08/09/2026
Planting Trees > Removing Trees. Kudos to Lethbridge Polytechnic for having another 23 trees planted around the campus. Trees in urban settings provide many benefits we as humans often take for granted and overlook. From critical ecological, economic, and health benefits, to acting as essential infrastructure for climate resilience and public well-being. They reduce the urban heat island effect by shading pavement and buildings (which only absorb then later re-distribute warmth), lowering air conditioning needs by up to 30%, while also absorbing air pollutants like ozone and nitrogen dioxide to improve air quality. This is not to mention the carbon sequestration they automatically carry out by the simple act of growing, or the added cooling they achieve through evapotranspiration. Many of the solutions to the problems we are facing as a society have answers readily available. I could go on for days, but the reality is that we as humans are in some ways a bit stuck in our ways, it is what it is, but there are relatively easy *and enjoyable* things we can do to curb some of the negative effects we have on the environment and if I could suggest a couple, they would be: (see comments below)
