My little sister, Maya, was pacing around the living room, clearly worried about something. "We’re going to run out of oxygen!” she declared dramatically. “We breathe it in and breathe out carbon dioxide all the time. Isn’t it going to run out eventually? What will we do then?”

I couldn’t help but laugh, but I quickly realised she was serious. "Maya," I said, "don't worry. We have plant allies who’ve got this under control."

"Plants?" she said, her eyebrows raised.

"Yep! Here's how it works: when we breathe out carbon dioxide, plants take it in. They use sunlight and water to turn it into their food through something called photosynthesis. And the best part? While making food, they release oxygen back into the air. It’s like a giant, invisible trade deal—our carbon dioxide for their oxygen. So, the more plants we have, the better this exchange works!"

Maya seemed intrigued but not entirely convinced. "So, we just have to take care of the plants?”

"Exactly! That’s one reason to plant trees, keep forests safe, and not take green spaces for granted. Every tree is like a little oxygen factory. Pretty cool, huh?"

Maya nodded thoughtfully. “Okay, I’ll stop freaking out. But does that mean I can stop doing my chores if I promise to take care of the plants?”

Nice try, Maya. But the plants and the chores both need you.