By Elizabeth Barker
Smog can wreak havoc on your heart and lungs, but trees might help keep you healthy. In a recent study from the journal Environmental Pollution, researchers found that pollution-sucking trees and urban forests are saving an average of one life each year in major cities across the country.
Past research shows that chronic exposure to fine particulate matter (a mixture of chemicals, dust particles and other air-polluting elements) can lead to hardening of the arteries, inflammation of the lungs and other major health problems. For the new study, researchers calculated the amount of particulate matter cleared away by trees in 10 U.S. cities (including Los Angeles), as well as the decreased pollution’s impact on human health. Results ranged from one person per 365,000 people in Atlanta to one person per 1.35 million people in San Francisco. In New York City, meanwhile, trees appear to save an average of eight lives every year.
According to the U.S. Forest Service, more than 80 percent of Americans live in urban areas boasting more than 100 million acres of trees and forests. “Trees can make cities healthier,” notes study author and U.S. Forest Service researcher David Nowak. “While we need more research to generate better estimates, this study suggests that trees are an effective tool in reducing air pollution and creating healthier urban environments.”
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