EcoSuperior Environmental Programs

The Simple Act Of Planting A Tree: Healing Your Neighborhood, Your City, And Your World

By: Andy & Katie Lipkis

What can you do to literally, physically, and dramatically change the face of the earth for the better - right from where you are?  You can be one of the creators and keepers of a fresh new generation of urban forests with the help of this uncommonly pragmatic and inspiring manual.  More than a primer on planting trees, The Simple Act of Planting a Tree is a guide to sharing a dream, galvanizing a community, and getting a job done.  Condo dwellers, landed homeowners, and frustrated urbanites alike will discover the power they have to change the global environmental picture, starting on their patio, in their backyard, on their block -- anyplace where a tree would enhance the landscape.

How do you pick a location?  How do you choose the right tree?  How do you rally neighbors and local businesses?  Where dos the money come from?  How do you take care of planted trees and for how long?  Can your cool little tree canopy really help?  All these questions and hundreds more are answered in simple, pracctical language, framed to stimulate the creative process and build your courage and vision.

Packed with inspiring quotes and useful references, crammed with heroic stories of others' success, full of hints to get you through the tough times, and with space for your own plans and checklists, this book in dedicated hands can make a world of difference for a better world.

TreePeople, a twenty-year-old Los Angeles organization whose accomplishments have been heralded by the national print and broadcast media, was started by Andy Lipkis, a fifteen year old with no money and no contacts, but who had a big dream and a lot of persistence.  Headed by Andy and his partner, Katie, TreePeople offers models for individuals and groups everywhere whose wish is to heal urban communities and become stewards of the environment.