This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Derek Laan, 39, a senior program manager at Interlink, a global business development consultancy. His words have been edited for length and clarity. When I was a little kid, my favorite book was "The Lorax." It's about someone chopping down all the trees. I grew up in Minnesota, and when I was 12, there was a big forest by my house where I'd go hiking and mountain biking. One day, they tore down half of it to build houses. I remember