Imperial Irrigation District Encourages Planting Trees in the Desert

Imperial Irrigation District is now starting a program similar to the one here in Riverside in which homeowners can get reimbursed $25 per tree planted around their homes. This is a great way to lower air conditioning bills as deciduous trees can greatly reduce the amount of sun beating down on roofs and patios during the hottest months.

We've planted a number of trees around our house and have benefited greatly from their shade. Our family room went from impossible to cool enough to being the most pleasant room in the house all summer long. Our only regret is that we seem to have run out of sunny areas on our roof for the number of solar panels we want. So you may want to put up solar panels before you plant, and then just shade the remaining areas of your roof. Of course, if you're out in the desert and have enough land, you could also put panels in your yard. On the other hand, if you're on a budget, trees are much cheaper than solar panels, which are a big investment and, depending on your power company, may not get you much of a rebate.

You can read a Press Enterprise article about the new program by clicking on the link below:

Planting Trees in the Desert