Tree of Life

I went on a photo walk today since it is a magnificent fall day. I went to The Tree, the maple that becomes it's own light source. You can see all of the tree and how it is in relation to the house on my Flickr page. I asked the homeowners if I can photograph their tree, as I have in years past, and they are nice to give me permission to wander around on their property. You can see I have to work around some things that aren't very photogenic. I don't care how practical chain link fences are, most of the time they are pretty ugly.

So, did I ever tell you that last Friday my son took me to see "Gravity"? No? Well, he did and it lived up to it's nearly 5 star rating. We loved it. And then in the evening, Bill and I saw "Life of Pi". I'd read the book and I wondered how in the world they would make a movie out of it. Ang Lee did a great job and the photography is gorgeous as are the special effects. So, that was my Friday double feature.

Back to The Tree of Life:

Question: How Much Oxygen Does One Tree Produce?

You've probably heard that trees produce oxygen, but have you ever wondered just how much oxygen one tree makes? The amount of oxygen produced by a tree depends on several factors, but here are some typical calculations.
Answer: The atmosphere of the Earth has a different composition from that of other planets in part due to the biochemical reactions of Earth's organisms. Trees and plankton play a big role in this. You've probably heard that trees produce oxygen, but have you ever wondered how much oxygen that is? You'll hear a range of numbers and ways of presenting them because the amount of oxygen produced by a tree depends on the species of tree, its age, its health, and also on the tree's surroundings. According to the Arbor Day Foundation, "a mature leafy tree produces as much oxygen in a season as 10 people inhale in a year."

Here are some other quoted figures regarding the amount of oxygen produced by a tree:

"A single mature tree can absorb carbon dioxide at a rate of 48 lbs./year and release enough oxygen back into the atmosphere to support 2 human beings."

- McAliney, Mike. Arguments for Land Conservation: Documentation and Information Sources for Land Resources Protection, Trust for Public Land, Sacramento, CA, December, 1993

"One acre of trees annually consumes the amount of carbon dioxide equivalent to that produced by driving an average car for 26,000 miles. That same acre of trees also produces enough oxygen for 18 people to breathe for a year."
- New York Times

" A 100-ft tree, 18" diameter at its base, produces 6,000 pounds of oxygen."
- Northwest Territories Forest Management

"On average, one tree produces nearly 260 pounds of oxygen each year. Two mature trees can provide enough oxygen for a family of four."
- Environment Canada, Canada's national environmental agency


So, hope your week is going okay. See ya later.