Interesting item in The New York Times, though it seems a shame (if the story is accurate) that the discussion of the wonderful Giving Tree concerned the silly issue of whether trees "deserve respect," as opposed to the central themes of the story, which concern the deforming effects of consumer culture on human aspirations and human flourishing.  But I guess if the philosophers had discussed the actual point of the story, it would not have been a fit subject for the readership.

(Thanks to Eddy Nahmias for the pointer.)