Social and economic inequality still runs rampant in many American cities in the U.S today. Predominantly white areas of cities have the luxury of nice recreational parks, vegetation, and other amenities that minority groups, such communities of color, don’t benefit from as often. Black and Brown residents usually get the short end of the stick in that department.
What We Know:
- According to a report from the New York Times, officials in Denver, Colorado are working to better that historical inequity in what could prove to be a solid outline for many other cities to follow. The Mile High City is only one example for others around the country that is launching this noble attempt to bring greater unity and equality.
- Funding for the project was made possible by an environmental tax which boosted the city’s budget up tens of millions of dollars. The initiative plans on purchasing land for new parks, repairing playgrounds, constructing new recreation centers, and planting new trees where it’s deemed fit.
- They hope to correct decades of uneven planning by the city and do their part to help fight climate change. By adding vast amounts of new green space, researchers concluded it can significantly help residents cope with rising heat and brings all sorts of other benefits. Some of those benefits would be filtering air pollution and increasing resident’s mental health.
“Trees are a lifesaving device in cities, especially in a warming climate,” said Jad Daley, president of American Forests, a nonprofit conservation group. “It’s a moral imperative that every neighborhood has them.”
- There have been instances where similar attempts in other cities have faced opposition in the past. The expansion of green space usually meets resistance from low-income neighborhoods. The common mentality for these residents is that they worry they’ll get stuck being the ones having to deal with the costs of maintaining the trees or desire city officials to redirect their attention to matters that are of greater importance.
- Detroit, Michigan had a solid tree-planting initiative in 2014 but was unfortunately rejected by a majority of the residents consulted, due to the fact they weren’t made aware of the project beforehand. Later in 2017, another initiative rose named “10,000 UP” and was put into effect. It planned on planting approximately ten thousand trees, hence the name, for three years since the start of the plan and has seen some positive results.
The reincarnation of that project proved that interest in projects like these existed, given proper planning. So it’s not hard to see why residents of Denver are slowly showing similar signs of optimism for the future. Since the environmental tax did eventually raise millions for funding, experts say the city’s equity focus is a substantial move in the right direction and a great example for all.
