Despite our knowledge that carbon emissions increase the growing risks from the effects of climate change that threatens the world’s environment, those emissions continue to increase. That is leading to calls to deploy carbon capture technologies sooner rather than later to help solve the problem. Among those technologies with the most promise of being effective are the mechanical trees first developed by ASU’s Center for Negative Carbon Emissions, directed by Fulton Schools Professor Klaus Lackner. The system works by attracting carbon dioxide like a magnet and absorbing it like a sponge. It is then stored underground or repurposed to make various products. Gary Dirks, chairman of Carbon Collect, commercial partner of the mechanical tree project, says the increase in carbon emissions appear likely to continue, so it’s time to accelerate efforts to put mechanical trees to work as soon, and in as many places, as possible.