After a century living with a Californian seafront view, the tree that inspired Dr Seuss to pen The Lorax has basically given up on life.
No one knows exactly why it collapsed yet, but with all the depressing environmental news, can you blame it for ending the suffering?
The Dr Seuss classic warned: “You’re in charge of the last of the Truffula Seeds. And Truffula Trees are what everyone needs. Plant a new Truffula. Treat it with care. Give it clean water. And feed it fresh air.”
When the last Truffula in the book was chopped down, “The Lorax said nothing. Just gave me a glance … .as he lifted himself by the seat of his pants. And I’ll never forget the grim look on his face when he heisted himself and took leave of this place, through a hole in the smog, without leaving a trace.”
Just like Seuss himself, the tree – which is actually a Monterey Cypress and not a Truffula, if you were wondering – was a resident of La Jolla, San Diego.
Residents of La Jolla Cove have been raising the alarm about pollution and trash stench since last year, so it’s definitely possible that this cypress just couldn’t take it anymore.
Just to put the fallen tree into context, the Monterey Cypress species can live for up to 2000 years.
There’s still a silver lining though – the city plans to ‘repurpose’ the fallen trunk. Not sure how the Lorax would feel – he has a bit of a hang-up about making products out of trees.
The council also plans to plant a new sapling in its place.