As I reported previously, Alsace in France planted a half million trees last year. This is in a rainy part of the world that already has lots of trees. But its residents welcome even more trees, to create shady spots of cool microclimate during the summer, and to remove pollutants from the air. And Alsatians are quite open about their reasons for wanting more trees.
This is in stark contrast to the lone vandal who has recently cruised around Los Angeles on a bicycle and cut down urban trees. One can only speculate on why he did these destructive acts. Who was his enemy? Did he resent the local government for doing something that, he thought, did not directly benefit him? Does he hate Nature and Nature’s God? Does he hate the poor, dark people who live in urban Los Angeles?
Urban trees, on a tree-by-tree basis, have more impact on the world than do trees in a forest, because urban areas (in Los Angeles, or Alsace, or anywhere else) are often devoid of trees. Each tree absorbs pollution, and transpires water vapor which creates little islands of coolness (what the French call îlots de fraîcheur). In a concrete jungle of buzzing air conditioners, urban trees might be the only positive points on the landscape.
More generally, the French value long-term investments in the quality of life as being worthwhile, but many Americans are cynical about a future that contains poor people whom they do not like.
Among the investments in the quality of life in France are days of complete vacation. I am writing this on May Day, which is the French Labor Day. On American holidays, lots of stores remain open. But the French are serious about their holidays (journées feriées). On this particular holiday, even the trams do not run. This is in addition to the fact that most French businesses close on Sunday. May Day is a day for protests in favor of further social improvements, and for spending time with family.
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