Trees are the lungs of our planet—we know that trees are needed because they sequester dangerous CO2 emissions, but do we really know how much we depend on them to clean the air we breathe? We don’t see trees and plants absorbing emissions as we trek through the forest or sit in our gardens, so it may be difficult for us to fully comprehend just how much trees do for us, and how important it is for us to save, conserve, and cultivate them.
To illustrate this, design office Carol Ratti Associati (CRA) and energy company Eni have erected Natural Capital in the historical botanical garden Orto Botanico di Brera in Milan. The impressive installation allows guests to see, in a beautiful way, exactly how much CO2 the plants in the garden capture and store.
Each of the tree species featured in the garden is coupled with a floating sphere displaying how much CO2 the trees absorb. The installation expands over upwards of 500 square meters of garden, making it appear as though the air is full of gigantic bubbles.
The aim is to make people understand just how much we owe to forests for decarbonizing our atmosphere to drive home the importance of protecting what trees we have left. To enter the garden, guests are greeted by a giant sphere that sits on the ground that shows the amount of CO2 the average human body produces annually, to further emphasize how much human beings need nature to survive on this planet.
Source image: Carol Ratti Associati/Marco Beck Peccoz
