by Ann Marie Dwyer

Created on: March 24, 2007   Last Updated: October 22, 2008

Air pollution destroys the atmosphere which protects the Earth. Trees "eat" pollution by taking the carbon dioxide out of the air, and then they "exhale" oxygen. Planting a tree can help prevent pollution as well.

What is atmosphere, and why is it important?

The atmosphere is composed of mostly nitrogen and oxygen. It acts like a security blanket around the Earth. The ratio of nitrogen to oxygen is the tightly woven fabric of the blanket.

The atmosphere traps radiant warmth from the sun's rays. It keeps the temperature of the planet stable and warm enough to support plant and animal life, yet cool enough to maintain water in the oceans.

How is the atmosphere damaged?

Many everyday activities produce air emissions: pollution. Even human breathing produces pollutants. Humans exhale carbon dioxide, after taking oxygen from the air. These pollutants damage the atmosphere.

Energy consumption, the burning of fuels such as coal, gasoline and diesel, removes oxygen to burn and replaces it with pollutants which collect beneath the atmosphere. The effect of this pollution is adding another blanket to the Earth. It increases the planet temperature and destroying the delicate nitrogen to oxygen balance.

Use of electricity causes air emissions which strip away portions of the atmosphere, essentially tearing holes the security blanket.

Why is planting trees great for the atmosphere?

By removing the carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, trees remove the extra layers in the atmosphere which threaten Earth's temperature. By replacing the carbon dioxide with oxygen, trees restore the nitrogen to oxygen balance and ensure enough oxygen for animal breathing.

Where should trees be planted?

Trees planted along the Interstate highways help absorb the pollution of the traffic, but they help the atmosphere another way as well. Trees need to have their roots protected. The ring of mulch around the trees reduces the amount of grass that needs to be cut. Less fuel burned and less pollution result from less area being mowed with tractors, whose exhaust systems are not regulated for emissions.

Sidewalk trees are planted to beautify streets, but they are doing triple duty. They reduce the need to run pollution coughing lawn mowers and the pollution caused by the trucks which transport them. Add to that, sidewalk trees pull cigarette pollution out of the air from the sidewalk denizens.

Landscaping a yard with small trees and shrubs trims yard size. Trees make great shade for your home, reducing the need for cooling. Less energy used equals less air pollution produced.

Manufacturing and transporting fertilizer uses many forms of energy and produces many different air emissions and pollutants. Recycling the leaves which fall from trees in autumn into mulch makes the landscaped and native shrubs healthier. Healthy, flowering plants "eat" more pollution and "exhale" more oxygen.

Planting plots of trees helps regulate not only the amount of oxygen produced in an area, but also the wind pattern. By creating a large area to vacuum carbon dioxide and making a wind block, wind patterns change to accommodate the new obstacle and distribute the gases of the atmosphere equally.

Changing wind patterns can ease weather conditions, such as drought, or promote different weather conditions, like rain, which require nearly exact chemical balance to exist.

Planting trees is great for the atmosphere not only because they reduce existing pollution, but also because they prevent pollution.

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