Think New York City is crowded enough? The population is about to grow by a million - trees. If Mayor Bloomberg gets his way by 2017, you won't have to leave Manhattan to get your nature fix. As part of the New York's sustainability plan, the city will plant a million new trees in the next ten years to cool the temperature, remove air pollution and reduce ozone. Sounds impressive? This is only one of 127 environmental proposals for the Big Apple.

For the next decade, the city will plant trees along city streets, parks, public lots and "every single place where it is possible to plant a tree," according to Deputy Major Dan Doctoroff. But it's not just a matter of slapping a sapling into the dirt. Foresters will assess growing conditions and plant species best suited to the location. Meanwhile, private citizens are invited to dig in, too.

Combined with incentives to reduce traffic congestion, New York just might become one of the greenest cities in North America. At the very least, two green thumbs up to Michael for putting the bloom back in Bloomberg.

Charmian Christie,
Outdoor Adventure Expert