In Britain in particular we are surrounded by trees and it's quite easy to take them for granted. Mankind has always used trees throughout its development for a range of purposes. Without forests full of trees the world would be an unrecognisable place in more ways than one.

The Greenhouse Effect

The greenhouse effect is a term used to describe the effects of global warming on Earth. Global warming is the result of poisonous emissions into the atmosphere which cause the temperature of the earth to rise.

The Earth is surrounded by a protective layer known as the ozone layer. The ozone layer is formed from ditatomic oxygen which helps to filter out some of the harmful UV rays from the sun. aboriculture

Global warming has always taken place throughout history to an extent but with the industrial progressions of mankind this process is accelerating at an alarming rate. As we burn fossil fuels carbon dioxide is released into the atmosphere. As the excess Carbon Dioxide gathers in the Earth's atmosphere it reduces the effectiveness of the ozone layer at keeping harmful UV rays from reaching the planet.

You may now be asking yourself "how are trees involved"?

Trees Role in saving the planet

In the past when we had more areas of natural woodland the effects of global warming were extremely minimal. It is no coincidence that as trees have decreased global warming has increased.

As carbon dioxide is released into the air from combustion of fossil fuels the fumes released heads towards the atmosphere where it reaches and depletes the ozone layer. Trees help to reduce these emissions by absorbing the harmful carbon dioxide emissions.

Trees take the carbon dioxide from the air and convert it into cellulose which is stored in the trunk of the tree. During this process the carbon is retained in trees while the oxygen molecules are released back into the air increasing the levels of clean oxygen in the atmosphere.

How we can help

While we can't stop the effects of global warming completely we can reduce the scale of pollution being released so that future generations can enjoy the planet.

  • If we can decrease the demand for wood being felled in the rainforests we can save vast expanses of oxygen creating trees. It is estimated that each tree can hold 13 pounds of carbon each year. This mounts up to over two and half tonnes per year that would otherwise be entering the atmosphere.
  • Trees could also be used economically to reduce costs of air conditioning. Where possible trees could be introduced to provide shade over buildings cooling them naturally. Not only would the trees be releasing more oxygen into the atmosphere but there would also be a reduction in Carbon dioxide emissions as less fuel is used on powering air conditioning systems.
  • By recycling trees by reusing old wood we can reduce the demand for new wood. Businesses now exist specialising in furniture made from reclaimed timber which can be taken from old lengths of railway track and other discarded industrial fixtures. In reducing the demand for new wood less fossil fuels are being burnt to power chainsaws, to fuel lorries and ships transporting the wood and to power factories and mills which process the wood.

In helping to conserve trees we are ultimately helping to conserve the planet. Do your part today to help reduce global warming.