Andrea Křivánková – 19. 4. 2020 Share

Trees help cities save millions

They capture rainwater, cool down and clean the air, and provide shade. Trees have a positive effect on our health, and they also save a lot of money. Statistics were calculated by scientists from England and the United States.

A report from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) wrote that London had saved more than £ 5 billion on cooling between 2014 and 2018 due to mature trees. Besides, the productivity of outdoor workers has not reduced due to their shadow. The scientists estimated that the savings would be worth £ 11 billion.

A team of scientists led by Dr. David Nowak from the US Department of Agriculture investigated where trees can save money in ten world cities. They calculated that every square mile of greenery would save the city about $ 0.93 million in health care costs due to air pollution, $ 20,000 in rainwater harvesting, and $ 478,000 in energy savings for heating and cooling.

More from London on the CityLab website.

More from US on the i-Tree website, and on the United States Department of Agriculture website.