Trees Combat Climate Change, Clean The Air And Help Us Breathe

In Science by Lidija, May 13, 2017

Trees combat climate change

Climate change is a change in the statistical distribution of weather patterns when that change lasts for an extended period of time and is accompanied by global warming. Global warming is caused by human activity, increasing the amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere and thus creating a greenhouse effect. The greenhouse effect is a natural phenomenon that occurs when certain gases in the atmosphere retain heat that would otherwise escape into space.
CO2, which represents a high proportion of greenhouse gas emissions is needed for photosynthesis of green plants and algae, which form the organic compound and released free oxygen in the atmosphere (O2). Trees and shrubs are unique among plants in that they have a woody stem and roots that get bigger every year and these woody parts last for decades or even centuries. Since this wood is mainly made of carbon from carbon dioxide, tree stems and roots are good, long-term storage places for carbon. We called this process respiration.

Luca Galuzzi | CC BY SA 2.5

Trees create oxygen

Of course, trees don’t have lungs the way human beings do. They “breathe,” or respire, thanks to a process called photosynthesis. In this process trees produce oxygen. Photosynthesis is largely responsible for producing and maintaining the oxygen content of the Earth’s atmosphere, and supplies all of the organic compounds and most of the energy necessary for life on Earth.
Trees absorb CO2, removing and storing the carbon while releasing the oxygen back into the air. In one year, an acre of mature trees absorbs the amount of CO2 produced when you drive your car 26,000 miles. Actually, in one year an acre of mature trees can provide enough oxygen for 18 people.

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Trees clean the air

Trees are essential for cleaning the air we breathe. Air is filtered by the tree and returned into the atmosphere. That is why we say that trees purify the air. Furthermore, trees absorb odors and pollutant gases and filter particulates out of the air by trapping them on their leaves and bark. Click here to check out 4 effect of trees on air quality extensively.

We must be aware of the many positive effects of trees. Due to their beneficial effects in the big cities deliberately planting trees. More about how reforestation in urban areas could contribute to atmosphere cleaning read here.

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