$10 Donation to Help Plant Trees

The Issue: Limited Tree-Canopy Coverage in Tucson

According to a report from the University of Arizona, Tucson has a maximum tree-canopy coverage of 11%–12%, well below American Forests’ recommendation of 25% coverage for the Southwest. Shade trees can help save money on energy bills and, when introduced to a desert climate, mitigate the effects of an urban heat island, in which cities are hotter than the surrounding areas. With ample shade from nearby trees, people can also participate in more outdoor physical activity without risking overexposure to the sun and heat.

The Campaign: Planting Shade Trees at Local Schools

If this Grassroots campaign raises $400, then Tucson Clean & Beautiful, Inc. can plant 10 desert-adapted shade trees at one local school as part of its Trees for Tucson program. Each additional $40 raised will plant a tree at another local school. By planting trees at participating schools, Trees for Tucson aims to beautify and shade schoolyards, therefore helping to save money on utility bills, expand local wildlife habitats, and make it safer for children to play outside in the heat.

Tucson Clean & Beautiful, Inc./Trees for Tucson

Tucson Clean & Beautiful, Inc. aims to preserve the natural environment and enhance the quality of life in the region through a variety of programs, including Trees for Tucson. The organization coordinates adopt-a-park activities and park cleanups, runs educational programs on recycling, and maintains a reduce-reuse-recycle directory, which lists options for recycling different materials and reducing waste in the area with the help of community members. The Trees for Tucson program plants desert-adapted shade trees at individual residences and schools to create shade and reduce reliance on electricity for air conditioning.

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