Green Daily

You're not stupid. You're aware that trees are good for the planet, as they purify the air. So, theoretically, it should come as no surprise that, if you live near trees, you're less likely to have breathing problems. Yet, somehow this seemingly direct and immediate correlation (announced in a new study released on Thursday), isn't as obvious as it might at first appear.

To be exact, Columbia University researchers found that, for every 343 trees per square kilometer, there was a 25% drop in asthma cases among four and five-year-old children. Simply put, those who lived on tree-lined streets were less likely to develop breathing problems. Not a shocker.

But not so fast. Scientists aren't positive that the improved respiratory health is due entirely to the trees' cleansing of local air. There's a host of other variables that could be affecting the finds. For instance, some believe that if you don't play outside enough as a child, your body doesn't get practice fighting infections, and you'll be more likely develop asthma -- so, assuming tree-lined streets encourage kids to play outside, their presence would indirectly affect a child's likelihood of developing a breathing condition.

Regardless, the point is: trees are good. And with that in mind, let's try to keep as many around as possible.