I love trees for so many reasons. Food, wood, their work as climate stewards, and right now SHADE. But trees can get in the way of progress - unless you are willing to consider unconventional - more sustainable - solutions.
A bank needed to build a cover over their drive through window. Wouldn't want our money to get wet - or sunscorched. But there was a tree in the way. Cutting down the tree was certainly an option - but so was cutting a hole in the drive through window cover - and that's what the bank did. Their solution was not the cheapest way to go, but it was the best - certainly for the tree.
Likely only a few listeners are planning to build drive through window covers that impact trees for their banks soon. If you are, check out the pictures here to get some ideas.
But for the rest of us, let this creative solution be inspiration for our next tree impacting project. Could trimming be an alternative to removal? Could the need for removal be eliminated by changing the project - or is the project really even necessary?
You can even use the tree as a metaphor for other "needs." Could the dent in the car door just stay? There will likely be another soon anyway. Could the cracks in the driveway be patched rather than replacing the whole thing? Or could you use permeable pavement as an alternative replacement material?
For those of you who haven't finished your coffee, I'll stop being metaphoric. Is there a better way to do your project that will impact the world less, and likely be less expensive and resource intensive at the same time?
Consider that alternate path before another tree pays the price for progress.
I'm John Fischer with Living Less Unsustainably.