Written for the KidsKnowIt Network by:
Debora Dyess
Trees have always been important to people. We eat their fruit and bark, use their leaves and bark to make teas, aspirin, cinnamon, cork and other products and use their wood to make paper or lumber for homes. But did you know that trees have another important job in our world? For this job, they cannot be cut down, but must be allowed to grow.
There are many kinds of gases in the air. Animals, including people, need oxygen to breathe. Without it, we cannot live. We breathe in oxygen and exhale carbon dioxide. Trees need carbon dioxide to survive and create oxygen. We each create what the other needs just by being alive. In fact, one acre of trees takes care of six tons of carbon dioxide and produce four tons of oxygen! That’s enough clean air for 18 people to breathe for one whole year!
Trees also help the planet. They create oxygen for all of Earth’s animals, plus they act as giant air filters. The quality of air in places with lots of trees is much better than air quality in cities or in areas with a sparse tree population. That’s because trees and other plants filter out dust and pollutants like carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide and sulfur dioxide.
Sulfur dioxide occurs when people burn coal or when gasoline is taken out of crude oil. With a growing number of cars on roads all over the world, the sulfur dioxide rate is climbing. Carbon monoxide is created by erupting volcanoes and wildfires, but man also makes this harmful gas. We burn gasoline, coal, wood and paper. Carbon monoxide is created by our everyday lives; nitrogen dioxide is created when we drive cars. Carbon dioxide is created when we breathe.
These gases combine with temperatures to create what is called the ‘greenhouse effect’. You might have heard that term, but not know for sure what it means. When natural or manmade gases act together with the weather to make the planet warmer than it would be if just heated by the sun, that planet has greenhouse effect. Because we create gases that interact with the sun, Earth has what might become a serious problem.
Trees are a simple and cost-effective solution.
The ‘air filter’ effect of trees take cares of lots of greenhouse gases every day. Not only do they clean the air, but they help control temperatures, keeping them from getting either too hot or too cold. They keep soil in place to help in plant growth and prevent the winds from whipping around the planet.
Companies are beginning to recognize that we need trees. Laws are being created to control how many trees are cut down. New trees are being planted to replace those taken for other products. And, just as importantly, companies are recycling paper and other products that started out as trees.
You can do your part, too. Find the recycling center in your town, or a site that accepts recycling material to turn in, don’t waste paper. Make a goal of planting one tree every year. By taking small steps, you can make a big difference.
