Think Positive. Think Wood

by MikeRobbers

To be 'green' today is something more than an attitude. It is an urgent need. Deforestation threatens the ecosystem, hopefully some people want to do something about it...

We live in a world that was not born in a day, and definitely not yesterday. As a matter of fact, it is way older than us, humans. For millions and millions of years this planet has seen tremendous changes: from the Ice Age to the sunny, globally warmer days and... back! We have only been here for a relatively limited amount of time, but we have certainly left our marks and made an impact on the planet.

Positive Thinking
Positive Thinking

On this, some of us would rightfully agree and some others would even take pride in the matter. As nature used to dictate our needs, and even our greatest efforts and desires but this is not the case anymore. Humanity has managed to surpass, to a certain extent, nature’s will. Just look above! You won't see the scary lightning to storm our imagination in the wildest way; what you see today are the skyscrapers that defy the heights and all that our ancestors knew before we came into being. These incredibly tall and gracious buildings signify no more or less than the human dominance on this planet.

Latitude
Latitude

However, we all know it: we have gone too far. This planet is something given to us (either by God or as a direct result of a Big Bang, you are the one to choose for yourselves…). Our planet is our place and we are actually dealing with 'something' (a home, a dwelling, an inheritance, if you'd like to see it this way) that needs protection rather than solely exploitation. In other words, the crucial question remains: do we really want to wipe out nature? Don't we still need it, after all? This question is rhetorical, of course! As we know it by now that we cannot still live outside our natural habitat and we surely cannot go on on living without taking care of our natural habitat - we will run out of oxygen after all!

Rainforest Destruction
Rainforest Destruction

The devastation we have brought to this planet already weights heavily on our shoulders. Economic growth is necessary (and, in times of economic crisis such as the ones we live in, this is to be a stringent matter). Nevertheless, we can agree upon that, but only if taking into consideration the fact that we are not supposed to annihilate everything that surrounds us…

We certainly cannot turn back time. The return to an imaginary idyllic historical era where Europe was full of forests is simply outside reason, for instance. Modern civilization took shape after large deforestation. Where forests once used to flourish people started building towns and then cities, civilizations flourished in urban centers. The question today, though, could as well be if we are “planning” to live in a world where all other life will vanish. Situations have changed…

Devastating Deforestation

In this NASA timelapse, satellite images show the rapid deforestation of the amazonian rainforest.

Deforestation was needed when we were laying the foundations of modern life. Today, deforestation threatens the life of the ecosystem. Therefore, in a strange twist of fate, it threatens the foundations of the same modern life we once created!  In that sense, we need strict governmental policies in order to protect the habitat and consequently ourselves. U.S.A., China, India, the E.U. are obliged to take action. Now!  At the same time, multinational companies should take responsibility too. It’s their duty actually!

Wood Positive

Green Campaign by the Body Shop

The Body Shop, a leading brand in cosmetics and bodycare products, seems to have taken seriously the fact that the manner in which companies understand the phrase “doing business” must change, rather now than later. Together with the World Land Trust, the Body Shop has launched a “green campaign” that aims to protect the forests. The goal of the company is quite plain and simple: they plant to plant and protect more trees than they use for their products’ packaging.

Carrying saplings through the forest
Carrying saplings through the forest

The place of interest for the company is the Atlantic Rainforest in Brazil and the Southern Andes in Ecuador. The former is one of the most endangered natural habitats of the world, home to 400 different species, while the latter area is comprised by tropical forests that also face extinction. According to the company’s calculations, they use around 6.000 tons of paper each year; that equals 100.000 trees. Their objective is to plant trees around half this number and protect another 50.000. Fair enough!

One can only hope that more and more leading companies will treat this issue as responsibly and as wisely as the urgent ecological problem today ought to be treated. One can always hope for the best… 

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The 'Wood Positive' Initiative

Updated: 05/13/2013, MikeRobbers
 
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MikeRobbers on 10/15/2013

And thanks you for this very interesting comment Derdriu!

DerdriuMarriner on 10/14/2013

MikeRobbers, One of the most compelling reasons, to my way of thinking as an arborist, for reforesting is the role of trees in decreasing atmospheric pollution. In many ways trees are the lungs of the world in reverse. Trees remove carbon dioxide and release oxygen. What could be more better?
Thank you for such environmentally friendly images, thoughts, and words.

MikeRobbers on 07/02/2013

@WriterArtist
Indeed, we need not to forget ever that the world needs to be taken care of constantly! Glad you enjoyed my article WriterArtist...

WriterArtist on 06/28/2013

We constantly need to remind us that we are capable of doing significant things and achieving bigger goals, all it requires is a positive attitude. Loved the "Latitude" image, the images are perfectly conveying the message.

MikeRobbers on 05/26/2013

@sheilamarie
For sure the responsibility lies with us. This is not an issue that we should only search for perpetrators; I think that most of all is an issue of raising public awareness and then directing our efforts towards a more sustainable future...

sheilamarie on 05/26/2013

What struck me about the time lapse video is how recent this destruction is and how it is happening right now. Just when it seems people are becoming more and more aware of the problem, the destruction seems to be speeding up. The same can be said of global warming in a general sense. We need to insist those that do these things in our name are made more accountable. That means each of us needs to be more accountable, too.
Thanks for a great article, Mike.

MikeRobbers on 05/25/2013

@ Tolovaj
I agree with your views in the subject, these are the things I tried to express on my article. Indeed, responsibility is the key word here.
Appreciate the comment Tolovaj.

Tolovaj on 05/25/2013

It's good to know some people still care about the environment and if some companies do the same, even better. It's time to stop thinking what should governments do, it all really starts and ends with us and our own decisions. If we are familiar with the philosophy behind certain companies, we have the power to support it or opt for other, more responsible ones.

MikeRobbers on 05/19/2013

@ Mira
Indeed, corporate social responsibility is essential and very much needed today... The truths concerning environmental problems nowadays are indeed shocking and one must be always alert to such issues I would say...
Thank you for your comment Mira, have a nice day :)

Mira on 05/19/2013

Corporate social responsibility could do great things if all major companies took it very seriously. I love that you included The Body Shop. It's one of the brands I love. I'm glad they do great things for the environment.
I watched your deforestation video (of the Amazonian forest). Quite shocking. I had heard and read about it, but seeing it really drove the message home.


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