A Modern-Day Johnny Appleseed in L.A.

The American Spirit: Brent Green Has Helped Transform his Neighborhood One Tree at a Time

(CBS)  Given his name, it makes sense that Brent Green's view of the world is a bit colorful.

"I kind of see the world in plants," said Brent. "It's an odd thing. It's just what I do."

It's always been that way for Green, CBS News Correspondent Ben Tracy reports. As a kid, when his parents gave him $5 Green didn't spend it on candy or toys, he bought plants. When his siblings followed their father into careers in law, Green heard the calling of the great outdoors. He became a landscaper.

"Always been my thing - plants and trees and greenery," he said.

But when he and his family bought their first house in Los Angeles six years ago, the color was in all the wrong places, as graffiti. And it wasn't exactly welcoming, with bars on the windows.

So he added some serious curb appeal to his house by adding plants and trees.

Brent Green's Web site

"People saw that and they said, 'Wow, I would like my home to look like that too,'" said neighbor Sylvia Rubalcava.

And so began Brent's Green revolution on Orange Drive. For 11 years now Green has been planting his age in trees.

"On my 30th birthday I wanted to give something back to the city of L.A.," said Green. "I mean I love this city -- I really do. So I planted 30 trees that year."

This year he'll plant 41 trees.

Some of his neighbors wanted to know what the catch was for getting a free tree. Green said, "some people were like what's in it for you? What's it gonna cost?"

Each tree is about $20. Brent has now paid for and planted more 420 trees in his part of the city. He's also helping transform his neighbor's yards - bushes are replacing bars on the windows. The street, now shaded, is beginning to bloom.

"It's not this baking sun asphalt jungle that it once was," Brent adds.

Yet, Brent planting all of those trees hasn't just made the neighborhood look better. It's changed the landscape in ways he never imagined.

His neighbors formed a block watch group and their efforts have branched out to include newly repainted fire hydrants, speed bumps to slow down traffic and increased police patrols.

"Being involved, meeting people," said neighbor Laura Franklin, "it can just transform the place where you live."

In fact, overall crime in the area is down nearly 30%.

It's made LAPD officer Erid Mollinedo's job easier. "The changes have been dramatic. It's a lot safer. You have kids walking up and down the streets instead of prostitutes strolling the streets now."

And it all started with one man. The older he gets - the more he gives back.

[CWandiga]

My memory doesn't go back as far as Johnny Appleseed but a friend and mentor introduced me to this book: Small is Beautiful - Economics as if People Mattered by E.F. Schumacher.

In this modern age we tend to assume everything we do is a new idea/hasn't been thought of before. We would benefit greatly by rummaging through the words and writings of those who have come before us.

As I excitedly watched the footage and saw the changes to the neighborhood and the neighbors, I thought, if Schumacher could see this now... Kirkpatrick Sale's words from the Preface to the 1989 Edition went ringing through my head:

"...this was 1977, mind and politics was badly in need of new ideas - and I was eager to ask him, when question time came, what strictly political advice he would have to give stemming from his economic and social insights. And so I did.
His reply: "I can't speak for others, but my own suggestion would be, to plant a tree."
Plant a tree? Plant a tree!? That's political advice?
...not until I had learned a great deal more about ecology, about the effects of deforestation, about the attitude toward nature that permitted the human species to have been so destructive of it, about life. I came to see that those three words contained profound and savvy advice, and it was acutely political in ways I had simply not realized. Trees are not simply important species, they are absolutely crucial species, probably the most vital things for the health and longevity of all oxygen-dependent life on earth....
What's more, planting a tree is something that anyone could do, and could do productively with friends and neighbors and community, each time inevitably learning the variety of nature and complexity of life. It was simple, cheap, small, and safe - and effective. And those, as I knew, also happened to be the cornerstones of intermediate technology, as expressed in Fritz's Small is Beautiful." (p. xvii-xix)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Small_Is_Beautiful

[JanMuser]

I seen the story on Mr. Green last evening, and I wanted to write something to him.....I hope you get a copy of these comments, or at least get a chance to read them Mr. Green. You are truly an inspiration for all human kind. What you are doing in your neighborhood is a perfect example of President Obama urging all Americans to get involved in their community. I wish you were a neighbor of mine! I wish you well, you are an AWESOME person!

[jd2408]

What a nice story. I wish there were many more Brent Greene's in this country. Great guy.

[pinkdeer2]

Wow! I am thoroughly impressed with this selfless man!!! I am a master gardener and have green running through my veins. He is planting a seed literally and figuratively!! If we all cared a little more and gave a little more this world would be a much nicer place! God Bless him!!!

[jazzisme]

One of the best examples of neighborhood involvement
I've seen in a long time. Awesome story!
This is the way you take care of neighborhood crime,
meeting neighbors and adding home value and greenspace
block by block. Interesting how one person comes up with
a wonderful solution when the city, county & government
CANNOT! What a great program to beautify ALL of our cities
'Please' can we start bailing out our neighborhoods & schools
and get back to the business of being whole & well communities!
Thank You Mr. Green!

[dbkann2]

Brent Green is a wonderful inspiration. My husband and I always say the cities need more trees to not just beautify but to help the enviroment as a whole. Every city in America should have to plant more trees, bushes and flowers. Way to go Brent Green!!!

[dbkann2]

Brent Green is a wonderful inspiration. My husband and I always say the cities need more trees to not just beautify but to help the enviroment as a whole. Every city in America should have to plant more trees, bushes and flowers. Way to go Brent Green!!!

[jan1022]

American Spirit - suggestion for a story: Recently Gainesville School in Texas played a football game against a Christian School. Gainesville School is a school for children who made mistkes/wrong decisions so usually there are no supporters at their games. The Christian School asked the parents and students to support the Gainesville football team at the game. Some of them sat on the Gainesvill side and cheered them on. It made an impact on these kids.