Growing up in Colorado, my favorite time of year was always fall. Besides being able to bundle up, drink hot cider, and enjoy the crisp weather, the thing I looked most forward to was seeing the trees change colors. And I’m not just talking about your basic Crayola reds and yellows, but brilliant shades of crimson, burnt orange and gold. While fall in Los Angeles is not quite as grand, I’ve found a springtime experience here that rivals the beauty of those Colorado autumns: the Jacaranda trees. These trees look pretty inconspicuous for most of the year, but in late spring, they burst forth with beautiful purple blossoms. Scattered petals blanket the ground like purple snow. It’s truly breathtaking, and I look for every opportunity to be outside when they are in bloom.

If you haven’t guessed, I’ve always loved and felt deeply inspired by trees. And now that we’re talking about the environment and climate change, the topic of trees must be central to the conversation. Here’s why:

• Trees Combat The Greenhouse Effect - In one year, an acre of mature trees absorbs the amount of CO2 produced when you drive your car 26,000 miles.
• Trees Produce Oxygen - In one year, an acre of mature trees can provide enough oxygen for 8 people.
• Trees Clean the Air
• Trees Clean the Soil
• Trees Help Prevent Water Pollution
• Trees Conserve Energy and Save Water
For a more extensive list of reasons why trees make the world a better place, visit here and here.

Being a bit of a tree person myself, I was excited to hear that there is a whole organization of TreePeople in Los Angeles, who are working to support communities to plant and care for trees, restore pollution-damaged mountains, educate kids and adults about the environment, and address critical water issues.

To find out more about this incredible organization and how to get involved, I went to TreePeople’s Coldwater Canyon Park headquarters to interview a couple of its staff members. You can see the a sneak peak of my interview here. The full interview is coming soon!

In the meantime, if you’re looking for a great Father’s Day gift for dad, you can dedicate a tree or a whole grove of trees in his honor through TreePeople. This makes a great birthday, anniversary, wedding or anytime gift as well. Here is more information on how to dedicate a tree.

You can also give the gift of a tree by using the Arbor Day Foundation’s Tree Planter application on Facebook, which lets you buy a virtual tree for $1 and watch it grow online over 4 weeks. With each purchase, the organization will also plant a real tree in a forest in need.

Learn more about the Arbor Day Foundation’s mission to inspire people to plant, nurture and celebrate trees and you can become a member for as little as $10. When you join, you will receive 10 free trees to plant in your yard or to be planted in a national forest on your behalf.