Monday, October 20, 2014

Perfect Gifts For Tree Huggers

By Patty Goff


'Tree-huggers' are proud of this label. They promote the natural balance of the planet, and nothing is more important to this goal than trees. Gifts for tree huggers can therefore be anything that celebrates the planet, nature, and any one of more than 10,000 species of tree. There are also specialized items with the Hugger theme.

Trees benefit the planet. They produce oxygen for people and animals to breathe. In the process, they also clean the air of man-made or natural pollutants, like smog, smoke, dust, and volcanic ash. Their photosynthesis cycle, which uses water and sunlight, absorbs carbon dioxide and puts moisture into the air. Scientists report that life on earth is dependent on this process of all green plants.

Trees clean the soil by removing toxins and trapping them in their wood. They build soil as they drop their leaves or needles and bring important minerals up from the sub-soil. They stabilize the soil with their roots and prevent erosion from carrying away precious topsoil. In doing so, they keep our lakes, streams, and rivers free of silt.

Trees are very beneficial in saving energy. A windbreak planted behind houses or along fence lines can keep soil from drying out and blowing away, keep snow from drifting to block roads or other access, and keep winter winds from making it harder to heat a home. A large canopy, like a maple or oak, will cast shade which can cut air conditioning cost by as much as 30 percent. Trees add value to property for these reasons and because they are a beautiful part of the landscape.

A single large trunk, branch, and root complex will trap hundreds of gallons of water and release it slowly into the ground. This allows rainwater to penetrate deep into aquifers underground, which feed wells and keep rivers and lakes full. Paved surfaces and bare ground send water into storm drains or directly into natural run-off instead of replenishing important stores of ground water.

Every one of these large plants feeds and/or houses wildlife, like birds, mammals, reptiles, and insects. This means that a gift for a tree-lover can be almost anything from nature's huge variety. An appropriate T-shirt could feature a majestic spreading chestnut of yore or a perky squirrel just like the one in the front-yard maple.

T-shirts, hats, windbreakers, sweatshirts, and garden aprons are decorated with trees or their many associates. Garden sculptures, like the Green Man, depict woodland sprites and spirits that man has always imagined inhabiting woodlands. Designs range from a stylized Tree of Life to scenes of forested lakeshore or mountainside. Brilliant fall leaves, even more colorful butterflies, tree-frogs, and delicate spiderwebs decorate coffee mugs, mouse pads, screen savers, yard flags, and calendars. Paintings and photographs of natural scenes make thoughtful and appreciated gifts.

There are also live trees to plant for friends or relatives, or donations to organizations like Save the Rainforest or Arbor Day. Ornaments for home or Christmas trees are other ways to acknowledge the passion someone has for the gentle giants of the plant kingdom. Go online to find the perfect item.




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