I was once told that if you divided the amount of time that the Earth has existed into 24 hours, you would find that humans have only been here for a few seconds.

Seconds.

In that infinitesimally small portion of the world’s history, we’ve managed to almost completely destroy the planet. We cut down over 6 billion trees each year, we have killed off over 325 animal species (in the last 500 years), and dumped over 12 million metric tons of plastic in the ocean, and released countless chemical pollutants into the air.

The recent evisceration of trees on our campus serves as a sad reminder of the destructive force of humanity.

Cutting down trees is awful. Cutting down trees just as we are preparing to celebrate Earth Day is rather insulting.

Although I appreciate the school’s effort to improve the physical appearance of campus, the timing of the project could not be more insensitive.

Thankfully, according to Principal John Walker, the felled trees are scheduled to be replaced by the beginning of the next school year.

The world is already suffering from a climate shift that has the potential of ending much of the life that now exists on the planet. Cutting down the campus trees is just another small step in humanity’s slow but stead strangulation of the global ecosystem.

Not only does the school now look like the aftermath of a nuclear winter, but the people who made the executive decision to cut the trees down look equally empty.

The timing of the tree cutting is a fabulous example of irony. Not only because of its proximity to Earth Day, but also because one would think that a wealthy community like Moraga would have the funds to avoid such a depressing eyesore.

I think they should have used a gradual process, cutting down and replanting only a few trees at a time. Not only would this help sustain the environment, but it would also help sustain the emotional health of the students the campus is intended to serve.

As a wise man once said, “What we are doing to the forests of the world is but a mirror reflection of what we are doing to ourselves and to one another.” This wise man was Mahatma Gandhi, and if we can’t follow his lead, we will continue to destroy ourselves and our future.