The history behind Valentine’s Day may be a little more tragic than you expect. The most common version of the story goes back to third-century Rome, where the Emperor had banned the marriage of young men, believing that single ones made better soldiers. Valentine was a priest who continued to perform marriages despite the law. Once discovered, he was imprisoned and ordered to death.
There Valentine fell in love with a woman - the jailer’s daughter no less - and before he died, left her one final love letter signed “- your Valentine.” Today, an estimated 150 million of these are exchanged. And at LEAF we're passionate about unconvering people's connection with their trees. So taking note from the kids and in the spirit of what February 14th has come to represent, here is my own ode to a favourite arbor...
You keep me healthy
filtering air pollutants, storing carbon dioxide in your branches and roots, and providing oxygen for me to breath. Your brothers and sisters intercept 1,430 metric tonnes (that’s over 3 million pounds!) of air pollutants from my city each year.
You protect me
sheltering me from strong winds and snow when it's cold, and shading, cooling and shielding me from harmful UV rays when it's hot.
You provide homes for cute animals
welcoming biodiversity in the city with your strong branches, delicious fruits and leaves.
You're a superhero
making people more connected and calm, standing tall and even fighting crime.
You're beautiful
breathtaking when the snow and ice adorn your branches. And whatever the season, along with the 116 different species of your brothers and sisters, softening the harsh cityscapes and beautifying my city.
Oh Tree, more often than not I may take you for granted, but for these reasons know that I appreciate your love and love you too!
xoxo
So do you have a tree valentine? Share it with us! While it's unlikely that you’ll be struck by cupid’s arrow while passing a tree, they deserve our love. And if not a letter, at the very least give them some TLC. Admire, appreciate and show yours how much you care – after all, the love you get in return is unconditional!