Save our planet and our trees

 

Bravo to the residents of Wychwood for organizing to protect their trees! In reference to climate change, while relying on government measures, we must do our bit as well. There is a catastrophic cutting of trees worldwide -- for construction, paper, and livestock grazing.

The statistics are scary: “In Brazil, 90% of the land deforested since 1970 has gone for livestock pasture or feed. Lush forests are turned into barren fields at the rate of 36 football fields per minute .... Argentina has lost 70% of her original forests. The United Nations says 98% of the world’s forest could be gone in 15 years.” (From Crisis to Peace, by Master Ching Hai.) Trees are the “lungs of our planet.” They sustain our lives, absorbing the pollution we create, while producing oxygen. Trees help prevent floods and soil erosion. They beautify our world.

Our use of paper is monumental. We can reduce our consumption. Take the bags of commercial flyers that are delivered to every home every week in Aylmer. There were 218 pages in the Publisac when I counted them!  Many of these bags end up, untouched, in the recycle bin.  Recycling is good, but it won’t bring the trees back.

I don’t use flyers anymore. Stores could advertise differently. For example, a display board for flyers would work in an apartment building. We must start being serious about paper waste. “Doing more with less” will protect our natural resources.

Back in the 70’s, I saw a cartoon of a family standing in a barren landscape in  front of a poster depicting beautiful green trees, flowers and berries on the ground. The children asked what these things were, because they had never seen them in their lives. A scary view of the future, if we don’t wake up.

Raissa Poretski
Aylmer