It's always time to address life's important issues, such as environmental ones, which are perpetually on my agenda because I'm concerned about the future of the planet, because I'm increasingly convinced that humanity will cease to exist because of our own accountability. That's why there are two dates in June that I don't want to ignore: the International Day of Tropical Forests (22) and World Tree Day (28). Without them, life would not be possible, because their threat is very real and jeopardizes the existence of the world as we know it.

I know, it seems far-fetched that we'll run out of trees because we see them everywhere, in some areas more than others. However, not all landscapes are the same. Many areas are deforested, and we shouldn't take it with such passivity or complacency.

Trees are considered the lungs of the planet for their ability to produce oxygen and purify the air in the face of environmental pollution; they reduce the greenhouse effect—although they can't work magic against the massive pollution we humans generate.

In addition, they help regulate the climate, moderate temperature, protect water resources, protect the soil from erosion and infertility, provide us with food, and are home to many species of animals and people, especially indigenous communities.

Trees are essential for life. More directly, one of their most significant benefits is that they absorb CO2 from the atmosphere and turn it into carbon. They thus contribute to mitigating climate change, which is why forests are seen as reservoirs of this chemical element.

Precisely, one of the main concerns is that with the indiscriminate felling of trees, this stored carbon cannot be contained and is released into the atmosphere; it then becomes an accelerator of global warming. This devastation also causes the disappearance of plants and animals, and increases the occurrence of contrasting phenomena such as floods and droughts, desertification, and much more.

A high percentage of the world's vegetation has been ruined by this massive and systematic destruction of trees due to urbanization, as well as the obsession with fuel and raw materials. This is not just a recent issue; since the 19th century, there have been warnings about the loss of millions of hectares of forests worldwide.

With industrialization, everything became more acute, and that's why it's alarming right now.

Despite this, nature is resilient, at least for now. We see this when we see that life can emerge and sprout from a felled tree, and it's also evident when we calculate how trees have been able to withstand cataclysms over time. This means there's still time to continue planting and return a little green to the Earth.

We repeat: the world urgently needs more ambitious environmental policies and people who implement them to protect trees from deforestation and intentional fires. Letting them be is the best thing that can happen to us, because nature is life. We need production models. Sustainable, alternative consumption and action, not only because it slows climate change and because trees enhance any landscape, but also because they help preserve harmony and balance.

Translated by Amilkal Labañino / CubaSi Translation Staff