(March 25, 2011) Professor Cliff Ollier of the School of Earth and Environment at the University of Western Australia provides a lesson in rhyme we can all understand. He penned it in opposition to Australia‘s coming Carbon Tax, which brought the public out in rallies in opposition.

Photosynthesis
by Cliff Ollier

CO2 and H2O and sunlight
Are the reason we can eat our daily bread
CO2 and H2O and sunlight
Without the CO2 we’d all be dead

For plants store energy by making sugars
And other foods that bring us great delight.
It’s the basis of all life upon the planet
CO2 and H2O and light

Photosynthesis is what they call it,
Photo puts the emphasis on light
Synthesis means putting it together
CO2 and H2O and light.

The lion has an antelope for breakfast,
and the antelope, before his final fright,
Ate grass, which like all other vegetation,
Fixed CO2 and H2O and light.

The mighty whale eats krill to keep its weight up,
And the krill eat tiny plants, near out of sight,
And the tiny plants create the basic food store
From CO2 and H2O and light.

The food chain can be very complicated
With formulae to give a student fright,
But the basis of the chain is very simple –
It’s CO2 and H2O and light.

Now some say CO2 is a pollutant,
A poison we must always try to fight
But remember if you want to go on living –
You need CO2 and H2O and light!

CO2 and H2O and sunlight
Are the reason we can eat our daily bread
CO2 and H2O and sunlight
Without the CO2 we’d all be dead

Prof. Cliff Ollier
School of Earth and Environment
University of Western Australia
Nedlands, W.A. 6009
(08) 6488 2664