Have you ever really stopped to think about and appreciate how amazing trees are? I mean, picture this – what would the world be like if we didn’t have them?
Well for starters, we’d all be dead because we depend on trees to take our exhaled carbine dioxide and turn it into wonderful, life-giving oxygen that we kinda depend on.
There are many more benefits that trees bring to the earth besides producing oxygen. Aside from the fact that they are beautiful and provide a rich aesthetic quality to the landscape, they provide shade, they yield delicious fruit and nuts and provide shelter and living quarters for birds and smaller animals, they soothe and relax us, they reduce pollution, improve the beauty of our neighborhoods and surroundings, lower our energy costs, and even increase the value of your property! Not only that, but even their color – green, is a cool and calming color known to help our eyes quickly recover from strain.
We also love and revere trees for what they stand for. Since time began, trees have symbolized life and wisdom and renewal – You’ve got the “Tree of Life”, the “World Tree”, and in the Garden of Eden there was the “Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil”. We even bring Christmas trees into our homes to celebrate the season!
We’ve talked about it before, but there is a relatively new medical practice called “Shinrin-yoku”, Forest Bathing. In fact, just in today’s news feed, the Travel Channel did a whole feature on it, talking about the many benefits of spending time in nature and forests for mental and physical health. You should check it out here.
After listening to today’s show, you may find yourself wanting to hug a tree and say “Thank you!” (Even if you don’t consider yourself a “Tree Hugger”).