Photosynthesis is a foundation of nature. Rain, sun and carbon dioxide combine to nourish vegetation and then plants grow yielding oxygen, which humans need to survive. Geologists say that after the atmosphere was created by erupting volcanoes billions of years ago, there was no oxygen. It was mostly carbon dioxide. As basic plants grew, their photosynthetic activity gave off oxygen, enough to fill the earth's atmosphere. That's a lot of oxygen. And here we are today, breathing without a care.
Scuba diving is when you realize how lucky we are to have plants making oxygen. If they hadn’t, imagine the daily problems we would experience wearing those cumbersome scuba tanks. Forget trying to fit into a fancy sports car with those things on, try sleeping.
In this context it's clear from where the phrase, "Dumb as a houseplant" comes: plants are giving off oxygen for free when they could be making top dollar. The unused power plants possess is staggering - they could be ruling the world. That's why whenever my friend Alan walks by a tree or a plant he snickers, nudges me with his elbow and points. After we are a few feet past the plant, Alan will say, "Sucker," just loud enough to hear and take a dramatically huge free breath. Then we run like hell.
2 comments:
Norman: Perhaps you should be asking your friend Alan just who is dumb aroud here. Plants and trees in the lawn and garden probably have a saying that goes something like: "That pyracantha bush is as dumb as a gardener!" Check out the following quote:
Lawn & Landscape Magazine » News »
Americans Invest Big Money in Lawn Care, Landscaping
"In a huge benefit to the green industry, a recent survey conducted by Harris Interactive shows that more than 24.7 million U.S. households spent $28.9 billion on professional landscape, lawn care, and tree care services in 2002."
29 BILLION dollars? This doesn't count the money spent by individuals, separate from professional services. Probably at least another 30 Billion. Hell, we probably spent 30 Billion on riding lawn mowers alone. So, at least sixty thousand million dollars a year spent on feeding and giving TLC to lawns and gardens in the U.S., not even considering agriculture. For that, we could make oxygen out of rocks! The plants couldn't have been bothered to strangle that rotten Alan for his insensitive and ungrateful comments. Would you please straighten him out the next time you see him?
Love,
Paco
Alan doesn't have a lawn.
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