1. They produce large amounts of oxygen and absorb large amounts of carbon dioxide, helping regulate the gases in Earth's atmosphere.
Trees are necessary for our survival. Through photosynthesis trees produce the all important gas we cannot live without: oxygen (O2). As we breathe in, our bodies take in oxygen and when we breathe out, we release carbon dioxide (CO2). Trees do the opposite. They take in CO2 and release O2. This cleans the air by removing poisonous CO2 so that people and animals can breathe.
Only plants produce enough new oxygen to support life on Earth. In one year, an average tree inhales 12 kilograms (26 pounds) of CO2 and exhales enough O2 to keep a family of four breathing for a year.
DID YOU KNOW…the rain forests generate about 40 per cent of the world's oxygen?
