In the summer of 2018 in Lincoln, Nebraska, interdisciplinary artist Jewel Rodgers launched "Trees Aren’t Trash," a public art initiative responding to the mass removal and disposal of ash trees—valuable for their potential use as lumber—by painting trunks along a busy city corridor with blue water-based paint and stenciling messages like "This Tree Could Be…" to raise awareness about repurposing urban timber. Although initially halted due to permitting issues, the project eventually received approval after two months of negotiation, partly inspired by the Lorax’s memorable call to care: “Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot….” Unfortunately, persistent rain forced adjustments to the original plan—only one tree near the F Street Community Center was painted as envisioned, while others were simply spray‑painted with the evocative fragment “Unless...,” marking a modest but poignant realization of the project’s intent.