I was reading this disturbing news in Chicago Tribune about Canadian forests now pumping out more climate-changing carbon dioxide than they are sequestering and thought it would be a good idea to share it with you.
Canadian forests impacted by damage caused by global warming, insect infestations and persistent fires have crossed the Rubicon at least for the present. Scientists do not see any redemption at least till 2020. The shift from being a carbon sink to a carbon source has saddened the environmentalists.
The spread of deadly pest known as the mountain pine beetle, directly attributed to climate change, has devastated pine forests across Canda. Pervasive fires are another source of worry.
Environmentalists feel that logging ought to be sharply curtailed to preserve the remaining trees and make them sequester more carbon. The counter argument is that essential wood products for construction, furniture and other uses would have to be replaced with other man-made materials, such as plastic, steel or concrete, which entails burning of more fossil fuels. Well it is vicious circle.
Moral of the story: Take good care of your forests with a long-term perspective. Otherwise the whole thing will turn topsy-turvy.
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