Houston, Texas has changed dramatically over time. From a dense forest, to small cities, to a large, bustling, city full of people, Houston’s landscape has changed. However, the new change and improvement in technology also comes with pollution. Dow CHemical and Nature Conservancy companies have drafted a plan to help stop the spreading pollution. Their plan is to replace machines that can capture pollution with trees. "It looks very promising at the early stage of the research," said Mark Weick, Dow chemical company worker. Dow Chemical wants to replace the machines they are currently using, called scrubbers, with reforestation. The leaves of the trees can also capture pollutants and improve the formation of ground-level ozone. However, the bill still needs to be passed, and “trees'' might not fit with the bill. Though, Dow Chemical and Nature Conservancy are still battling on which to use and which one is better: Machines (scrubbers), or trees? To be honest, I think that trees are actually a better deal.
One of the two options of slowing down air pollution is to plant more trees and try the method of reforestation. Trees can also reduce temperature from 7 to 15 degrees celsius depending on the latitude and keep the nearby soil nutrient rich, which is an extra reason why trees are better. If Texas agrees to plant trees, more benefits might include that they’re more natural, and they have the same effect as machines, and that they just continue to get better as they get older. Research shows that a 10,000 acre forest can collect the same amounts of pollutants as an industrial scrubber. That means that that acre of trees captures approximately the same amount of nitrogen oxide a machine can. Another reason to support this is that trees just get better as they get older. As trees grow, they’re leaves expand and allow them to capture more and more pollutants, instead of less. As Franklin. D. Roosevelt says, "A nation that destroys its soils destroys itself. Forests are the lungs of our land, purifying the air and giving fresh strength to our people."
However, on the other hand, a machine also has its benefits. A machine, yes it can do the job of what trees can do, and also better. It’s smaller, and you can literally just put it in your backyard. Instead of having to take time to plant that many trees, you can set up a machine, and get it to work. It has the same effects, and will also capture the pollutants/nitrogen oxide. “Wet scrubbers are able to remove 95% of particulate matter from industrial gasses,” according to the EPA. Also, the machines are more versatile, which means that it doesn't have to stay rooted in one place. For example, you might want to take it with you to a place you're traveling to. Great! LLoad it up and take it along. It can be put in a shop, in a parking lot, or simply anywhere that will fit its size. As machines are not living things, they are also not subject to disease, droughts, fires, or other threats. I mean, if you put a machine right under the sun for ten days, then that’s your choice. Machines are generally more portable, versatile, and less subject to threats than trees are.
Even though both options have benefits, my preference would still be trees. Apart from being able to capture pollutants and decrease pollution, trees also have many amazing qualities, and are just generally really useful to the environment. Trees can offer shade, and provide homes to many wildlife creatures like birds, squirrels, or raccoons. Without trees, the critters would not have a decent and safe place to spend their time. Trees also go through a process which is called photosynthesis. In this process, trees intake carbon dioxide through pores in their leaves, and release, at the end of the process, oxygen. By releasing oxygen, trees are literally allowing us to live and breathe. In compacted soils, tree roots have been shown to improve infiltration by 153% compared with unplanted controls. Trees also protect us from natural disasters such as landslides and floods, by absorbing water and stabilizing the soil. For example, when it rains, the canopy layer of the tree intercepts the rain, and the water later evaporates or flows down the trunk. “Trees are increasingly recognized for their importance in managing runoffs” according to the EPA. Also, they act as a drag during floods, holding the water back a bit. Overall trees are certainly needed, helpful, and a beautiful addition to our planet.
Machines or trees, our planet definitely needs saving. As technologies and human supremacy grow, humans are putting more and more valuable resources in danger of being overused. Overconsumption, carelessness, and pollution are all spreading problems around the world. Luckily, some companies are willing to take the job to stop this. For air pollution, scrubber and trees would be the best combination. Apart from air pollution, trees also combat light and noise pollution. Without trees, our world today would be drastically different. Soil erosion would occur too often, and there would be way less wildlife. Trees, for their multi-usage, and machines, for their versatility and being able to withstand many dangers. These both have the same effect, and both should be put to use. No matter which one we choose, we have to act quickly. The Earth is getting more and more damaged every minute. Without help, humans will perish because of not taking action and making the right choices. We must work together quickly and correctly to save and keep a thriving world.
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