Happy Arbor Day!

Three white women and one black woman doing yoga standing in tree pose.

There’s more than one way to celebrate a tree. How about with a tree pose?

If you’re looking for a more traditional way, then get some tips on buying and planting trees from the Arbor Day Foundation.

They have some information on the value of trees too. Here are a few.

Landscaping, especially with trees, can increase property values as much as 20 percent. Management Information Services/ICMA

One acre of forest absorbs six tons of carbon dioxide and puts out four tons of oxygen. This is enough to meet the annual needs of 18 people. U.S. Department of Agriculture

There are about 60– to 200-million spaces along our city streets where trees could be planted. This translates to the potential to absorb 33 million more tons of CO2 every year, and saving $4 billion in energy costs. National Wildlife Federation

Trees properly placed around buildings can reduce air conditioning needs by 30 percent and can save 20–50 percent in energy used for heating. USDA Forest Service

Trees can be a stimulus to economic development, attracting new business and tourism. Commercial retail areas are more attractive to shoppers, apartments rent more quickly, tenants stay longer, and space in a wooded setting is more valuable to sell or rent. The Arbor Day Foundation

If you’d like some tree related music, listen to Basia sing about hugging An Olive Tree. After all, with our current administration, we could probably use a few more tree huggers.

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Image: Flickr photo by Tom Britt

Subway Stories: Walking in the Moonlight

flowers blooming on tree

This week has been mostly uneventful. But that’s actually a good thing. I picked up some more freelance writing work that I’m very excited about. Yay!

Even though it’s been mostly from home to work and back again, I do enjoy the time that I get to spend outdoors in this wonderful spring weather.

Moonrise over tree

Especially when I get to see the moon rising as I walk to and from the subway.

Renovated Government Center MBTA station

I finally saw the renovated Government Center T station. It does look nice, but there is a surprising amount of construction still going on around the subway station.

orange bikes

This pair of orange bikes caught my eye. For a long time I’ve considered orange to be my protective color.

moonrise in Boston against skyscrapers

The moonrise is brighter each night as we approach Saturday’s full moon. Such a beautiful natural light in the sky behind the lights in the buildings.

Those moon rays lift me up with the light. A marvelous night for a Moondance. Do you ever dance in the moonlight? 🙂