We are Julian Farber, Jules Pulaski, and Jack Wallace—students at the Emery/Weiner School in Houston—and we’ve witnessed firsthand the surge in carbon monoxide poisonings after events like Hurricane Beryl and the 2021 freeze. Neighbors from every corner of our city—families in our own community included—have suffered headaches, dizziness, and worse from this invisible threat, making this more than just a classroom topic for us.

Carbon monoxide is odorless, colorless, and deadly because it binds to hemoglobin, blocking oxygen from reaching our organs and tissues (U.S. EPA). In Houston, faulty furnaces, gas stoves, generators, and vehicle exhaust in attached garages all contribute to dangerous indoor and outdoor CO spikes—especially in lower-income neighborhoods that lack green space and clean-air buffers.

By planting 10,000 new trees across Greater Houston, we can start to pull CO out of our air. Trees act as natural filters—absorbing pollutants, including carbon monoxide, and releasing fresh oxygen (NASA Earthdata). A robust urban canopy also cools our streets, reduces energy costs, and unites neighbors around a shared goal.

Let’s stand up for Houston’s health and our future. Sign this petition and ask City Council to fund a plan for planting 10,000 new trees, with long-term care built in. It’s our city, our lungs, and our legacy on the line—let’s grow Houston greener, together.