We all know the story of the Lorax – that witty and word-twisting story from Theodor Seuss Geisel that has taught generations of soon-to-be tree huggers about the consequences of wiping out whole species. I have always enjoyed this story – in fact, it’s right up there with “The Giving Tree” as one of my top favorite American stories of all time.
Recently, I discovered a story written by a member of the hardwood flooring industry called “The Truax”.
Apparently, “The Lorax” has been banned from many libraries and schools in communities where logging is the primary source of income. “The Truax” was written in rebuttal to our beloved Suess story.
Now, I do admit to being a tree hugger. And why not? I absolutely LOVE trees and everyone needs a hug once in awhile. Although some industries do infuriate me with their environmentally un-sound actions, I never find the motivation to chain myself to a tree while hoping to not get pepper-sprayed. I believe this world is big enough for everybody and everyone has their side to the story. I read “The Truax” and, frankly, I kinda liked it. How truthful it really is to say how logging companies steward the land is up for debate, but it does teach the younger generations that there can be a way for tree-huggers and tree-loggers to live in peace.
It also reminds us adults of the same thing. We all know there is room for improvement and companies need to be more responsible in their practices. However, digging our heels in and refusing to agree to disagree gets us nowhere fast.
So, here is a link to that story, written by Terri Birkett. Read with an open mind and enjoy….
http://www.stuartflooring.com/downloads/truax.pdf
Marie Stadther’s life in Coachella Valley was void of trees. In 2001, she packed up and headed north. After a drive through the majestic redwoods, she arrived in Redding, where she immersed herself in horticulture as owner of her own landscaping company and as assistant to an arborist. She is now the lead gardener for Turtle Bay’s McConnell Arboretum and Botanical Gardens. Her love of trees is a way of life, and she shares that passion with the community. Send the Tree Goddess your questions at mstadther@turtlebay.org.
