Old Hindi Song, “Dekh tamasha lakdi ka” outlined the importance and usefulness of wood in a man's life. From the moment he is born to the time when he is cremated. Wood and trees are inseparable from our lives. What would we do without wood? Ayurveda, our ancient system of medicine, suggest herbs from pre-birth to the on the death-bed period. Even post death we need wood for cremation or the coffin box. It is so sad that we are so entirely dependent on wood but still are so cruel to it. We take life from tree and give it death in return. Truly, not even animals do what we do to trees. Will we humans ever learn to love and respect trees? Talking of neem, I find myself at a loss of words to praisethis wonderful healer. Its leaves, bark, flowers and seeds ensure our health. God put Neem on earth to cure our many illnesses. Babool twigs have, since centuries safeguarded health of teeth just like the twigs of the Banyan tree. Neem and banyan give us shade and shelter in hot summers. Even the Eaucalyptus tree that gives no shade yields an oil to treat our colds and coughs. What would food be without contribution from trees? Trees give us spicy, tart, sweet, aromatic and delectable fruits like pepper, coffee, chocolate, cinnamon, nutmeg, cashew, coconuts, cloves lemons, oranges, apples and bananas. Do we not worship and hold sacred trees? Tulsi, Ashoka, Peepal, Bilva, Banana, Bodhi and Bamboo. Truly, trees are as giving as parents and God. There is a deep debt we owe trees that we will never be able to repay. If we have a tradition where women worship trees as being abodes of Gods, tying threads symbolizing relationships and watering it, the underlying meaning of treating trees with respect has gone. Only tribals, it seems, still think of trees as a life source and we think they are backward. |
People all over the world know how vital trees are to life on Earth. Ancients in Asia and Europe knew it but in our haste to be modern, we forget our friends - Trees. The Chinese held the pine and bamboo sacred. Germans plant a tree when they marry. Why can't everyone do it? Plant a tree once a year at least and care for it as one would for a child. After all trees do not ask for much, do they, when they give so much in return? It is sad that mankind is looking at everything from the angle of making money or usefulness. It is sad trees are thought of as a source of wood to make paper or furniture. I feel at the very least mankind could think of it as friend and family member, even if it does not learn to respect or revere it. In these days how can we expect people to think of trees as mother, father or God? Mankind is ignorant and does not know that one tree produces three times the amount of oxygen as ten people inhale in year and absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. A large tree can produce as much as 100 kgs of oxygen each year, enough for two people for a year. Most people are used to air conditioned apartments. They probably never have sat under trees or enjoyed the cool shade, grown one and watched it flower and grow fruit. My heart weeps when I see the ignorance, thoughtlessness and cruelty of mankind. What is more telling than when I tell you that my grandchild thinks wood is something you find in pencils and furniture and is made in large factories. NO TREES, NO FUTURE The net cooling effect of a young, healthy tree is equivalent to 10 room-size air conditioners operating 20 hours a day. Trees reduce noise pollution by absorbing sounds. A belt of trees 98 feet wide and 49 feet tall can reduce highway noise by 6 to 10 decibels. Trees bring people together. Trees make neighborhoods stronger by the shady streets and parks. Trees cast shade in the evenings that encourages residents to come out and enjoy walks and bike rides in their neighborhoods. Trees slow drivers as they make them feel enclosed in the tree tunnels. Indeed we can say... |
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