The World Environment Day comes up with new resolutions and new promises that people make to keep the environment healthy. June 5, 2018, was no different. The first thing on the promise list is always the plantation of new trees and going green. Planting news trees will mean more oxygen for humans, especially those suffering from respiratory problems such as asthma.
But recent studies and observations reveal a different story altogether. According to the excerpts from the latest research conducted at the GreenInUrbs conference in Orvieto, Italy, the urban vegetation and trees impose a negative impact on the quality of the air we breathe in. The study made researchers observe that the ability of plants to deal with atmospheric particulate matter determines the quality of air urban population is exposed to.
As it is already known, living beings emit volatile organic compounds that are commonly referred to as VOCs. Well, plants also do the same. They emit VOCs in the form of vapor or sublimated solid resin. The plant VOC contains isoprene and terpene, its derivative, as main compounds.
Though these VOCs are a medium of communication between plants, the volatility of these compounds affects the earth's temperature in a huge way. During the hot days, the VOCs emitted are more, which thereby act as key factors in the formation of ozone and smog during the heated weather conditions.
Thus, planting of trees, if exceeds the natural requirement, may lead to disastrous results in the coming years. In fact, there are various sources which depict that the world's ancient and biodiverse grasslands, open-canopy woodlands, and savannas are facing extensive pressure because of the forceful environmental changes being brought about by humans with respect to vegetation and afforestation.
Before focusing exclusively on the plantation of trees, it is important to understand the presence of other elements essential for life as well.
If there are trees all over, the people's health will start taking a negative turn. Remember, it is not only the forests and trees but also water bodies, settlements, and other landscapes that make life possible on Earth. So let's keep space for everything to maintain the environmental balance.
