What do you see on our school grounds? You'll probably notice a big gray building, a black parking lot, a gray playground, and a small field with patches of grass. What don't you see? Trees. Planting trees would make our school look beautiful, but there are more important reasons why trees should be planted.

First, planting trees will clean the air around us. Trees do this naturally by getting rid of particles and gases that causes air pollution, such as carbon monoxide. Trees take in this particles and gases, called pollutants, and still only release oxygen.

Second, planting trees on school grounds will reduce heating and cooling costs. For example, trees can block cold winds, especially during the winter. They serve as "windbreakers" and help reduce the amount of indoor heating we need. In addition, on hot days, trees create shade when they're planted near windows. The more shade they make, the less air conditioning we have to use. In fact, scientists at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency stated that three shade can reduce a home's utility bill about $250 each year. Imagine how much a whole school would save.

Some people argue that planting trees is too expensive. They worry that it would be too costly to buy and maintain trees. However, the money we would spend on trees and maintenance is very little compared the money we'd save on utility bills.

Do you want to breathe cleaner air and save money for school? If so, join the Committee for a Cleaner School Environment. We're meeting during lunch on Wednesday in the library. Bring your lunch and any friends interested in improving our environment. We can make things better if we work together.