Ghost Mice is an acoustic folk-punk band formed in Bloomington, Indiana, in 2002, where original members Hannah Jones and Chris Johnston were attending Indiana University. The members of the band were also in other bands.

There have been only two occasions when Ghost Mice have used amplifiers or mics: at the Plan-it-X-Fest and once in Austin, Texas. Their philosophy is they prefer to travel light rather than depending on heavy amps, PA systems, and electricity. Their lyrics typically describe some sort of environmental issue (as in the case of this song) or healthful living topics, and they say they "struggle to make the world a better place."

The protagonist in this song appears to equally love and hate Bloomington, Indiana, in each verse describing something bad and then something good to offset it. The line "Tree City USA" describes the program sponsored by the National Arbor Day Foundation for the planting of trees and beautification of cities and towns across the United States.