The Lorax is a beloved Dr. Seuss tale about the titular character who "speaks for the trees" and protects nature. And while The Lorax is a children's fantasy story, it's rooted in a truth that is still pervasive today more than 50 years after its publishing.
Deforestation has long been a harm to the world, but it continues to show its destructive head in new regions, including Egypt.
A post in the thread r/UrbanHell showed a Redditor's frustration with the Egyptian government and President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi's stance on removing trees to export their wood. It has left the land desolate.
As one user frustratingly replied: "This is a crime against nature and against humanity! The citizens will face even higher temperatures without trees in their city!"
Deforestation can have dire effects not only for citizens but also the world at large. According to the Pachamama Alliance, the dangers include everything from loss of biodiversity to fewer crops to increased polluting gases and warmer temperatures. Over 2,000 years ago, 80% of Western Europe was covered with forest land. Now, that figure has been more than halved, with only 34% remaining. And we're all feeling the consequences as citizens of Earth.
In Egypt alone, there's been a 1.2% decrease in trees from 2001 to 2023, according to Global Forest Watch. Furthermore, 95% of this loss was due to deforestation. The American University in Cairo adds that 75% of Egypt's tree cover was lost between 2010 and 2023. With fewer trees to take in carbon dioxide, pollution has increased, harming Egyptians in the process.
Another Redditor, from Egypt, chimed in on the post, saying, "The reasons for this are much more nuanced and sinister than just simple madness and shortsightedness." They called out contractors and the wealthy for conspiring to monopolize green spaces with the help of "the oligarchy currently in power."
Like the admirable people in the Reddit thread, we can speak up about deforestation practices around the world and the harm they cause both citizens and the planet.
As The Lorax wisely says: "Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It's not.
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"... I speak for the trees, for the trees have no tongues."
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