I am writing to express my support with Carol Ebner’s letter “Orion Twp., village need to stop over-developing” published in the Aug. 31 issue of The Lake Orion Review.
I fully agree with Ms. Ebner’s analysis regarding how over-development is largely responsible for frequent excessive heat episodes and with her exhortation to “increase our forests, grasslands and meadows”, and wish to put forward a humble proposal in this sense.
My suggestion is that the village/township pass an ordinance mandating the planting of one shade tree in proximity of each parking spot for facilities over a given size –say, 10 vehicles.
The benefits for this modest investment would be multiple and synergistic, as the added trees would:
· Keep parking lots in shade thus reducing the excessive-heating effect;
· Help cleanse the air;
· Generate a habitat for multiple species of animals (birds, insects, small mammals…);
· Allow for cars to be parked in the shade in the summer, therefore reducing the need for a/c
· Over-usage and the related fuel consumption;
· (Last but not least) Beautify the environment.
I think that such a simple but powerful action will gain notoriety for Lake Orion on a state and perhaps national level and put our beautiful town on the forefront of the fight against climate change, without negating the developments which were recently proposed and debated.
Think globally, act locally.
Enrico Fin
Lake Orion