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July 10, 2024
Editor, The News-Gazette: Many have heard of “Just So” stories, how about the “What If” stories? This is a “What If” story. I hope there are some other dreamers out here in our community who might share some of theirs, too.
Is it just me, or does everyone drive into the big parking lots in our town (Walmart lot, the Y/ Tractor Supply lot, Food Lion/ Ollie’s lot) and immediately look for the shady spots to park? If you’re like me, you know they are hard to find. There may be one or two, or maybe a few.
What if we jack-hammered up strips of concrete and planted rows of trees between all the parking aisles? Just think of the benefits!
The temperature of the parking lot would decrease by a few degrees because of the transpiration of the trees which naturally cool the air (and help generate the rain cycle), and people would have the shelter of the trees to shade them from the blazing hot sun.
What if we took it a step further and made sure we planted native trees? Native trees would provide more habitat to our more than human friends (such as the insects who feed the birds and bring their own share of delight to the naturalist’s eye). Who doesn’t love to be serenaded by the sweet songs of the song birds?
I don’t know about you, but I’m grateful for the woods on these extraordinarily hot summer days.
In fact, I seek out the forest to take refuge from the heat. What if we transformed our concrete city hot spots and neutralized them a bit by greening them and making shade for us all? What a perfect way to reduce eco-anxiety by making a local change that helps our environment which consequently helps us. What if?
CAROLINE COONS Lexington
