Talk to Me Tree

                                         

I feel the tree's as living beings. Have you have ever watched a tree as it grows and its roots branch out to reach for water and bury themselves in the ground for nurture. Or, you live in an area with all four seasons and watch the life cycle of the tree as it turns to the beautiful fall colors from the sun, and then it dropped its leaves to encompass the ground in a colorful quilt blanket which in return gives life and flavor to the soil, and then in the spring as it blossoms in a new life with its rich green hues. Have you ever watched the sap leak from a pine tree or maple tree? If you eat pancakes with pure maple syrup (which I hope that is all you use and not the over-processed Mrs. Buttorworths sorts), and taste that richness and know that it was naturally processed from a tree that has brought us life, flavor, and nourishment such as minerals like zinc, manganese, potassium, iron, calcium, magnesium, riboflavin, and has antioxidant properties - all of these from the earth.

The destruction of the forests and trees is a major concern. Not only are animals losing their natural habitats, it's the destruction of these living beings, and also the destruction of we as humans as trees provide us the oxygen we breathe. We produce carbon dioxide which we release into the atmosphere when we exhale. Trees absorb the carbon dioxide and in turn produce oxygen, which gives us breath. Green plants are the world's best air purifiers! Scientists have proven that trees are living beings in not only in these ways but also others. For example, they proved that a certain kind of trees attacked by caterpillars, that tree can then put out pheromones that in return warns other trees of the same species that there is a plague of caterpillars. As a result of this these trees are able to put extra toxins into their leaves which help them to counteract the caterpillars when they arrive. They also have little micro-fungi on the root that stretches across the forest floor. These things show that there is real communication between trees. They talk to one another and people don't even pay attention as they proceed to take their life in selfish means and make our land-scarce without regard to re-planting and replenishing what we humans destroy.

It is terrifying for me to see these forests destroyed. For example, huge forests are being destroyed for palm oil which is now in so many of the products consumers are buying from shelves. Palm oil is used to create biofuel, which is meant to be environmentally friendly but is actually the result of obliterating vast areas of primary and old-growth forests. The best thing you can do to help curb this is to not buy products that contain palm oil, or at the very least, don't purchase unless it is being produced by a sustainable plantation.

I urge you not to take these life forces for granted. Plant a tree. You can go to One Tree Planted and have one planted. Take a look at the map on their website to see how much forest has truly been lost. It is absolutely astonishing. Don't overtake what you do not need or cannot use. Take joy in swinging in a tire swing, listening to the breeze as the trees talk and sing, watching a child climb into its branches, or a bird, squirrel or other animal sit upon its branches. Enjoy that pure maple syrup, squeeze your fingers across an evergreen and smell the aroma from them. Instead of complaining about them being around your home and hard to mow around, think of how they are keeping your home cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter by providing you shelter. Run your hand across the miraculous bark - there is nothing crazy in speaking to this magical life force. The craziness is not to take part in its preservation.

Not so Fun Fact: By using regular toilet paper and paper towels, humans are wiping out ninety-four thousand trees per day. That's 34 million three hundred trees a year. If you switch to a brand such as seedling that uses bamboo that takes about three months versus a tree which takes about twenty years to grow, we can make great strides in helping to save our environment and oxygen.

©M. Marie

PS. Tentree is an amazing clothing line that plants ten trees with every purchase. How great is that? Here is a code to enjoy $10 off your first purchase!!