Ggids

Those of us who love trees don’t need books and studies to be told what marvels of nature they are. Still there is a warm and penetrating sensation of delight when what one knew all along is there for all to see.

One such instance is a book recognizing the genius of trees.  Way back during the beginning of what we call evolution, what became trees, probably algae, learned to control all the elements around them, water, sun, air, fire, the ground beneath them, and did so one by one. Harriet Rix who’s a British tree consultant explains how this happened, how trees learned to use UV light, and survive.  Her new book shares how much we owe to trees including the many ways they have been part of planetary life and part of our lives.  “The Genius of Trees: How They Mastered the Elements and Shaped the World,”  doesn’t address how to speak to trees or any topics one might associate with  new research on this subject, it just shares  as this title tells us, what she calls the genius of trees,  genius because of the way trees in evolving have been able to burrow themselves into our lives and in doing so managed to essentially conquer whatever obstacles came their way. Her bottom line is simple. We need trees.

But what makes trees remarkable doesn’t stop with Rix’s book.  Another instance come from an article the NYT recently published e about the results of a comprehensive study by a team of scientists. What they reveal is that a tree is a complex ecosystem, a still largely unexplored microbial diversity, maybe home to a trillion microbial cells. And what’s more, the tree’s microbial cells not only contribute to its survival but to ours as well.  

Yes indeed we need trees.

The need for what she called a moral imagination was articulated by Jacqueline Novogratz, the founder of Acumen and pioneer in social impact investing during a recent interview with the Financial Times. “What’s needed is the moral imagination; if we’re going to build systems that include the people who’ve been overlooked and underestimated, we can’t be so distant from them.” She’s after investments and investors to participate in solving big problems like poverty. The CEOs she talks with express a sense of responsibility which ought to make the tasks possible, but it will still require finding new ways to create solutions.  Through her organization, she has proven that it can be profitable.  Acumen is partnering with banks, foundations, corporations and getting results. Nevertheless, she admits that our focus on profits needs to be balanced with our desire to find answers. The new generations she says already know that capitalism as we know it won’t solve issues like climate change and inequality. But using a moral imagination could help in creating the social impact that would help us all. It’s a great phrase and a great thought and let’s hope it provides the sought after  inspiration.

A first happened in Industry, Maine not long ago:  Mark Ancker was buried in a mushroom casket. It was entirely made of mycelium, the intricate root system of fungi. Such caskets take a week to make and are wholly biodegradable, disintegrating in about 45 days. It’s all part of what is called a quiet revolution in burials. Green burials are in demand, and alternatives are being sought. This alternative, the Loop Living Cocoon, is made by a Dutch company Loop Biotech. They’ve done about 2500 such burials in Europe, but the one in rural Maine was the first for the United States. So far, The Green Burial Council has certified about 250 providers and has recorded over 400 green cemeteries over the US and Canada thus highlighting the growing interest in green burials. The emphasis on alternates to traditional burials seeks to be kind to the earth, give back in a way, show that even with our burial we can still contribute to ecology.  

Even for those not ready for a mushroom casket, just recognizing the idea as viable is itself a step to finding better ways than what we do at present.