To some, the notion of planting trees may seem like a touching but very small gesture when it comes to the environment, especially when climate change has much of humankind concerned about the future of the planet.
Au contraire.
SSM Health leaders know that planting trees benefits people here and now, as well as future generations. In the last five years, we have planted 13,000 trees throughout our regions. This is an ongoing endeavor and we will be planting an additional 90 trees (50 in St. Louis & 40 in Oklahoma City) later this fall.
“From a sustainability perspective, planting trees helps to enable better air quality and to improve groundwater filtration,” says Reuben Hamilton, SSM Health manager for supplier diversity/sustainability and social responsibility.
Last month, a $15 million University of Louisville study called Green Heart Louisville was released. It tracked about 700 city residents in an area where 8,000 trees and shrubs were planted. Residents in this area had 13 to 20 percent lower levels of a blood marker tied to inflammation, which is a risk factor for heart issues, cancer, and diabetes.
According to Forest ReLeaf of Missouri, SSM Health’s partner in tree planting, there are numerous other ways that trees and nature are closely tied to health:
- A full covering of trees can lower air temperatures up to 15 degrees and prevent heat exhaustion
- Spending 20 minutes in nature can reduce a person’s blood pressure
- People who live in areas with more green space are known to have lower levels of cortisol, the stress hormone
- Forests supply compounds that are key ingredients in a quarter of all medicines
- Finally, leaves absorb more than half of the particulate matter known to cause respiratory issues
“Working on sustainability issues ties back to our Franciscan heritage and is more closely aligned with good health than people think,” Hamilton said. “We’re proud to partner on initiatives that encourage the preservation of the earth.”
