You're listening to Comedy Central. Trees they've been throwing shade for millions of years, mostly from the sun. Although you should hear what they said about your man. But chances are if you live in a low income neighborhood, trees are harder to find than an employee restroom at an Amazon fulfillment center. Why you asked, come on, you know the answer, Say it with me. Racism of US communities.
Low income neighborhoods have less tree coverage, and high income neighborhoods and parks serving low income households or four times smaller and four times more crowded. It sounds a lot like my first apartment in New York. My dishwasher was literally a dish washer. I could only clean them one at a time. And I know what you're thinking, school say, some people choose where they live. Isn't green space random? How do you keep your eyebrow for pomping? These are
all great questions, first of all, my mama. Second, the disparity and tree coverage isn't random. It's connected to a racist practice called red lining, which began in the nineteen thirties. Red Lining made it almost impossible for black people to get a home loan approved in white neighborhoods, which led to residential segregation and a wealth gap between black and
white families bigger than Little nonexis Baby Bump. And because poor black neighborhoods were born, black cities didn't want to waste resources on them, and that included trees and parks. That effect is self felt today in thirty seven cities around the country, formerly red line neighborhoods have about half as many trees on average as the highest rated, predominantly white neighborhood. Basically the only trees that somehood had. We'll
get you two to ten years. And you might be thinking, so what poor minority neighborhoods don't have as many trees? What's the worst that could happen? Y'all don't have enough housing for keyboils. But actually it may is a big difference in a lot of ways. For one thing, a lack of trees leads to heat, and lots of it. Studies have found that almost all of the formerly red line neighborhoods are harder than the ones that weren't. Some by like thirteen degrees. Now thirteen degrees may not seem
like a lot. But that's two totally different lifestyles. At eighty degrees, you're enjoying the pool. At ninety three degrees, you are a pool. Sparse tree covered disproportionately affects communities of color and translates into higher rates of respiratory illness, including childhood asthma, hospitalizations, and even debts. This is such a crisis. I wouldn't even mind getting more stuff in
the hood that used to be trees. I mean, let's sex and loosely paper on the corner and see if their hills and while communities of color are the most impacted by all this, adding more trees and parts would benefit everyone because trees might not look like big gas air filters, but that's exactly what they are and what they do. Just think of a ark is being full of dice and air purifiers. Not to mention that grain space has helped regulate floodwaters and even reduce crime. Because
it's pretty hard to be in a gang. Will you have a bunch of parts nearby? How are you gonna be tough during the fall? Like amen, I want to pick up that nine, but the leaves are changing. It's so pretty, yo, let's go pick some apples. So the next time you see a bacon lot or empty plot of land in your city, ask yourself, why isn't there a part there? There are yet, ask your local officials. Because we need more trees in urban spaces, starting with my apartment. I'm gonna get one one way or another,
because that dice is too expensive. Watch The Daily Show weeknights Central on Comedy Central and stream full episodes anytime on Paramount Plus. This has been a Comedy Central podcast