Treeconomics

By J R Hampton

The ink seeped into the paper. The signature was clear. As the two Presidents shook hands, the world’s leaders applauded—they were all about to become extremely rich.

Some talked of how it would boost their country’s economy, others about how their industries could now compete on the global market. Some would invest in nuclear power, others in infrastructure.

Only two weeks previously, the first representative had visited in his machine. The President of the future wanted to make a deal. “For every tree, we will pay one million dollars.”

These days, they snorted, one has to invest in the future.