In an article for the Medford Transcript, Fred Laskey brings up an energy-saving method many may not have heard of, yet would find hard to refuse:
If someone were to suggest that there was a simple and inexpensive way to reduce both your summer air conditioning and winter heating bills, while reducing noise pollution and increasing the value of the property, you would probably be skeptical of the claim.
Throw in an improvement to air quality and a reduction in storm water pollution and the idea may really seem too good to be true.
Believe it or not, planting trees and shrubs on your property and along public ways provides all the benefits described above with very modest upfront costs.
Not all of us might be aware that the simple act of planting trees can give us the host of benefits Lackey enumerated because of our dependence on technology. To feel cooler during the summer, we tend to increase our use of air conditioners. To feel warmer in winter, we tend to invest more in central heating. However, this isn’t necessarily the most efficient way to do things. Recent studies show that merely planting trees around your house can reduce your energy consumption by up to 35%.
In summer, trees placed in strategic locations can already provide adequate shade against the sun. In winter, evergreen plants provide a shield against cold winds and are especially useful because they retain their leaves throughout the year.
If you live in California, take advantage of this natural and eco-friendly method of staying comfortable and saving energy by contacting professional Los Angeles tree service experts. These professionals, such as Green Touch Tree Care, can help you position and tend to plants and trees around the house to maximize their effectiveness.
Aside from helping you save energy, trees also clean the air around you. One healthy tree can absorb up to 48 kilograms of carbon dioxide and produce up to 118 kilograms of oxygen every year. Of course, placing trees in the wrong locations can have some harmful consequences: during storms, for example, ill-maintained branches might break and damage your property. In order to avoid such incidents and gain all the benefits from trees, make sure you contact Los Angeles tree removal experts who can assess and fulfill your needs.
(From SITTING IN: LASKEY: Trees and shrubs can reduce your energy costs, Wickedlocal.com, September 14, 2013)