Sustainable Forests are a
Must on the Home Front
Recently a program was aired on PBS with its sole content regarding Carbon Units and the exchange of them for large industry. For those, that are not familiar concerning carbon units and industry it is basically a trading stock for construction and placing carbon into the atmosphere. Industry can basically buy carbon units and pollute the atmosphere up to the amount of units they have. There will be a huge future in this new industry as the Kyoto council just ratified this into their amendment. At least according to the program we saw.
What was transcribed from the program was that small underdeveloped nations were using this as an economic boost to their small economy in an effort to preserve sustainable forests of their particular region. Wonderful ideas yes, help the depletion of certain rainforests and have large industry pay for it.
One problem for me though, industry should be developing their own forests or even better yet, come up with non-polluting processes. Or processes that utilize composting technology. True not all are capable but rarely does big business take in the long term. Most are just in it for the quick buck.
This is where home front sustainability comes into play. By home front I literally mean your own front yard or even the back yard. Look at it, how much grass area do you have growing? Can you fit a few shade trees on it? Or even better, how about a small dwarf fruit orchard. Not only will you receive gorgeous flowers in the spring but come later in the year for less water than you are now placing on the lawn you will be rewarded with your own fresh fruit.
Dwarf fruit trees are quick growing along with certain shade trees. Of course this is not the total answer but we are discussing sustainability here, not only the earths but yours is just as important. You should realize that to construct your home what effort went into that construction and what may have been there before. The best way to replace trees is to make them useful, especially for you, the grower.
You can find a number of carbon calculators on the Web. Some seem to be fairly accurate, others by non-profit groups wanting your money, seem to be extremely high in their calculation.
I have yet to find any accuracy to real carbon use and the amount of trees on a piece of property. If anyone has answers e-mail me. I would like to work out a real world calculator that takes into account the land survey of so many trees per acre. I have yet to find this.
Carbon of course is absorbed by all creatures. Ourselves, we are carbon based. Every plant on the face of this earth is carbon based. Grow a plant, eat its fruit, compost it, and grow some more from its tailings.
You spread manure on your garden right? Tailings in a composted form from animals. Carbon in a finite form. We just seem to be throwing more of it in the atmosphere than can be collected.
Sustainable forests do so much more than just collect carbon. Basic biology if you can recall from high school. They filter the water and allow slow dissipation to the aquifers from which many of us receive our water supply.
Trees and forests not only evaporate water through their leaves but also oxygen, that wonderful corrosive we all need to survive on. Under the trees canopy an entire life system thrives and creates all the things that are needed to complete the cycle we call life.
So go back to looking into your yard. Can you create your own seasonal sustainable forest? Can you envision your yard with fruit, vegetables and the prolific earthworm under the soil. Can you envision a sustainable environment for you and your family, while at the same time reducing your cost at the grocery store? Not to mention the stress relief a day in your own little woods and garden can bring.
You may be surprised, that once you begin in your own neighborhood what others may begin to do.
