What a fabulous question you've unearthed here - and answered so well. This in particular made me blink:
>>"at least 50% of the oxygen we breathe (some say up to 80%) actually comes from the ocean!"
SAY WHAT? I had no idea about this thing. And I've been half-pondering doing a season of my newsletter about the air/atmosphere, and this is making me want to do it ten times more than before. YOU TROUBLEMAKER, YOU.
And referencing Barbara's good point in her comment: yes, it's about tree-planting AND protecting the carbon-rich old woodland that currently exists. Lots of reputable bodies saying this (eg. https://climate.mit.edu/ask-mit/how-many-new-trees-would-we-need-offset-our-carbon-emissions) That's the great challenge here, to do both alongside each other, really really well.
(And I'd love it if it happened because somehow the profit motive got detached from environmental concerns, where ecology-preserving stuff doesn't happen because it won't turn enough of a direct profit. That's far too narrow a way of thinking for the challenges facing the world right now. There's got to be a better, bigger way of reframing it all for capitalists.)
That is a mind-blowing fact, isn't it?! It completely surprised me too. I would love to see a season of Everything is Amazing dedicated to the atmosphere - there's so much of it (including crazy wave clouds!) that I just don't know about. And yet it's critical to our planet.
I buried in the "detritus" section a reference to Diana Beresford-Kroeger's plan to combat global warming by simply having everyone on earth plant one tree a year for six years. She claims we'd have the whole problem solved by then.
Yay! I can't recommend the books of Peter Wohlleben strongly enough for when you start this - his book The Hidden Life of Trees was what prompted me to begin writing this newsletter -- there's just so much fascinating information about trees that I felt everyone should know. I try not to make this Natural Wonders About Trees but sometimes it's hard because they're so freakin' amazing... for instance, our weather on inland parts of our continents depends partially on conifers producing terpenes, around which moisture condenses, creating clouds and fog (see: Smoky Mountains)...
Oh, I'll leave the topic of trees for Melanie, she'll do a better job than I. (Or yourself!) But - I meant the atmosphere! That's what I'll dive into. But I'm equally enthusiastic about both topics...
I'd love to think it was that simple too, but some of what I've read suggests that forests, whether planting new ones or protecting the ones we have, are only going to make a fairly small percentage of difference. I've started looking into forests and offsets and how well they work, or don't work, in combatting climate change, but I know it is one of those topics that's going to take extra concentration. I'm hoping to write that article in January when I have some leave from my main job.
I'd love to read about that, if you were interested in writing about it in your usual laser-focus style! Such a fascinating topic. And the subject of a lot of 'megaproject' proposals, like this one: https://www.wired.com/story/britains-next-megaproject-a-coast-to-coast-forest/ and the one across the top of Africa that's slowly underway - and yet, of course, a target for a lot of greenwashing and bad-faith eco-accounting...
Good point about their role as heat regulators. I suspect that when I dig, what I will find is that the crucial things are which trees are planted and where.
I have always understood we relied on trees (and plants?) for our oxygen but was never exactly sure how this came about and now I do, thank you. Which raises my next issue. Construction is constant everywhere these days and very much so in my immediate area currently and I see acres of trees turned into nothing. So, at what point are we going to be gasping for air because the world feels we need to keep building and building and building and clearing more land for more building? Seldom do we see trees replanted to replace even part of what was bulldozed and burned.
This is a great question - I've added it to my list! As a matter of fact, I got so excited to add your question to my ongoing list of ideas to write about that I accidentally deleted the extensive response I'd written to you here without clicking "post". Ah well, suffice it to say it was lengthy and I'll never remember what I said... Regardless, I want to look into what "tipping point" we might reach as a planet that could possibly affect our oxygen supply, if that's possible. Thanks for the perceptive question!
Another fantastic article (I've just stumbled across your page in the last 24 hours and am enjoying reading your past editions). Just an observation I've made in our garden RE plants photosynthesing at night... I've noticed that in the days around a full moon that large leaved vegetables such as squash and cucumber tend to increase their productivity, sometimes as much as 4 or 5 times more cucumbers per day can be harvested around the full moon when compared with the new moon. My theory is that rather it being some cosmic energy that there is enough moonlight for the plants to photosynthesise 24 hours a day at that time. Any thoughts on this?
That’s really interesting! I’ll look into it and let you know. I’m actually thinking of writing a follow up issue that addresses a few questions that have come out of past issues - this would be a good one!
This is so interesting! Thanks for sharing. I am now a bit embarrassed I never thought of the question, especially since I work with MODIS data... ugh.
Every time I write one of these issues I end up thinking - why didn't I know this already? Once I start researching the question, I generally find all sorts of good info when I dig in. It gives the impression that "everyone but me" already knew this...
What a fabulous question you've unearthed here - and answered so well. This in particular made me blink:
>>"at least 50% of the oxygen we breathe (some say up to 80%) actually comes from the ocean!"
SAY WHAT? I had no idea about this thing. And I've been half-pondering doing a season of my newsletter about the air/atmosphere, and this is making me want to do it ten times more than before. YOU TROUBLEMAKER, YOU.
And referencing Barbara's good point in her comment: yes, it's about tree-planting AND protecting the carbon-rich old woodland that currently exists. Lots of reputable bodies saying this (eg. https://climate.mit.edu/ask-mit/how-many-new-trees-would-we-need-offset-our-carbon-emissions) That's the great challenge here, to do both alongside each other, really really well.
