Shade Trees Save Energy | Green Energy News

August 6, 2006 – Vol.11 No.20

SHADE TREES SAVE ENERGY.

This editor has saved considerable energy this summer by keeping window blinds shut. All summer I’ve prevented sunlight from heating up the walls, the floor and the furnishings to prevent them from radiating heat into my home and into me.

But my home is solid masonry, 50 years old, and has no insulation to speak of in its outside walls. It’s built like a pizza oven. And with no trees for shade, the hot sun of summer bakes the outside and the heat eventually finds its way in.

According a study by the US Department of Agriculture Forest Service Pacific Southwest Research Station, Center for Urban Forest Research, 50 million new trees planted in California would, in 15 years, prevent seven 100-megawatt plants (or one 700 megawatt powerplant) from being built.

(At a few dollars per sapling the trees may be a bargain too compared to the powerplants.)

Fifteen years would be needed for the trees to grow tall enough to provide ample shade. The trees would need to be planted in strategic locations next to homes - two trees on the west side, one on the east. (The south side wouldn’t be necessary in California since the Sun is too high in the sky at midday for trees to shelter the house.)

Even though the study looks well into the future, presumably savings from shade trees would begin sooner well before the trees grew tall.

The trees would also help clean the air, hold soil in place and add to property values.

I should have planted here the day I moved in 14 years ago.

For the report click http://www.fs.fed.us/psw/programs/cufr/products/3/cufr_148.pdf