Tuesday, June 3, 2008

Green Trees, Carbon Offsets and Rabbits

I don't necessarily buy into the Global Warming hysteria but I've always made it a practice to plant trees everywhere that I've lived. Here in the Texas Panhandle the rainfall rarely is sufficient to support a tree -- unless we're talking something with lots of thorns. So, you have to apply irrigation water fairly liberally. With a temperature yesterday of 104 and a 30 mph wind all day long my little trees are suffering. The answer is to pour water on them -- which I have to pump out of the ground. Pumps require fuel. In my case, electricity.

I wonder how the Greenies feel about the situation? I plant trees which are considered a carbon offset and then I use lots of energy to keep them watered and alive. That energy use probably releases a whole lot more carbon than my little trees tie up.

On top of that, the rabbits really like to hunker down under my little trees because they create shade -- which is rare in our part of the world. That shade must make them feel frisky because they seem to be multiplying rapidly. All those rabbits eat grass and make little round pellets which eventually decompose and release carbon. Plus, the rabbits breathe and release CO2 in their respiration. So, am I better off not planting trees? What a crazy world we live in!

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