More trees and bamboo will fight climate change

Climate change

Plan more trees and bamboo

Thanks to our governor, we will be getting all of our electrical power from renewable sources with the closure of the coal-fired plant in Lewis County.

We need to get on to the next phase of our climate problem: carbon sequestration. The easiest way here is to plant more trees. Actually, grasses are even better, and bamboo is the king of the grasses. Bamboo will take in four times as much carbon dioxide and give off three times as much oxygen as an equivalent tree.

Enter our universities’ agriculture departments. They will tell us what species, how, and when to plant. We’ll put the first plantings in the freeway medians to allay some peoples fears about a plant takeover. As the highway department puts in the bamboo, they can use their “weed wrench” to remove that pollen-laden Scotch broom. Next step: mechanical carbon dioxide scrubbers. We do know how to make dry ice.

Dave Wallace

Mukilteo