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By Samantha Miller
Many Iowans are trying to trim down this summer in a less traditional way. They aren’t focusing on their waistlines, thighs, or love handles. No, they’re aiming to reduce the size of their footprint, carbon footprint that is, and they need go no further than their backyard to do it.
Erin Hannah, manager at Iowa Outdoor Products Home and Garden Specialty Shoppe in Des Moines, says that more and more people are purchasing trees and shrubs in an effort to be more environmentally “green.”
“Trees are just a great benefit to the environment, and more and more people are realizing that,” Hannah said.
She said that a lot of the “green” appeal of the trees and shrubs stems from their benefits to the air and the shading they provide. This shading does more than lower monthly bills for air conditioning by decreasing its use, she said, it also lowers the amount of carbon dioxide emitted – a major culprit in global warming.
The use of air conditioning is just one of the many ways Americans are releasing large amounts of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere – a problem that’s been growing progressively worse in past years. According to the Environmental Defense Fund, US households produce 21 percent of the country's global warming pollution, with each American contributing on average 50,000 lbs. of carbon dioxide emissions to the atmosphere annually.
Trees address the problem through their ability to reduce carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. During photosynthesis, trees and other green plants take carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and return oxygen into the air. A tree continues this process as long as it lives, and the carbon dioxide stays stored in the tree until it burns or rots.
But when it comes time to plant some green in one’s backyard, not all trees are created equal.
Kristen Hansen, assistant manager at Earl May in Des Moines, says that shade trees native to Iowa are the best bet if one holds an environmental conscience. These trees, which include the sugar maple tree, white oak tree and bur oak tree, are “hard wood” trees that best adapt for Iowa conditions so they will last long and grow large.
“These trees really serve a purpose,” Hansen said. “They’re good for the environment by helping the air, providing shade and decreasing the use of air conditioning.”
Hannah agreed, saying that these trees often have a “great branching structure” to provide some of the best shading.
Trees to steer clear of are “short live” trees, such as flowering pear trees and poplars, Hansen said. These trees may look pretty, but they don’t last as long or grow as large as other choices.
But the process doesn’t end at choosing a tree. Almost as important as picking the green to plant is where it is planted.
Hansen said there are a number of factors than can keep a tree from thriving, and many center on where it is planted and how it is placed into soil.
“You want to make sure you plant them away from wires,” she said. “It opens them up to insects and disease.”
Another thing to look out for is the soil the tree is planted in, Hansen said. There is a lot of clay and heavily compacted soil in the area due to construction that will not yield healthy growth, she explained.
Hannah also said this is a common issue for people trying to plant their own trees, and often they make the mistake of digging a hole in the clay, filling it with healthy black soil and then planting the tree in it. Trees don’t thrive in this, Hannah said, because the roots can’t branch out so they become root-bound and die.
If one runs into this problem, the best way to combat it is to mix the poor soil with compost and black dirt, Hannah said. Even though it may be a lot of work, she added, the payoff is always worth it.
“It’s important to plant trees and shrubs not only to beautify but for environment,” she said. “It’s a rewarding long term investment to plant a small tree that will one day grow to be over one hundred feet tall.
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