This is one of my major gripes living in NYC - I see less and less plant life and open dirt patches. People buy homes and pave over every square inch. Trees are

This is one of my major gripes living in NYC - I see less and less plant life and open dirt patches. People buy homes and pave over every square inch. Trees are cut down and never replaced, you're lucky if the dirt patch it once occupied isn't paved over. Thankfully the city went around ripping up the sidewalks to put in rain gardens bringing life back to dead streets. Of course most of the schmucks with rain gardens just let them turn into trash basins. During the recent heat wave in NYC I was in my yard under an 80ft oak enjoying the shade in my yard. Neighbors were hiding in the AC as they have concrete gardens. My yard is filled with wildlife like bumble bees, birds, squirrels and possums live under my shed. The neighborhood cats also congregate in my yard. I love it. Then I walked down to the store and went past some homes who cut down their trees and paved everything and its a sweltering nightmare. Just have a look around 1940s.nyc and compare to google maps. You'll notice much greener yards and dirt around property.