Some people say it is more important to plant trees in towns and cities than to build housing. Do you agree or disagree?

I completely agree with the statement that it is more meaningful to plant trees in the open urban areas, rather than building more houses. Trees not only provide environmental benefits, but

also

provide numerous social and economic benefits.

This

essay intends to discuss my opinion and these benefits. Admittedly, housing is needed to meet the demands of the burgeoning population, but we can go for high-rise buildings and leave the open spaces for planting more and more trees.

To begin

with, the environmental benefits of trees, these help purify the polluted air in the cities and towns. Research has proven that 100 trees can remove tonnes of carbon dioxide annually. Trees are

also

known to create a buffer, which cuts down

everyday noise

Suggestion

the everyday noise

of cities,

thus

tackling noise pollution

also

. To add to it, the water is

also

managed better, if there are more trees in a city. The rainwater doesn’t run off into drains if there are trees in urban areas. It

is filtered

Suggestion

filters

into the ground,

thus

saving the city money

that is

spent on drains and artificial controls. Providing a natural habitat to birds and animals is another advantage. To add to it, trees

also

help save energy consumption. If planted in the right place, urban forests provide shade to homes, roads, office areas and parking spaces. Cooler homes and offices means, lesser air conditioning is needed,

thus

reducing the energy consumption. In parking lots too, trees help keep cars cooler, which leads to less pollution. Planting trees in cities helps the city grow socially and economically as well. They provide an area where people can meet, socialize and

also

exercise. Children

also

get a close to nature place, where they can play. The commercial value of an urban property with trees, is more than one without trees. Retail outlets and businesses located in areas with trees, attract more customers. To sum it up, we need houses in cities to live in, but to strengthen and improve the quality of the life in overcrowded cities we need trees. They play a vital role in combating climate change and provide numerous economic and social benefits.