Plant more to cool down global warming

THE EDITOR: The world is now coming to terms with the devastating effects of global warming brought about by man’s avaricious nature to use without replenishing.

It is a reality that if you place a frog in a pot of water over the stove on a slow fire and you gradually increase the heat, the frog will continue to adjust its internal temperature until it eventually dies when the water reaches boiling levels. Mankind can be likened to frogs in that we will keep on trying to adjust to climate change until conditions become so extreme that we will all eventually die.

From time to time, world leaders express concern about the deteriorating environmental state of the planet. Conferences are held and very intelligent proposals made to remedy the environmental crisis. Sadly, there has been much talk with little to no action.

The indigenous Amerindians held great respect for nature and were conscientiously involved in re-forestation. Although in Eurocentric eyes they were perceived of as a primitive people, the Amerindians understood the significance of replacing what they extracted from the land.

We think we live in a civilized world, but we don’t.

To know we are a civilized people is to have that sacred connection with nature, when we can actually feel the natural magic of a refreshing breeze blowing through the leaves of our luxuriant flora.

Since Egypt is a hot country, early Egyptians kept their surroundings cool by tree planting. In the reign of King Asoka of India, the Asoka tree was widely planted for ambience to derive therapeutic benefits and promote a cooler atmosphere.

It is the opinion of many that in the past, trees were cultivated for health, but nowadays they are destroyed for wealth. So there are people with a get-rich-quick syndrome who indiscriminately clear trees for quarrying, construction or to plant money crops.

To reverse the effects of climate change we need to generate a naturally cooler environment by way of tree cultivation. In light of the current pandemic which has curbed many leisure activities, won't you feel refreshed and enlightened by enjoying the greenery?

Floral plants and trees can be planted along the highways, main roads as well as back roads. If more and more people can inculcate tree cultivation into their lives, the environment would become replenished and there would be more bountiful supplies of oxygen.

LINDSEY RAMPERSAD

Via e-mail