"The Natural Philosopher" wrote in message
...

If you go for I THINK anaerobic decomposition, the carbon in the tree or
plant eventually becomes carbon, or hydrocarbon..typically methane.

OK, but how's that gonna happen? Trees are surrounded by air, so there is
no way - in their natural environment - that there'll be much anaerobic
decomposition taking place.

Mind you, you definitely don't want any methane - it's a very potent global
warmer.

That is after all what carbon based fuels are..old swamps. silted over and
left to fester for a few million years.

Agreed, although the climatic conditions were very different back then. I
don't think there's much new peat or coal being formed these days, although
if you've got some links to supporting research, that would be great.

No, you can store it where it wont be subject to oxidation, thats all.

Typically underwater.

I don't think you mean "oxidation", do you? Anyway, didn't you say that
anaerobic decomposition would produce methane?

Whatever - I think we can both agree that thinking trees will absorb CO2 to
any significant extent is wrong, and designing environmental policies around
it is wrong, too. Whilst *some* of a dead tree *might* end up as peat or
carbon, most of it goes straight back to CO2.

SteveT