I have been seeing the Million Trees NYC efforts all around my neighborhood for a while now. It started with TD Bank putting advertisements up on their windows, and participating in events around New York City. I spotted TD Bank at The Worlds Fair Anniversary in Flushing Meadow Park in Queens with this awesome nature habitat inside of a truck. If you took a tour of the truck, you would get a cool, million trees reusable shopping bag. The line was ginormous, so I sadly did not get to see the truck, or get the nifty bag. Reusable shopping bags are my jam.
 |
| TD Bank Tree Trailer - Worlds Fair Anniversary, Queens NY The Green Monger |
Then I started seeing trees actually being planted around the neighborhood, and spots drawn on the sidewalk to mark out where future trees were going to be planted.
 |
| Million Trees NYC Sidewalk Decal The Green Monger |
Spots were also marked with this green nifty "Im New" decal to let people know what was going on. I'm really excited to see these empty sidewalk spaces get filled up with trees, because there sure are a lot of them drawn out around the neighborhood!
My block in particular needs more trees for many reasons. There are a lot of different birds and squirrels around my neighborhood that visit my window bird feeder. I always worry about them and hope that they have safe places to go home to. More trees means more homes for urban wildlife.
Another benefit of more trees on my block would be some protection from the planes that fly over us as they land at LaGuardia Airport. I've been congested with sinus issues ever since I moved here almost 20 years ago. Between the busy bus route in front of my house, to the planes, my block sure could use trees to help my neighbors and I breathe a lot easier. My block has three trees. Three! It's like a desert with a few baby trees sprinkled around.
 |
| New Tree Coming Soon! Along with Three More Within 30 Feet The Green Monger |
Aside from creating wildlife habitats, and filtering pollution, trees have a lot of benefits to the rest of the environment, the city's economy and has a positive effect on social conditions.
That inspires me to green up my naked looking block. So it's lucky for me that Million Trees NYC has a spot where citizens can go to request a tree! If you think your block could use some greenery, or if the park up the block needs one for the kids, let them know! Submit a Forestry Request with the New York Parks Department.
That inspires me to green up my naked looking block. So it's lucky for me that Million Trees NYC has a spot where citizens can go to request a tree! If you think your block could use some greenery, or if the park up the block needs one for the kids, let them know! Submit a Forestry Request with the New York Parks Department.
I'm going to request more trees on Northern Blvd. in Queens. Man, that street needs trees. The summers are brutal with heat and car exhaust. The sun just beats down on the pavement and it is unbearable. Some trees would provide shade, cool off the area and filter out some of the pollution. The heat and heavy buses on the black top, warp the street. They would save so much money and headache on repairing such a high traffic boulevard. I actually have a design to green up Northern Blvd in my perfect world, but I'm not very good at conceptual art.
If you have your own home, you may even pick up a tree for free and do some landscaping yourself. There are several pick-up locations around Manhattan. Many of them are within the next two weeks, so get your trees before the weather gets too cold. You will even be taught how to properly plant your tree making the whole experience easy peasy.
For everyone else who is crammed into a New York City apartment and has no use for a free tree, you can still get your hands dirty and help Million Trees NYC in a bunch of ways. For one, you could register to help PLANT the actual trees in locations around NYC. How cool is that?
With over 5 million trees in NYC and counting, they need care to make sure they grow well and get everything they need to live in harmony with humans. You can adopt a tree in your area by finding one on the map that needs some extra love and attention. Trees in need of urgent care are marked red. Be a tree steward! When you register to adopt a tree in your neighborhood, you get a free watering kit and official Volunteer Card. Neat!
Maybe youre not the hands-on type, but you still want to help. No problemo, you can send a donation to Million Trees NYC and help the community get the dirty work done. You could do this in two ways, by making a purchase of some cool Million Trees NYC clothing and accessories, or making a monetary donation to Natural Areas Conservancy which helps plant trees on streets and parks, and keeps New York City’s natural places vibrant and beautiful. Have you hugged a tree today?
However you decide to help get more trees in New York City, the benefits are plentiful!
No comments:
Post a Comment