About me:
My full name is Nguyen Quoc Huy Anh but I prefer to be called by Alex. To have an opportunity to be a part of this program has been one of my greatest accomplishments to date. For as long as I can remember, I had been advised to not follow art because art is considered unsustainable when it comes to seeking a sustainable career. However, since art has been the only thing that I am good at, I had decided to apply to various art/design schools around the world and Capilano was one of the universities I had been accepted to. Hence, I choose Capilano because I believe that with an effective compact studying system, this is where I could unlock all of my artistic potentials. Capilano is the beginning of my journey, yet it wouldn’t be its finish. The path I have picked probably won’t be the fastest way to success, yet it is without a doubt the proudest path in my life.
Summary of “The Importance of Urban Forests”
I wrote this summary as a small assignment for English 100 on an article about the benefits of having trees in urban areas.
Amy Fleming’s article “The Importance of Urban Forests: why money really does grow on trees” (2016) suggests that the people who are responsible for the development of urban areas should take a closer look at the values of growing more trees. Trees can help improve air quality, prevent water flooding, and save energy. A report from the New York City Park Department states it only costs $22m annually to maintain parks while the benefit of trees could save “up to $120m a year” (qtd. Fleming 3). Fleming’s point is that the benefits come from parks that are worth more than the maintenance cost. On the other hand, Fleming also lists out different ways that urban forests could influence the quality of life. For example, Geoffrey Donovan, a member of the US Forest Service, says that “the impact of trees on birth outcomes and found that mothers with more trees within 50m of their homes are less likely to have underweight babies” (qtd. in Fleming 5). Donovan is saying that trees can help reduce the general anxiety level of urban residents and reduce unwanted health problems. Overall, we need to settle on a choice whether we wish to preserve these values since it requires some investment to create a green environment because trees don’t grow overnight.