Santiago, Chile CNN —How do we mourn the death of one solitary tree, when whole forests burn down? I planted it almost three quarters of a century ago, when I was just 7 years old. If I never kept that promise to my tree, it was never far from my mind as the years passed. In all likelihood, that tree, planted by me as a child, has now been reduced to cinders. It’s a reminder to pay homage and give thanks to each and every tree that succumbs to this climate debacle.

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Persons: Ariel Dorfman, Ariel Dorfman Les Todd, Salvador Allende, Augusto Pinochet’s, Patricia Araya Organizations: Duke University, CNN, Chile CNN, Nacional Locations: Chilean American, Chile, Durham , North Carolina, Santiago, Texas, Australia, Colombia, California, Hawaii, New York, del Mar, Viña del