August 2024: trees
Each month, we break down our topic into four weekly modules. Catch up on previous editions here.
This week's module: READ
- 🎯 READ | Actually fun facts about trees and how magical they are (TODAY)
- WATCH | How trees talk to each other (8/14/24)
- ACT | Actions you can take to create tree-related justice (8/21/24)
- REFLECT | Share your commitment to being a tree hugger (8/28/24)
Estimated reading time: 3 minutes for the action plan
Here's what we'll learn today Reader
It’s hard for me to believe that in the almost 5-year history of writing Changeletters, we’ve never written about TREES!
This month’s topic is TREES because trees are freaking awesome. Trees are also one of the first things most people encounter under the “environmentalist” label (you know, tree hugging and what not).
For anyone who hasn’t hugged a tree, I’d highly recommend it.
This month’s Changeletter is going to exalt the amazingness of trees. We’ll talk a treensy bit about the scary stuff like deforestation, but it’s more important that you know how MAGICAL trees are, because I’m guessing you already know they are in danger.
I have a feeling this is going to be our most positive and joyful topic yet because TREES ARE AMAZING.
In our READ module (today) we’ll talk about some astounding tree facts. Next week in our WATCH module, we’ll zoom in to explore some more tree magic. Then for our ACT module we’ll talk about what each of us can do for more life-saving trees, and finally, we’ll REFLECT together 🌳
We have two events coming up this week, btw:
Before we get to our READ module, shoutout to Namita, Roopa, Rachel, and more folks who joined Soapbox Project as a member last month! And some pictures of Soapbox climate cuties standing under some trees!
Your bite-sized action plan Reader
The goal of today’s READ module is to show (or remind) you how amazing trees are. They are really doing the most 🌳🌳🌳
This Treehugger article points out 15 tree facts. I am going to try my best to memorize it because it’ll make me COOL at parties (get it, cool, because… trees, haha).
A few of these TREEMENDOUS facts are highlighted below. Check out the whole article (even better, print it) because it might do wonders for your climate anxieTREE.
- Trees are the real crime-fighting superheroes we need
Apparently, trees can reduce our anxiety, increase our pain threshold, and even express anti-cancer proteins. They increase property values (as high as 20%!) and are even correlated with lower crime rates! Also trees won’t narc on you, so I say we should fund more trees under “public safety.” (Public safetree hahahahha)
- Even ONE tree boosts biodiversity by an unbelievable amount
Researchers estimated that adding ONE tree to an open pasture can increase its bird biodiversity from almost ZERO to as high as EIGHTY. Hooray for biodiversitree!
- Trees are saving us
Did you know about half of all oxygen comes from phytoplankton (not trees)? This was news to me. Anyway, trees contribute to humans breathing oxygen, but their even MORE significant life-saving impact is from reducing urban pollution and heat. In the US alone, trees may be saving at least 850 people from pollution-related deaths! Also, climate change is exacerbated by all the CO2 that’s getting trapped in our atmosphere... thankfully, trees munch CO2 up! What a TREEt!
More fun facts from the article: Trees can talk to each other. Trees may have memories that will help heal human-induced climate change. Trees are freaking smart and know how to make allies to save themselves. Trees didn’t exist for most of Earth’s history. (Histree… lol)
Sadly, we’ve slashed the number of trees on our planet by almost HALF, largely due to the way we’ve built our agricultural systems on factory farming and land clearing.
But the moral of the story is: trees are SOOO COOL, they are our friends, and they will help us heal our ecological crisis. And we must help THEM! Protect trees, plant trees, hug trees, and thank them for their work today.
The world is better with trees in it.
Love,
Nivi
P.S. if you want one of our spawning szn hats as featured in the image above, Venmo @soapboxproject or paypal.me/soapboxproject if you want one. $27 for non-members & $22 for members! Join our membership to support our work & make friends!
