National Trees Convention
By Kim Heung-sook
As I couldn't sleep last night, I sneaked out of home and went into the woods nearby. In the sleety darkness, the trees were having ``The National Trees Convention." I happened to hear the discussion as I lost the chance to leave without being noticed. It was an hours-long ordeal on my part, but I am glad I was there.
``I can't take this situation any longer. I hate all the waste people turn my family and friends into,'' an oak tree pronounced vehemently the moment the floor was open to participants. The statement made me tense while a ripple of noise filled the air, already thick with the breath of trees. ``We must put an end to this situation at all cost,'' the oak added.
``Would you tell us what bothers you specifically?'' the presiding ginkgo asked in an unruffled voice. It seemed only natural that she was leading the discussion. As a representative of the living fossil family, the ginkgo seemed to know how to remain cool even in a heated atmosphere.
``In autumn which is the moving season, I saw heaps of oak furniture abandoned and mercilessly dismembered in various neighborhoods. Couches, chests, tables and chairs that could still serve their original purposes! These days, trees are increasingly sacrificed for yuletide decorations and election campaigns. Look at the electric wires torturing our friends and the waste of paper for posters and leaflets.'' the oak said bitterly.
``We maples have a harsh time, too. As you are aware, we are hard and beautiful. That's why we make bowling pins, butcher's blocks, and ornaments. We also make good guitars, drums and bassoons as we carry sound waves well. However, our family is rapidly dwindling as we can't live in acid soil and as we are wasted by humans,'' a maple whined.
``Mr. Oak, I can't agree with you more. Miss Maple, please accept my warmest sympathy,'' a pine began politely. ``As we pines don't usually stand on the street, we are saved from the electric wires, but we are wasted just like you. People blend hardwood trees like oaks and maples and softwood trees like spruce and us pines to produce quality paper. We seldom complain of turning into paper as long as it contributes to a universal good. We used to become wonderful books or great paintings.
``However, we feel sad and angry now as we go through all these painful transformations only to fulfill shallow interests of greedy people. We don't want to become how-to books encouraging materialistic pursuits. We don't want to degrade ourselves to ridiculous posters and materials eulogizing politicians full of vanity and trickery.'' the pine grumbled.
``Yeah, it's a shame! What's worse, some people tear the posters down as if they were responsible for the disagreeable faces. By so doing, they prevent recycling, which in turn accelerates our loss,'' a plane tree observed.
The unhappy revelations went on for nearly two hours when the ginkgo said finally. ``To produce a single ton of paper, 17 trees which are 30 years old or older are needed. In Korea, 7-8 million tons of paper are consumed a year and this means between 110 million and 130 million mature trees should be felled yearly. Fortunately, some two-thirds of the demand is met with recycled paper and 40 million trees are cut.''
She then proposed that the participants discuss how to stop this wasteful practice of humans.
Just then, a magpie made a double quick landing on one of the moderator's branches and whispered in her ears.
After listening, the ginkgo said: ``Ladies and gentlemen, we should call it quits today. Our friend magpie reports that there was a huge oil leak on the West Sea, claiming thousands of lives. Let's put our own worries aside and talk about what we can do to help our fellow creatures in the sea of oil. Or shall we adjourn our meeting and individually seek ways of helping them out?''
All the trees were saying something and I left for home, feeling ashamed of being a human. I shuddered at the thought of oil-smeared grebes, clams, oysters and all other sea-borne friends struggling for life.
I have never cut down a tree or spilled oil on the sea, but I couldn't sleep for I knew I wasn't innocent. I wished the sea creatures and trees to take revenge on mankind and show no mercy.