Sunday, July 31, 2011

Book Reflection-Dying of the Trees

Dying of the Trees by Charles E. Little


 The Take Home Message of Book was:

Trees dying at a rapid rate will only further the velocity at which more trees will die. And in fact something worse will happen where due to this effect trees may in fact end up becoming net producers of CO2 rather CO2 removers. Maintaining a decent oxygen rate in the atmosphere is important. It is currently at 21%. If it rose to 25% a lightening strike would like the earth ablaze. And if it decreased to 15% a fire could not even be lit.’
The more CO2 in the air- the more effects of climate change we see. One of the major examples of climate change from the book I saw out west was the destruction of pine trees by the burrowing pine beetle. Summers are now warmer and the beetles do not die off in the winter time. Now there are more beetles to eat the pine trees all year long. When we visited Rocky Mountain National Park and Yosemite National Park the mountains were covered in purple tree. At first you think it is beautiful the contrast of green and purple trees, but then you learn the purple trees are dead trees. After your eyes have been opened to the truth the mountains quickly lose their beauty.

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