And with so much information out there on how truly wonderful tress are for the Earth, Girlawhirl wanted to share her favorite pro-tree facts on Arbor Day, all in hopes her Super Pals will head out and plant a tree today. Girlawhirl's knows she's certainly going to.

• An average American uses about 750 pounds of paper every year, and 95% of homes are built using wood. That means each person uses the equivalent of one 100 foot tall, 16 inch diameter, tree every year for their paper and wood product needs. [savatree.com]

• In 50 years one tree recycles more than $37,000 worth of water, provides $31,000 worth of erosion control, $62,000 worth of air pollution control, and produces $37,000 worth of oxygen. [treeinabox.com]

• Trees help reduce the greenhouse effect by absorbing CO². One acre of trees removes 2.6 tons of CO² per year. [treeinabox.com]

• One person causes about 10 tons of carbon dioxide to be emitted each year. One tree removes about one ton of CO²per year. Planting 30 trees per person will remove that person's carbon debt for the year. [treeinabox.com

• One tree can absorb as much carbon in a year as a car produces while driving 26,000 miles. [savatree.com]

• Two mature trees provide enough oxygen for a family of four. [treeinabox.com]

• Water originating in our national forests provides drinking water for more than 3,400 communities, and approximately 60 million individuals. [savatree.com]

• Shade trees can make buildings up to 20 degrees cooler in the summer. [treesaregood.com]

• Just three trees, properly placed around a house, can save up to 30% of energy use. [U.S. Forest Service Center for Urban Forest Research]

• Hospital patients heal faster, require shorter stays and fewer painkillers if room windows face trees. [treeinabox.com]

With all of these reasons to plant a tree – and so many more – Girlawhirl can't help but get down, and start digging.

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apr 27, 2007:

for arbor day, girlawhirl finds out more about how trees can save the world. read full entry