Jun 22, 2009 9:22 am US/Eastern
Baltimore Hopes To Plant 1 Million Trees
BALTIMORE (WJZ) ―
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One million trees. That's what the city of Baltimore hopes to have planted over the next 30 years.
CBS
One million trees. That's what the city of Baltimore hopes to have planted over the next 30 years. As
Alex DeMetrick reports, for people willing to dig the holes and care for them, most of those trees will be free.
Trees usually grab attention when they fall over or when they lose the right of way to overhead power lines, but replacing what's lost is more than a matter of aesthetics. Trees work hard for all of us.
"They clean our air, and they clean our water, so when there are more trees around whether it's downtown or any of the neighborhoods, trees absorb particulates," Anne Draddy, Tree-Baltimore Coordinator said.
The kind of particulates that come out of tailpipes and that on hot days create ground level ozone, or smog.
Given our current weather, what runs off streets and sidewalks can be absorbed by trees before harmful nutrients make it into streams and the bay. Maybe the best benefit is easier to see in smaller utility bills.
"The larger ones will, over time, provide shade on your house, so you'll be able to save money on air-conditioning costs," Draddy said.
All reasons Baltimore is making free small trees and discounted larger ones available in an ambitious project to see one million trees planted by the year 2050.
The spring tree giveaway is wrapping up but more free trees will be made available in the fall. With enough takers, Baltimore won't just be talking green, it will be looking green.
Tree projects aren't isolated to Baltimore. Maryland is currently on track to plant one million trees along waterways within four years.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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