So, if you get divorced, can you chop them down?

From the Philippines, a whole new twist to getting wood.

Every other Thursday each month, a maximum of 15 pairs applying for marriage licenses go through the tree planting activity, she said.

As of June 30, 212 trees have been planted, Gan said.

Venus Sapul and Alvin Regencia, both in their early 20s, were part of the first batch of couples who planted trees in January.

They said they were “proud to have planted mahogany trees before their wedding day, even if it was inconvenient.”

The two said it was raining while they were digging holes for their plants.

Full story here

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goldie
July 11, 2011 9:59 pm

I’m sure it’s called a family tree (sorry).

Editor
July 11, 2011 10:15 pm

And I always thought “wood” was reserved for the 5th anniversary
But seriously, if you don’t subscribe to the hypothesis, does this mean you can’t get hitched in teh Philippines?

kwik
July 11, 2011 10:21 pm

Too bad it wasnt Indonesia. I think Norway paid Indonesia, was it 1 billion dollars for Indonesia not cutting down a some trees. Thats a lot of marriages!
I wonder what happens if they get a divorce?

Doug in Seattle
July 11, 2011 10:25 pm

I think planting of a tree to mark a marriage is a great idea. Too bad the politician had to invoke the climate BS and ruin what would otherwise be a perfect (and rather romantic) reminder to the couple of their great occasion.

Alan the Brit
July 11, 2011 10:36 pm

Was it actually a mahogony tree they planted? My knowledge is that there are only two types of mahogony tree, African & American. (AND I am perfectly happy to be corrected as usual). All others, such as Red Luan & Meranti are similar species, similar in colour, texture, workability, etc, but NOT the same!!! Is this a case of species transfer to other global areas – not terribly green one would think, or is it just the usual cover of this is “Phillipine Mahogony”, as the latter two species are often referred to? Interesting!

Chris
July 11, 2011 11:08 pm

There is no divorce in the Philippines thanks to the stranglehold the Catholic Church has on the country. Most of the country has been deforested by illegal logging, the country is infested with environmental NGOs who wouldn’t recognize a serious problem if it spat in their face, who achieve nothing except to hinder economic development as do watermelons everywhere.

July 11, 2011 11:11 pm

Well, I think it’s sweet. And we need more mahogany trees for veneer.

brc
July 11, 2011 11:15 pm

Ha, when I moved into my house, I chopped down about 12 trees.
They were shading my pool.
You could argue I affected co2 emissions by chopping down the trees. But then I have to run the pool pump less, due to the water not having leaves in it all the time. I’m pretty sure I’m net co2 positive.
I did plant a tree when my kids were born though. It’s not a bad thing to do.

kadaka (KD Knoebel)
July 11, 2011 11:40 pm

From the article:

The ordinance provides that the couple must attend the lecture on tree planting and solid waste management which is incorporated in the pre-marriage counseling (PMC) seminar undergone by couples seeking to secure marriage licenses at the municipal hall of Gloria, 65 kilometers from this city.
Maria Teresa Valera, municipal environment and natural resources officer (Menro), a lecturer during the PMC, said she would tell couples that proper waste management starts in the home.
“If other lecturers tell you not to separate, I’d say you should separate (the biodegradable from the non-biodegradable),” she added.

Among all the things that are so important for future wedded couples to know that it is justified to require them to be educated about the subject, somehow separating the could-be-rotting from the never-rotting garbage doesn’t seem all that important.
Do they also make sure they know about turning off unused lights? Gee, these days it’d be more important to make sure they know the proper way to clean up broken CFL’s. New couples, the possible exposure to dangerous mercury vapors by expectant mothers and young children… Now that they should know about!

David Falkner
July 12, 2011 12:00 am

Why do you get the monopoly on the double entendre? Not fair I say. I guess it is your blog, or I would comment on twisting the wood. Monopolist.
As to the subject matter, wtf? If you are concerned, why not just come up with a number of necessary trees and plant them? Why wait for couples to get married?

Richard111
July 12, 2011 12:10 am

As a commenter states above – “not a bad idea”.
How is this for a bad idea? Some countries in Africa chop down trees and turn them into charcoal which is sold to the UK for use in barbecues!

rbateman
July 12, 2011 12:27 am

The trees will outlive the couples if not cut.
Some trees will outlast entire millenia.

July 12, 2011 12:46 am

It’s an endless exercise here in the Philippines, of yearly and endless tree planting. Among the biggest tree planting scam was the multi-million $ nationwide reforestation projects funded by ADB, WB and OECF (Japan govt) loans from the mid-80s to early 90s. We keep paying for some of those loans until now while the forests they’re supposed to create are nowhere to see.
The WWF boasts that the Philippines is always #1 worldwide in its estimated number of participants for its annual “Earth Hour”. I’ve challenged the WWF, Earth Hour and Greenpeace leaders here to a public debate on climate, they are all cowards, they cannot reply. See here, http://funwithgovernment.blogspot.com/2011/03/earth-hour-lunacy-part-3.html.

Steve C
July 12, 2011 12:52 am

At lease they’re not insisting on bristlecones … oh, no, I forgot. You only need one of those.

CodeTech
July 12, 2011 1:03 am

It’s a good thing Humans exist to plant all these trees.
Not like they ever grew without us planting them…

Realist
July 12, 2011 1:10 am

The fact is that the Philippines Government has developed a “cargo cult” attitude to Climate Change. Al Gore travelled over there last year and promised them billions in aid if they supported the cause. Thats a bribe in any court.
Having their “hand out for everything” attitude from all Philippines governments plays right into the hands of socialists.
As we all know, never trust the world of any socialist. Hitler, Stalin, Mao and Pol Pot come into mind.
I have seen subsistance wooden boat fisherman banned from fishing their own grounds by a New Zealand Grant. Kiwis would be horrified what their grant acheived, zilch and pain for poorest people in Philippines.
Go Greenies. Stop Warming by starving people to death.

July 12, 2011 3:22 am

I used this story in my new article on how climate alarmists now fight each other over the multi-billion dollars “green climate fund”, http://funwithgovernment.blogspot.com/2011/07/climate-stupidity-15-fight-among.html. The big environmental NGOs want the WB to get out of handling such huge tax money. They want to handle it themselves perhaps.

G. Karst
July 12, 2011 7:58 am

Makes perfect sense to me… Forests are like marriages and require lots of “wood” to be successful! GK

John F. Hultquist
July 12, 2011 8:51 am

Steve C says:
July 12, 2011 at 12:52 am
At lease they’re not insisting on bristlecones … oh, no, I forgot. You only need one of those.

YAD061 was a Siberian Larch – Larix sibirica
http://wattsupwiththat.com/2009/10/02/a-hands-on-view-of-tree-growth-and-tree-rings-one-explanation-for-briffas-yad061-lone-tree-core/
I live near where Western Larch (Larix occidentalis) grow and have coaxed some to about 25 feet next to my house. I don’t dislike bristlecones – they just don’t grow here. Respect the Larch!

Brian H
July 12, 2011 4:07 pm

Richard111 says:
July 12, 2011 at 12:10 am
As a commenter states above – “not a bad idea”.
How is this for a bad idea? Some countries in Africa chop down trees and turn them into charcoal which is sold to the UK for use in barbecues!

Excellent! High CO2 production all ’round.
2,100 ppm by 2100!
About separating, btw: more or less useless, though bio-d stuff rots faster and makes its CO2 and CH4 available faster, which is good.