Unchopping A Tree

This short film made its debut at an event in Copenhagen this week. The purpose of the film is to make you think about the climate crisis.

What did you think when you first read the title of this post? The title of the post is the title of the film. What happens when we unchop a tree? According to the filmmaker, we can save two birds with one tree by unchopping a tree. This will reduce emissions and protect species and habitats. Sound good?

The film is just one part of a larger project called "What is Missing?" and it is a tribute, a memorial that brings the loss of habitat and biodiversity caused by the climate crisis into focus. I think the "What is Missing?" website says it best, so following is their mission statement.

What is Missing? is a wake up call and a call to action, showing what is being done throughout the professional field of conservation and also what individuals can do in their everyday lives to make a difference in habitat and species protection.

What is Missing? will make the critical link between global warming concerns and habitat protection: if 20% of global warming emissions are caused by deforestation then What is Missing? will integrally connect these issues, asking the question:

Can we save two birds with one tree?

It will create a shared sense of purpose between these two concerns, so that we cannot think of our carbon footprints without also measuring our impact in terms of biodiversity and habitat protection-asking the question can we envision a sustainable future growth plan, a ‘greenprint’ for the future, that will pose a plausible future that we could achieve.

What is Missing? will present the work being done with collaborating institutions and environmental organizations throughout the world, bringing an awareness of what is being accomplished, allowing people to see the world of conservation through their eyes and actions.

Wow! Powerful words for one of the most important issues of our lifetime. But not just words - a call to action. A call to everyone to stand up and take action. The climate crisis affects us all, is the responsibility of each and every person on the planet, and cannot be brushed away like so many crises before it. This is real. This is happening. We must understand what is missing in order to realize what we are losing.

Back to the film. Maya Lin is the filmmaker and if that name sounds familiar to you, give yourself a pat on the back. Lin designed the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in 1981. That memorial, so regal, elegant, and somber, contains the message that we will never forget the fallen. It's static medium stands proud against those who cannot stand with it. This new memorial is mulit-dimensional, encompassing many mediums all with the same message. It is also Lin's last memorial, one that will hopefully make as lasting an impression on the world as her previous works.

Lin's message will become apparent from the moment you hit play. Let the film move you. It will make you think, make you want to make a difference. Understand you can make a difference. You will make a difference. I know you will.