I met these folks today on the street in front of my office. They are trying to save 50 trees in Santa Monica from being ripped out.
Certain people (a few local store owners, from what I gathered) want to rip out perfectly good trees and plant new trees. It’s crazy!
Anyhow, these good folks were out on the street today, collecting names on petitions to fight the destruction of these trees.
The City of Santa Monica plans to destroy or remove over 50 of the beautiful, large-canopy Ficus trees along Second and Fourth Streets
The city wants them replaced with small Ginkgos that though beautiful, actually cast very little shade (most of it after 20 years’ growth). Why? The city claims some of them are too damaged or decayed to be saved. But the majority of these trees are being removed to make those streets more attractive to the shopping public. This weird logic flies in the face of research, surveys and studies showing that dense, large-canopy trees attract shoppers. They make the place nicer, better and healthier for everyone.
Many Santa Monica residents and visitors want to preserve these magnificent stands of large, shade-giving trees in the heart of our town. This site is intended as a clearinghouse for information, and a rallying point for community support. Call your council members! Tell them: Save Our Trees!
Interestingly, one of the main people involved in this is Chris Paine, director of Who Killed the Electric Car?
Chris is also my former boss. Interestingly, my other former boss, at two different companies, Richard Titus, was the producer of that film.
Who Killed the Electric Car? is one of my favorite films of all time. If you haven’t seen it, do so immediately.
I think it’s awesome that they are fighting to save these trees. There is always something we can do to better our own neighborhood. Something small or something big.
And if we can’t think of something we can do — we can support someone else in doing something.
I want to thank you guys, Jerry and Carol and Chris and everyone else — for doing what you can to keep these trees alive.
Here’s your chance to do something good. Go and support them! Sign the petition or donate some cash:
http://treesavers.blogspot.com/
Or blog about them! Spread the word!
PS: This photo was taken with an iPhone. Not bad, eh?
One of the first films I edited was a film about Jerry Rubin (on the right). No kidding. He is the most amazing local activist I’ve ever encountered!
That is incredible! What a small world, huh?
See, this is why I love blogging.