What Do You Mean There’s a Burning Tree In Our Backyard!?

The oldest tree in the world towers the Earth at 60 feet tall. Its thick trunk resembles an overlap of twisting branches that reach upwards in a sense of urgency, perhaps to touch the sky or to raise itself closer to the sun.

The first time you see it, profound understanding and honor flood your heart.

This tree has stood unmoved for at least five thousand years. It has been witness to more seasons than you and I will ever come to know. At the same time, it fills you with relief that it will carry the memory of our time in its roots for as long as it stands.

But somewhere in the world, a forest is slowly catching fire. Glowing orange embers consume the path of a yet distant, unnamed corner of the planet.

According to a report by Climate.gov, 2020 was the second-warmest year on record despite La Niña.

Many parts of Europe and Asia were record warm, including most of France and northern Portugal and Spain, most of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Russia, and southeastern China.

An even larger portion of the globe was much warmer than average, including most of the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. The Earth’s temperature has risen by 0.14° F (0.08° C) per decade since 1880, and the rate of warming over the past 40 years is more than twice that: 0.32° F (0.18° C) per decade since 1981 (Dahlman & Lindsey, 2021).

If global warming isn’t here yet, then it’s surely coming.

What can you and I do about it? We start by talking about the burning tree in our backyard.

Here at The Carbon Almanac, we help those conversations happen.

Shek Antonio is a personal growth blogger, story machine, and member of The Carbon Almanac Network. Join our eco-ruckus and change-making at thecarbonalmanac.org