G L O B A L R E L E A F : PLANT A TREE, COOL THE GLOBE (via EnviroNet, 8/9/89) This is the text of a pamphlet published by Global ReLeaf, a program sponsored by the American Forestry Association. Anyone having other information on GLOBAL WARMING: THE BIGGEST ENVIRONMENTAL CRISIS OF OUR TIME The Earth is heating up like never before. Today's global temperatures are the highest they've ever been, and the implications for society are enormous. * Cities and towns could be inundated as polar ice caps melt and sea levels rise. * Agricultural areas could be destroyed by heat and drought. * And our ability to produce food and find drinking water could be reduced to a miniscule fraction of what it is today. At the root of the problem is the "greenhouse effect": Carbon dioxide (CO2), released into the atmosphere when fuels like coal and oil are consumed, traps the sun's rays before they can bounce back into outer space, turning the earth into a planetary hothouse. Because they use carbon dioxide as they grow, trees could help cool the globe. But there simply are not enough trees in our global greenhouse to absorb all the CO2 that's blanketing the earth. And many of the forests that are left are being extensively cleared worldwide, especially in the tropics. Clearly, one way to halt global warming is to reduce energy consumption and to rely less on fossil fuels. But another important way to reduce the "greenhouse effect" is to plant trees -- lots of trees -- particulary in and around urban "hot spots." HOW CAN TREES HELP? * Trees use up excess carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and turn it into life-giving oxygen. * Trees help conserve energy. Three properly-planted trees around your home can cut your air-conditioning bill by 10-15 percent. * Trees turn urban "heat islands" into cool and comfortable "oases," making the concrete jungle livable. * There are 100 million energy-efficient tree planting sites available around homes in our towns and cities. Planting 100 million trees could offset America's CO2 emissions by 18 million tons a year, saving American consumers $4 billion each year! * Planting trees is a positive step you can take right now -- in your backyard, on your street, and in your city or town -- to stop the CO2 build-up. WHAT IS GLOBAL RELEAF? Global ReLeaf is a national campaign aimed at reducing the CO2 build-up in the earth's atmosphere. Global ReLeaf challenges people everywhere, from citizens to national leaders, to look to new goals: * Expanding the area of forest in the world, on lands where trees can provide many benefits, in both urban and rural settings. * Reducing deforestation everywhere, particularly in the tropics, where it is most serious today. * Assuring that all forests are maintained in as productive, healthy, and fast-growing condition as possible. * Reducing our dependence on and use of fossil fuels, and controlling pollution from the sources we use. * Passing effective legislation to address all of these issues and to research new technologies to address the crisis. YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE There are three Global ReLeaf actions you can take right now that will make a difference: 1. Plant and care for trees in your yard and in your town. You'll find that a "greener" life is more beautiful and more energy efficient, and you'll feel great doing your part for Global ReLeaf. 2. Share your tree knowledge with your community. Every American town or city has "missing trees" -- trees yet to be planted or trees to be replaced. There is no better way to leave your mark on the landscape than by planting energy-saving trees. 3. Support Global ReLeaf and its aggressive public policy effort that addresses all of the issues outlined above, including reforesting America, enactment of CO2-reducing legislation, energy conservation, and development of alternative energy sources. ABOUT THE AMERICAN FORESTRY ASSOCIATION The American Forestry Association, founded in 1875, is the national citizens organization for trees and forests. Established to fight against the waste and abuse of American forests from wildfires and unscrupulus logging, the American Forestry Association helped build public support for improved forest management and conservation. The Association and its members also helped convince Congress to pass laws creating the National Forest System and the Forest Service, and was influential in the establishment of the National Park System and state forestry agencies. For the past decade, the Association has been the national leader in the area of Urban and Community Forestry , the management of trees in cities and towns that enhance the quality of life for all people. Community trees have a special role in Global ReLeaf. The goals of the American Forestry Association are to help Americans understand forest conservation, and to translate facts into public policies and private actions that increase and improve America's trees and forests. A FEW FACTS ABOUT GLOBAL WARMING * Present global temperatures are the highest since records have been kept. The 1980s have produced the five hottest years in this Century. * Scientists estimate that the level of atmospheric carbon dioxide could double in a few years, if present trends continue. * It that happens, global temperatures could rise by an average of 6-12 degrees Fahrenheit. *World energy use is the main contributor to atmospheric carbon dioxide. *The United States, with only one-twentieth of the world's population, produces nearly one-quarter of the annual global carbon dioxide from burning fossil fuels. *Urban areas, with their expanses of concrete, build up "heat islands" that are 3-5 degrees (Celsius) hotter than their surroundings. *Currently, only one tree is planted for every four that die or are removed in American cities and towns. *Trees can absorb carbon dioxide at the rate of 48 pounds per year -- about 10 tons per acre per year. *Urban trees that shade "heat islands" are 15 times more important in reducing carbon dioxide build-up than rural trees. *If current opportunities to improve tree growth were taken, this new growth would reduce atmospheric carbon dioxide by 450 million tons, about one-quarter of what the United States is estimated to release annuallly from burning fossil fules. *Tropical forests are still being lost at the rate of 27-28 million acres per year, an area about the size of Tennessee. S O U R C E Global ReLeaf, The American Forestry Association, P.O. Box 2000, Washington, DC 20013, 202/667-3300 Global ReLeaf also publishes the following materials, which are provided free to anyone who contributes $15 or more: * The Global ReLeaf Action Guide, containing background information, an Action Checklist, and access to all Global ReLeaf resources; * The Global ReLeaf Report, the action newsletter containing up-to-date information on local, national, and international Global ReLeaf developments. (uploaded by Jeff Howard)