Once nice day in October, a green ash tree was planted in a
residential backyard in Toronto. A flower sat nearby. Curious about its new
neighbour, it started a conversation.
(T = Tree; F = flower)
F: Hi! I'm Little Beauty
T: Nice to meet you. I'm Tree Amazing.
F: (with curiosity) May I ask you a question?
T: Sure (while stretching its roots to the soil).
F: The human planted me because he loves my brillilant colour. Why did he plant you?
T: Beacuse he's anxious about global climate change!
F: Global climate change? What's that? Is it colourful? Is it nutritious?
T: (Bursts out laughing) No, no, no. Global climate change is the chaotic change in local weather patterns, that is, more frequent floodings and thurderstorm, with an average increase in global temperature. The major cause in a huge increase of carbon dioxide emission into the atmosphere. Humans create this by increasing the use of fossil fuels for energy and cutting down my relatives (trees) in both rural and urban areas.
F: So, what do you do about global climate change?
T: (Said boldly) I offset the emisson of carbon dioxide in two ways! First, I take up carbon dioxide directly through photosysthesis and I store it in my body. Second, I reduce the need of fossil fuels to heat and cool this home since I provide shade in summer and let solar heat through in winter. Plus, my relatives on the streets eliminate the formation of a "heat-island".
F: A heat what?
T: A heat island. It's formed when heat builds in the city due to all the brick, asphalt and concrete which absorb the sun's energy. We trees cool off cities by providing shade and evaporating water from our leaves.
F: Whoa! You're AMAZING! If humans plant more trees, they can have a better place to live and even save the Earth from crazy climate changes.
T: Rock on Little Beauty! You got it!
¡@