Are plastic trees the answer? Maddie Hanratty 8th period

Scientists are working on a potential way to store the carbon dioxide we are emitting so much of on a daily basis. Nature has its way of sucking up this carbon dioxide into what are known as "carbon sinks", or more commonly, trees. Trees naturally store carbon dioxide, but even with their help, the build-up is resulting in global climate change over time. Despite all our efforts to be eco-friendly, prevent littering, etc., CO2 is still an issue. We release CO2 every time breathe. Therefore, we need something bigger than a "reduce your carbon footprint" campaign. And we might be getting closer to a solution.

Using carbon dioxide absorbing enamel and other plastics that trap CO2, scientists are going back to basics by mimicking the design of a tree. Hopefully, in the near future, we will see a few plastic trees being released into the wild. But for now, the materials are too pricey and not as effective as they could be.

I think this is an innovative solution to a daunting problem. It would be really cool to see the trees somehow incorporating recycled materials, to prevent even more waste. I hope the idea is developed over time because it is an important issue that effects all earthlings, not just humans.

This relates to U.S. History because it shows how much of an impact only about two hundred years can have on our planet. Before the industrialization of human lifestyle, it took thousands of years for any drastic changes to be made on Earth. Now, however, we can manipulate our environment in ways never before imagined. This is partially due to the Industrial Revolution, a movement of greater manufacturing,etc., that occurred in America after the War of 1812.

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