Planting trees isn't just good for the planet; it can also save lives, according to a new study.
Researchers examined tree cover across 744 European urban centers in 36 countries, analyzing its relationship with air pollution levels and fine particles, nitrogen dioxide, and ozone-related mortality.
They estimated that each 5 percentage point increase in tree canopy could prevent 4,727 premature deaths related to air pollution annually across these urban centers. They also estimated that reaching a canopy cover of 30% within each city could prevent 11,974 premature deaths annually.
"Our results highlighted the potential public health benefits of increasing tree coverage in urban environments, contributing to sustainable, liveable, and healthier cities," they stated.
This isn't the first study to point out the positive health impacts of green spaces. For instance, one paper found that living near trees is good for heart health. Research out of Boston University showed that people living in greener urban areas experience slower cognitive decline as they age.
Plus, trees are an important ally in the fight against rising global temperatures, as they help store carbon. According to One Tree Planted, a tree absorbs an average of 22 pounds of carbon dioxide per year during its first 20 years of life.
While an overwhelming amount of evidence points to planting more trees for human and planetary health, the authors of the newest study admitted that reaching their recommended mean tree coverage could be challenging, especially in dense areas or in places facing water scarcity.
"To meet the recommended 30% tree canopy cover, tree planting programmes need to target not only public spaces but especially private spaces such as residential yards, as well as peri-urban areas," they stated.
Meanwhile, people around the world are coming together to plant more trees. Mastercard's Priceless Planet Coalition has committed to planting 100 million trees around the world by 2030, while a Detroit partnership is aiming for 75,000 new trees across the city. Plus, thousands of volunteers in the United Kingdom have planted over 300,000 trees in recent years. In addition to joining in on tree planting initiatives, you can help by doing your web searching with Ecosia, a green search engine that has put more than 150 million trees in the ground.
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