From Tree House to Tree Office
Is contemporary society poised to embrace the counter-culture of the '60s and '70s?
One example is provided by the 'tree huggers' who played an essential role in the 1970s environmental movement. It originally was called "The Chipko movement", formed in India and influenced by Mohandas Gandhi. It established the practice of peacefully resisting deforestation by literally hugging tree. 
Natalie Jeremijenko, who has given this practice a pragmatic spin, represents the current generation of counter-culture rebel who actively promotes the well-being of trees.
Her xTree project is an open plan office constructed in the canopy of a tree. A model was built in Socrates Sculpture Park in Long Island City, New York. Consider the attractions offered by this prime workspace:
It overlooks the East River and the magnificent Manhattan skyline
It offers wifi
It generates power
Because this office is owned and operated by the tree itself, the landlord/manager is generous and undemanding.
Because the rent is used by and for the tree, your money benefits everyone.
XTrees demonstrate that trees own themselves, have property rights, and should be valued for the services they provide:
Utilizes carbon in atmosphere
Stabilizes soils, temperature, capture storm water
Improves human health
Ensures a desirable future.
As the XTree website proclaims: “…the current technological opportunity transforms trees’ capacity to self-monitor and report, tweet, and account for their use by people and other organisms. They themselves account for the variety of uses and services they provide, and they themselves monetize these services, exploit their own assets, and capitalize on their capital. Using simple, inexpensive sensors the trees assume their own voice and capacity to exert corporate personhood within this new structure of ownership.”
Instructions are provided for setting up a coworking space in a tree in your neighborhood. The TREExOFFICE kit includes a legal template (for the tree to own itself) and tips for how to enlist the local community board/EDC and/or Parks Dept.