Perhaps you’ve heard of the Baobab. I hadn’t. It’s an endangered tree species found in Africa and South Asia, threatened by the drought that comes with climate change in those regions. I happen to think they’re quite beautiful… not elegant exactly though. Apparently the myth behind it is that the gods grabbed the baobab, tore it out of the ground, and then jammed it back into the earth upside down.
Perhaps you haven’t heard of the 350 Baobab, however. But that’s only because it was just launched a week ago in a small town in Hungary. It is with us now in Poznan, Poland, for the UNFCCC climate negotiations, and this baobab is definitely beautiful.
It’s beautiful in it’s artwork, thanks to our friends at Mendence Csoport, and it’s beautiful in its message. The inflatable tree has 10 holes in its trunk, spilling air and leaving the baobab’s branches to sag. When people can come together in cooperation, though, placing their hands over the holes, the tree comes to life, lifting up its branches.
Enjoy this video of the Baobab’s launch!