{"ops":[{"attributes":{"background":"#fef9f5"},"insert":"It is easy to become disheartened and saddened as, due to rising levels of carbon in the atmosphere and our treatment of the earth more generally, we face up to the possible extinction of so many forms of life on earth, including us - the speciescentric homo sapien.* I now spend part of my time in the US southeast where trees grow most readily, and daily I witness the ravishing of the land and the destruction of old growth trees, with little to no concern about their importance. Though it may seem that we have no options, we can and must take action in whatever ways we can - to preserve the trees, native plants, and native wildlife."},{"insert":"\n\n"},{"attributes":{"background":"#fef9f5"},"insert":"The Tree Foundation Offers these suggestions for protecting trees:"},{"insert":"\n\t"},{"attributes":{"background":"#fef9f5","color":"blue","link":"https://treefoundation.org/10-things-you-can-do-to-save-forests/"},"insert":"https://treefoundation.org/10-things-you-can-do-to-save-forests/"},{"insert":"\n\n"},{"attributes":{"background":"#fef9f5"},"insert":"I also recommend these two articles to you, the first which focuses on the importance of maintaining biodiversity in trees (by not allowing them to become extinct), the second which is an editorial by Greta Thunberg and her colleagues on the imperative of moving away from burning forests as an energy source."},{"insert":"\n\nPrevent tree extinctions or face global ecological catastrophe, scientists warn,\n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"New paper issues ‘warning to humanity’ as it calls for urgent action to protect world’s 60,000 tree species"},{"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"background":"white"},"insert":"Fri 2 Sep 2022 07.04 EDT"},{"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"color":"black","link":"https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/sep/02/tree-extinctions-species-wildlife-ecosystems-scientists-aoe?CMP=share_btn_link"},"insert":"https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/sep/02/tree-extinctions-species-wildlife-ecosystems-scientists-aoe?CMP=share_btn_link"},{"insert":"\n \n"},{"attributes":{"bold":true},"insert":"Burning forests for energy isn’t ‘renewable’ – now the EU must admit it"},{"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"italic":true,"color":"black","link":"https://www.theguardian.com/profile/greta-thunberg"},"insert":"Greta Thunberg"},{"attributes":{"italic":true},"insert":" and others"},{"insert":"\n"},{"attributes":{"background":"#fef9f5"},"insert":"Mon 5 Sep 2022 07.00 EDT"},{"insert":"\n\n"},{"attributes":{"underline":true,"color":"black","link":"https://www.theguardian.com/world/commentisfree/2022/sep/05/burning-forests-energy-renewable-eu-wood-climate?CMP=share_btn_link"},"insert":"https://www.theguardian.com/world/commentisfree/2022/sep/05/burning-forests-energy-renewable-eu-wood-climate?CMP=share_btn_link"},{"insert":"\n\n\n\n*My use of the term “speciescentrism” refers to the pathological tendency of humans to see “our” species as privileged over other species, and therefore justified in using other species to serve our vested interests—without regard to the rights and needs of individuals within these species. For more on this problem, see my book: Liberating the Mind, 2019, Rowman & Littlefield, Lanham, Maryland (pp. 72-78) - "},{"attributes":{"color":"black","link":"https://www.amazon.com/Liberating-Mind-Overcoming-Sociocentric-Egocentric/dp/1538137623"},"insert":"https://www.amazon.com/Liberating-Mind-Overcoming-Sociocentric-Egocentric/dp/1538137623"},{"insert":"\n"}]}