A few weeks ago my family and I drove to Jasper national Park in Alberta Canada. On the way we visited Yellowstone, Glacier and Banff National Parks. The mountains were breathtaking and as we drove through Wyoming and Montana we passed vast stands of coniferous forest. I have been on two previous trips to this area and this time I was shocked at the declining state of these forests. In all these areas it appeared that about of a third of the trees were dead and most of the remaining trees were diseased. The primary culprits are the pine bark beetle, pine borer and a fungus. In Glacier National park the problem began this spring and by August nearly twenty percent of the coniferous trees were dead. As woodworkers and concerned citizens this is an alarming problem. The pine bark beetle has become a very destructive insect in the last few years from the effects of global warming. During cold winters, the majority of the beetles freeze, leaving only small number of beetles to cause damage the following summer. During the last five years winters have been warmer than in the past, resulting in more beetles surviving the winter, causing the beetle epidemic. An excellent summary of the current effects caused by global warming is reviewed in http://www.ecobridge.org/content/g_fbk.htm. Many scientist believe that by taking action now we can significantly slow down and possibly reverse the effects of global warming. This requires a concerted effort across the globe. Each of us can contribute toward reducing greenhouse gases, the primary cause of the rapid planet warming by making three simple changes at our homes. http://news.mongabay.com/2006/0724-pine.html

1. If everyone replaced one incandescent light bulb with a compact fluorescent bulb, we could reduce global warming pollution by more than 90 billion pounds over the life of the bulbs; the same as taking 6.3 million cars off the road.

2. When buying wood products, check for labels that indicate the source of the timber. Forests that are well managed are more likely to store carbon effectively because more trees are left standing and carbon-storing soils are less disturbed. More information on this subject can found at: http://www.geocities.com/bawanewsletter/may06/may06pres.html

Plant a tree on your property or work with an organization to plant trees in your neighborhood. Our city Forest is a volunteer organization that plants tree in San Jose area. http://www.ourcityforest.org/ In addition to storing carbon, trees planted in and around urban areas and residences can provide shade in the summer, reducing energy bills and fossil fuel use.