Indonesia came up with a brilliant solution to fight deforestation and global warming while at the same time inciting a new symbolic tradition for newlyweds. The bridal gift is a sapling, and the new couple plants this baby tree together. The sapling symbolizes the couple's youth and oneness, and as they grow together in love so the tree will grow strong and mature. Like the couple will provide for and take care of each other in the decades to come, so the tree's branches will provide food and shelter for the animals of the forest, who depend on the tree as much as the tree depends on them.
Also, it's mandatory.
Indonesia is apparently #3 in greenhouse gas production (behind us and China), and deforestation is a big problem. Newlyweds must plant a total of 10 trees. The kicker is if you get divorced you have to plant 50 trees. Curb deforestation while cutting back on divorce rates. It's a win win!
It's estimated that 50 million trees are needed to start reversing the effects of over farming, and that's just in the city of Garut alone. Since the government doesn't have that kind of money (how much would 50 million saplings cost, anyway?) they decided to get those too-in-love-to-notice couples in on the fun and peg it as a symbolic gesture of their eternal and ever growing love. The Indonesian government is genius!
How the hell will they enforce that law though? Is it someone's job to monitor the tree population? I have some questions about this solution. Where will the trees be planted?
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