December 2001: The Green Morning Summary

Benjamin Driscoll, a 31-year-old Mars settler from Earth, has been allowed to oxygenate the new planet by planting thousands of trees. Spurred by his initial reaction to the thin air, which almost caused those in charge to send him back to Earth, Driscoll has been given a motorcycle, and hundreds of thousands of seeds. For thirty days, he has planted as many seeds as possible, but the rains have not yet come for the results of his efforts to be seen. As he lies by a fire after a long day of planting on the thirtieth day, Driscoll begins to feel the rain. Following a torrential two-hour rainstorm, day breaks, and Driscoll looks back along his planting route. He sees thousands of trees, nearly full grown and still visibly sprouting new limbs, growing for miles. He takes...