Less concrete, more greenery needed at Lake Stevens Costco

Published 1:30 am Wednesday, August 18, 2021

I was sad to hear about the trees felled to make room for Costco (“Lake Stevens neighbors mourn 1,000s of trees at Costco site,” The Herald, Aug. 12). In the old orange groves of Los Angeles, the temperatures were about 6 degrees cooler before it was built up, from what I have heard. The loss of the trees in Lake Stevens will result in higher temperatures there.

I wish that Costco would consider building some eco-friendly parking spaces by planting potentially large conifers, surrounding them with grass block pavers and scattering them throughout the parking lot, especially the edges. The grass block pavers would keep insurance down and trees happy and reduce the cost of the parking lot, ensuring better drainage, and giving the eco-conscious a bit of shade and knowledge that they are doing something for the environment. If red cedar or other evergreens were planted, there would be enough greenery to catch almost all of the bird droppings before it affected shoppers. Deciduous trees are terrible.

Trees planted young with room to grow will be able to withstand the wind. Planting greenery on the roof near the cooling system intake may help freezers and refrigerators to operate properly during heatwaves, as well as provide extra space for employees to have a shaded lunch.

Jean DeWitt

Mill Creek