, we need our trees to intercept rain as it falls, and to hold water in the ground to reduce slides and flooding. We need our trees to capture air pollution particulates and turn them into breatheable air and carbon.

We need our trees for our trees for a sense of community, connection with nature and our mental health. Trees protect us, let’s protect them!

150 Trees and Me is a coalition member of the Coalition for a Stronger Tree Ordinance in Seattle, WA.