First of all, without plants the entire food chain—or more accurately the food
web—would lose its foundation. All animals (including us humans) ultimately depend on
plant material either directly, or indirectly through their herbivore prey. Think of that
next time you sprinkle a teaspoon of sugar, or drink a glass of milk, or munch on a turkey
sandwich. All require one type of plant or another! On
top of that, all animals require the oxygen released by plants. Without continual
photosynthesis, the amount of oxygen in the atmosphere would slowly diminish.
What will happen if we continue to destroy our forests and
wild areas—and lose the immeasurable quantities of carbohydrates manufactured and
pure oxygen released? What will we do when there aren’t enough green plants to fill
our needs?
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Oxygen, anyone?
Imagine bringing your date to a bar, finding some stools, and calling the bartender
over to order a shot of—oxygen! Coming to a city near you—oxygen bars! Fifteen
to twenty dollars will buy you 20 minutes of breathing in pure oxygen through a tube up
your nose. Oxygen bars have been all the rage in Europe and Japan—and are heading for
the U.S. Though some tout the therapeutic effects, and athletes hope for improved
performance, their real popularity lies in the temporary respite from the smoggy, polluted
urban streets. We’ve all gotten used to the idea of purchasing bottled water—so
it’s no surprise that next we can expect to pay for bottled air. Let’s go plant
some trees! |
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