In this digital age, it’s easy to become disconnected from the real world. We spend so much time staring at screens that we can quickly lose track of what’s going on around us. Thankfully, those of us in the digital industry aren’t the only people who are passionate about improving the world and its inhabitants. There are plenty of people out there doing their part to make the world a happier place by planting trees. More and more everyday individuals are taking up arboreal advocacy as a personal cause. So if you’ve been looking for an excuse to get your hands dirty and your feet wet, read on for six ways you can make the world a happier place by planting trees.
1. Grow a tree to make up for one that's been cut down
Most of us have seen footage of deforestation in the news at some point, and it’s truly shocking to see how quickly people can destroy the environment. If you’re lucky enough to live near a park, you’ll likely have seen people actively trying to stop the destruction of trees. What you mightn’t have considered is that you can play an active role in preventing further deforestation simply by planting one tree for every tree you see cut down. We can’t stop deforestation entirely, but we can slow it down by filling in the gaps it leaves behind. Planting trees isn’t only a great way to make the world a happier place while also helping the environment; it’s also incredibly rewarding. When you watch a sapling turn into a tree over several years and know that you were responsible for its creation, you’ll feel a sense of pride and accomplishment that you don’t get from many other things.
2. Help combat climate change
As well as providing us with much-needed oxygen, trees can also help slow down the rate of climate change by absorbing carbon dioxide. Research has shown that if we were to plant one billion trees a year, we would be able to reverse the increase in CO2 levels that we’ve seen in recent years. That’s not to say that deforestation isn’t still an issue, because it is. But as well as planting trees to replace those that have already been lost, we can also plant new trees to help reduce the levels of CO2 in the atmosphere and make the world a happier place.
3. Provide food and shelter for animals and humans
It’s not just the environment that benefits when we plant trees. Trees provide all sorts of benefits for the people and animals that live near them. Aside from the obvious fact that trees provide us with oxygen, they also provide us with food. The fruits, nuts, and leaves that grow on trees are a staple part of many people’s diets, and there are plenty of other plants that can be used to make medicine. Trees also shelter us. This is especially true for animals, but humans also benefit from the shade provided by trees.
4. They look really, really nice
It’s true that not every type of tree is beautiful, but there are plenty of species that look stunning. If you’re not sure which trees look best in your area, you can use an arborist guide to find out. It doesn’t matter whether you live in the middle of a city or out in the country, you can find a tree species that looks amazing in your neighborhood. Planting trees helps them to grow, so even if you live in an area that’s not particularly suited to trees, you can still plant one and make the world a happier place.
5. Because you care and you'll feel great after
Sometimes, it’s enough to say that you care about something and that you want to make a difference. When it comes to trees, there are many ways that you can get involved and help make the world a happier place. You don’t need to be a botanist or a gardener to plant a tree; it’s something that anyone can do. Even planting a few flowers in your garden can make a difference. You might not think that those few plants will make much of a difference, but over time they will grow and become beautiful flowers that bees and butterflies will love.
If you still need a bit of convincing that planting trees is a good thing to do, then consider this: it’ll make you feel great. Planting trees can be really difficult work. It’s not something that you can do in just a few minutes, and you may find that you get very dirty as you do it. Even so, you’ll feel a sense of pride and accomplishment as you watch your tree grow. If you feel like you need a pick-me-up, or you want to do something good for the world, then consider planting trees. They don’t require a lot of effort, but they can make a big difference.