I can recall being baffled in sixth grade, reading two very unique facts during our first history session. One was that dry paper still has a substantial amount of water or moisture within. The other was that the papyrus plant (or cyperus papyrus), which was grown in Ancient Egypt around the Nile river, was used for writings as early as 3000 BC.

Not only that, papyrus continued to be the source for writing material for the next 4,000 years to follow. The best part, which was really inspiring for me, was the fact that the word ‘paper’ was actually derived from the word ‘papyrus’.

We have come a long way since then.

Paper-making also advanced from the cutting-and-pasting-sheets era, to one in which wood pulp is used in a more structured manner as far as industrial processes are concerned.

One of the grave repercussions of globalisation and infrastructure development, however, has been the resultant diminishing of forests. Commercially viable cash crops — such as coffee, cotton, wheat and soya bean — replacing forests is believed to have further worsened soil erosion. Coupled with the cutting down of trees to meet the rising wood and paper demand, this has only resulted in worsening issues such as global warming, excessive emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases, and even planetary flooding, for that matter.

Plants can add much more to our daily lives than just what we can harvest from them…

You may have seen an awareness message being used as a signature at the end of many corporate emails and even from individuals suggesting to reconsider printing that email. The message suggests that since a tree somewhere might be cut down to make paper, paper should be judiciously used to save the environment. Whether this gesture actually makes an impact and deters its readers — apart from those who are already part of that ‘cult’ known as environmentalists — from needlessly using paper, remains debatable.

Here I am listing down some amazing attributes of plants which you may have already come across and that may be considered as their by-products rather than their harvests:

PALM LEAVES

Early in the morning, when I would go to school, I would be awestruck watching our school sweeper use a fallen-off dried palm leaf as a broom, to sweep the two massive grounds and assembly areas in the school. Had he been using traditional brooms used in homes and offices, it would have taken him an entire day or two! You may have also seen many roadside tea hotels using the same leaves as a thatched roof for their customers, blocking direct harsh sunlight.

OKRA FLOWERS

The attractive and colourful okra flowers are a favourite in many cuisines, especially Caribbean cuisine. It is used as a garnish and for decorating salad bowls. The distinct purple and yellow shades make the healthy diet more visually appealing.

BANANA LEAVES

Banana leaves are edible, but not commonly consumed. However, the leaves are used as and instead of dining plates in Sri Lankan and South Indian cuisine. The banana leaves are also used as a wrap when preparing different aromatic meals and desserts with steam-based recipes.

MEDICINAL HERBS, PLANTS AND TREES

Considered an alternative to traditional allopathic medicines, the centuries-old Ayurvedic line of treatment and other herbal treatments are both mostly dependent on naturally growing herbs, underground edibles, leaves, flowers, barks or stems of plants and trees.

In fact, many allopathic medicines are themselves made from plant derivatives, including those being used directly, indirectly or as a support treatment for blood pressure management, heart-related issues, anti-cancer treatments, skin disorders or even as pain-killers, laxatives, anti-inflammatory drugs and anti-malarial medicines, to name a few. Even today, rubbing turmeric paste is believed to relieve arthritis pain in patients suffering from inflammation, and also to whiten the skin of a bride-to-be.

HERBAL TEAS AND DRINKS

Many herbal drinks, teas, infusions and concoctions are prepared globally generally from flowers and leaves of different herbs. These mixtures may be used as a healthy tonic for rejuvenation, for cleansing and detoxifying or even for recreation. We will cover the plants used for this purpose in a separate article some time later.

From providing cool shadows for resting during scorching afternoons to their massive fruit-laden branches providing children a space to hang their swings; from generating sweet-smelling flowers to creating an abode for birds and animals, to just beautifying the space, trees and plants have many other useful applications other than just the meagre yield and produce of their harvest and daily consumption. Let’s not cut them down, and let’s play our part in saving our planet.

Please send your queries and emails to doctree101@hotmail.com. The writer is a physician and host of the YouTube channel ‘DocTree Gardening’ that promotes organic kitchen gardening

Published in Dawn, EOS, April 23rd, 2023