(And I'd love it if it happened because somehow the profit motive got detached from environmental concerns, where ecology-preserving stuff doesn't happen because it won't turn enough of a direct profit. That's far too narrow a way of thinking for the challenges facing the world right now. There's got to be a better, bigger way of reframing it all for capitalists.)
That is a mind-blowing fact, isn't it?! It completely surprised me too. I would love to see a season of Everything is Amazing dedicated to the atmosphere - there's so much of it (including crazy wave clouds!) that I just don't know about. And yet it's critical to our planet.
I buried in the "detritus" section a reference to Diana Beresford-Kroeger's plan to combat global warming by simply having everyone on earth plant one tree a year for six years. She claims we'd have the whole problem solved by then.
http://calloftheforest.ca/about-diana/
It's lovely to think the solution could be so simple...
OK, I'm going to do this. The topic for Season 6 it is. :) RAAAR.
(Thank you!)
Yay! I can't recommend the books of Peter Wohlleben strongly enough for when you start this - his book The Hidden Life of Trees was what prompted me to begin writing this newsletter -- there's just so much fascinating information about trees that I felt everyone should know. I try not to make this Natural Wonders About Trees but sometimes it's hard because they're so freakin' amazing... for instance, our weather on inland parts of our continents depends partially on conifers producing terpenes, around which moisture condenses, creating clouds and fog (see: Smoky Mountains)...
Oh, I'll leave the topic of trees for Melanie, she'll do a better job than I. (Or yourself!) But - I meant the atmosphere! That's what I'll dive into. But I'm equally enthusiastic about both topics...
But also - why not a Natural Wonders 'season' about trees? Or a series? I CHALLENGE YOU.
Ah -- but you WOULD do that!...
I'd love to think it was that simple too, but some of what I've read suggests that forests, whether planting new ones or protecting the ones we have, are only going to make a fairly small percentage of difference. I've started looking into forests and offsets and how well they work, or don't work, in combatting climate change, but I know it is one of those topics that's going to take extra concentration. I'm hoping to write that article in January when I have some leave from my main job.
I'd love to read about that, if you were interested in writing about it in your usual laser-focus style! Such a fascinating topic. And the subject of a lot of 'megaproject' proposals, like this one: https://www.wired.com/story/britains-next-megaproject-a-coast-to-coast-forest/ and the one across the top of Africa that's slowly underway - and yet, of course, a target for a lot of greenwashing and bad-faith eco-accounting...
One thing that really interested me about trees: their potential use as heat regulators. Usually the focus is on oxygen, but trees in the middle of cities mop up huge amounts of heat (https://www.newscientist.com/article/2298675-trees-cool-the-land-surface-temperature-of-cities-by-up-to-12c/) - as well as their effect on human beings, as Florence Williams has written about: http://www.florencewilliams.com/the-nature-fix
There's so much. And they even grow themselves! Pretty amazing, really...
Good point about their role as heat regulators. I suspect that when I dig, what I will find is that the crucial things are which trees are planted and where.
There's so much fascinating stuff happening in the atmosphere, that would be great.
Love this! I had no idea. Really enjoying your newsletter and how much I learn from it.
I'm so glad! And right back atcha -- I've loved living vicariously in the Northwest (and Hawaii) through your newsletter as well!
I have always understood we relied on trees (and plants?) for our oxygen but was never exactly sure how this came about and now I do, thank you. Which raises my next issue. Construction is constant everywhere these days and very much so in my immediate area currently and I see acres of trees turned into nothing. So, at what point are we going to be gasping for air because the world feels we need to keep building and building and building and clearing more land for more building? Seldom do we see trees replanted to replace even part of what was bulldozed and burned.
This is a great question - I've added it to my list! As a matter of fact, I got so excited to add your question to my ongoing list of ideas to write about that I accidentally deleted the extensive response I'd written to you here without clicking "post". Ah well, suffice it to say it was lengthy and I'll never remember what I said... Regardless, I want to look into what "tipping point" we might reach as a planet that could possibly affect our oxygen supply, if that's possible. Thanks for the perceptive question!
Another fantastic article (I've just stumbled across your page in the last 24 hours and am enjoying reading your past editions). Just an observation I've made in our garden RE plants photosynthesing at night... I've noticed that in the days around a full moon that large leaved vegetables such as squash and cucumber tend to increase their productivity, sometimes as much as 4 or 5 times more cucumbers per day can be harvested around the full moon when compared with the new moon. My theory is that rather it being some cosmic energy that there is enough moonlight for the plants to photosynthesise 24 hours a day at that time. Any thoughts on this?
That’s really interesting! I’ll look into it and let you know. I’m actually thinking of writing a follow up issue that addresses a few questions that have come out of past issues - this would be a good one!
This is so interesting! Thanks for sharing. I am now a bit embarrassed I never thought of the question, especially since I work with MODIS data... ugh.
Every time I write one of these issues I end up thinking - why didn't I know this already? Once I start researching the question, I generally find all sorts of good info when I dig in. It gives the impression that "everyone but me" already knew this...
Wow, that is fascinating and something I'd never thought to wonder about. Thanks for linking to my articles too.
It had never crossed my mind to wonder about it either - I'm so grateful for that group of folks who brought up the question!
Lovely post that is chock full of insight and information
I love this!!