Trees reduce your carbon footprint

Spring is here and the trees have blossomed! In addition to being beautiful, trees can lower your carbon footprint – a single tree will absorb one ton of carbon dioxide in its lifetime. Besides the absorption of carbon dioxide, trees can lower your emissions in other ways too. Shade from trees can reduce air conditioning needs, lowering utility bills up to 50 percent in the warm months! Trees can also shield against wind and snow, reducing your home’s heating costs up to 30 percent. Check out the DNR’s State Nursery Program and get tips on how to plant native trees in your yard.

Don’t have a yard in which to plant trees? Not a problem! You can support the WDNR Wisconsin Forests for the Future Fund, a program which plants trees in Wisconsin State Forests. To find out more information and how to donate to this program please contact the Division of Forestry at 608-261-0754. You can also donate money for trees directly to the City of Madison Parks Division or you can get your hands dirty and participate in the People for Parks program.

Remodeling can be a great time to use recycled and alternative building materials. Check out these Mpowered Business who will discuss materials other than new lumber to remodel your home with: TZ of Madison and TDS Custom Construction.

Mpower Partner Close-up: The Nelson Institute

The Nelson Institute is a world class environmental studies program here at the UW –Madison. The Nelson Institute focuses on understanding the relationships between people and the planet, and on seeking solutions to environmental problems at all scales.

On April 16th they hosted the Second Annual Nelson Institute Earth Day Conference at the Monona Terrace. Scientists, urban planners, transportation experts, public health advocates and educators were among the 400 present. You can view the presenters and their Power Points online. All the presentations were exciting and interesting. Don’t miss the keynote speech: Scientific Uncertainty and Climate Change Risks by Jay Gulledge, Senior Scientist and Program Manager for Science and Impacts, Pew Center on Global Climate Change.