East Lexington is fortunate to have saved precious woodlands and farm properties as part of the Wes Farm Conservation Property, Liberty Heights Conservation Property, Daisy Wilson Farm, the Sutherland Woods Conservation Property, access to Great Meadows (now owned by Arlington) and the Minuteman Bike Path. The Beautification Committee of the East Lexington Community Association has worked on several efforts, including the barrels of flowers along parts of Mass. Avenue, to soften the truck route central corridor of East Lexington. Individuals around town also have planted new trees in their yards as a way to renew the forests we have lost.

But we also face a climate crisis larger than we have known before. With polar ice caps melting and forest fires raging we cannot look away.

Climate scientists recommend switching from fossil fuels to alternative energy sources, which lays out a challenging path ahead.

As many governmental and community groups think about what they can do about climate change, planting trees has come up as a possible way to reduce carbon.

Environmental activist Judith Holt writes that:

"The average tree absorbs 48 pounds of carbon dioxide per year. Half the dry weight of a tree is the carbon left behind after the photosynthesis process.

The average carbon footprint of a U.S. citizen is 15.5 US tons, or 31,000 pounds per year. It takes over 600 trees to absorb enough carbon dioxide per person per year to zero out the oxygen/carbon dioxide equation.

Trees are a precious natural engine that we need for our survival."