Re: “City Hall must take action on protecting Seattle’s trees” [Jan. 14, Opinion]:
Trees are our connection to nature and of much more value to our city than is recognized. They are the only elements in our city that actually address the emergence of global warming right now. They absorb carbon in the air and hold it. This puts them in the front line of combating climate change. They also give shade to relieve the hot days ahead.
Currently, our construction codes favor clear-cutting trees for new construction. Trees have too much value to squander them at the high rate of residential growth. Liberalized zoning should be partnered with preservation of existing trees, and if not actually saving them, putting a price on them so they can be replaced.
Let’s push forward the long delayed ordinance to bring tree preservation to a level that reflects our environmental values and our responsibilities as citizens of Plant Earth to do whatever is called for to reduce global heating.
John F. Barber, Seattle