Deforestation Disaster

Madison McCann
Deforestation has been a issue that has been devastating the earth for decades. Our beautiful forests cover 31% of the land on earth. The forests give vital oxygen for all of the earth, as well as providing homes for both animals and people.


 According to the World Wildlife foundation, over 1.6 billion people rely on the forests for freshwater, clothing, food, medicine, and shelter. On top of that most of the threatened and endangered species live in the forests. But due to deforestation we are losing 18.7 million acres of forest each and every year, think about 27 soccer fields every minute.  Every minute the forests shrink due to fires, clear-cutting, ranching, development, logging for timber, and even climate change plays a role in the degradation.
This problem is hitting our rainforests the hardest being where most of our biodiversity comes from. as they hold over half of our worlds Species of animals, plants, and insects. 



The amazon on its own has lost over 20% of its original mass in the last 50 years this is a horrific number. The Amazon rainforest on its own provides ⅕ of the global oxygen. But almost daily more and more of the forest is cut and cleared for both timber and land for raising herd animals. Slowly but surely humans are pushing animals to the edges of their habitat leading to the displacement of both the natives and the animals.
And if the amazon is not bad enough to earn your concern, look at America itself. America has lost 90% of our national forests and our green spaces are shrinking regularly. This problem should not be ignored or swept under the rug, the prevention of Deforestation as well as the rehabilitation of our national forest is a step in helping fight against the worsening effects of climate change.
Since I was a child watch Crocodile hunter Steve Irwin, David Attenborough and all of the other shows of animal planet, i have been obsessed with the natural life of earth. I wish to one day to see the natural wonders of the world with my own eyes, but I fear that my chance is slowly slipping away. Let alone the next generations chances.
Why should we care about deforestation? Is it even worth saving? Is it too late to fix the damage done?


Comments

Anonymous said…
I totally believe that deforestation is a problem that can be combated, but the truth is that people do not care enough, or they simply are not informed about the problem. Every single day, my parents complain about the deforestation that happened to the area where I live, on Skillern road. Right outside the turn to my neighborhood, there was a vast, wonderful forest and clay lake......6 years ago. Since then, the land was purchased by Toll Brothers, and a large house popped up for every 20 or 30 trees that was cut down. The lake became much more polluted, and that area lost all of its beauty. Now, everyday, I hear my parents complain about the ruined sunset and cut down trees. We need to care about deforestation because this is the world future generations will live in, and we want our offspring to have all the same resources, if not better, than what we had. Education is the most important factor to combating this problem, and we need to teach the younger generation how to take care of these plants, as well as spread awareness about deforestation. I also believe that some type of legislation needs to be put in place in order to stop the cutting down of trees in suburban and urban areas. It is definitely not too late to fix the damage done.
March 5, 2019 at 10:37 AM
Anonymous said…
Deforestation is definitely an issue, but I think it can be fixed. Most people don’t necessarily care about deforestation because they do not live in a geographic location where they would feel the effects of it. However, people should care more about deforestation because the oxygen that trees provide benefits everyone on earth. To fix this issue, we would first have to slow down the rate we are cutting down trees, and then implement a large effort to re plant many of the lost trees. I think we owe it to future generations to fix the issues of deforestation. If deforestation continues at the current rate, future generations won’t be able to experience the natural beauty that previous generations got to experience.
March 6, 2019 at 8:17 AM
Anonymous said…
Forests provide humans and animals with services essential to the earth. Trees have always been vital, but humans seem to desire having more economic advances over the preservation of them. Cutting trees less frequently and replanting more than we cut can really improve the mass number of trees decreasing to stay steady. We have to care about deforestation because the forests that are being cut down often provide rain water filtering, clean the air, are a sink for elements, and they help maintain the climate. With the climate change situation going on the trees will help rather than hurt the climate. Developed nations seem to have a direct correlation with being rich and having less trees. Countries where there is poverty are more likely to have more forests. If we help these developing countries we may be able to cut down our production of items from trees and equally disperse the load someday when they can fully support themselves.
March 6, 2019 at 8:22 AM
Anonymous said…
Deforestation is an issue that is being talked about quite extensively. Although I’ve heard so much about it, the soccer filed analogy really hit me to how much of forests are cut down. The issue has been something I even noticed in my own backyard. My backyard faces the creek and surrounding trees and reclently some people have been cutting through the trees giving a cleaner look. I would understand a trim, but most of these trees are cut down to look the trees in the Lorax with only the stumps left there. That alone shouldn’t be a reason to save it, however since trees give us oxygen, a necessity to live, we should definitely be more aggressive in attaining the perfect world and have ample trees. Now that being said, the damage is done, so we should move on and plant triple the amount of trees cut down and follow the example of countries who planted trees in huge amounts such as Canada or Finland.
March 6, 2019 at 12:37 PM
Anonymous said…
Deforestation can have catastrophic effects if we are not careful. Deforestation causes greenhouse gases to be released, which has a direct effect on global warming. In addition, countless ecosystems are being destroyed because of deforestation. As you mentioned, the Amazon rainforest provides about 20% of our oxygen, which not only affects us but also every other species besides us. Deforestation is clearly worth saving as it has detrimental consequences. I think we are nearing the point where we cannot fix the damage we caused, but there is still time. By expanding outward at a slower rate, we can slow deforestation down significantly.
March 7, 2019 at 7:29 AM
Anonymous said…
Deforestation is already having detrimental consequences on our earth. Not only is it destroying habitats and important ecosystems, it is severely harming the production of atmospheric oxygen. We get many of our oxygen from rainforests, especially in the amazon. However, due to human actions, the amazon is only a portion of what it once was. It all comes down to education. Many people don’t know just how important our forests are, or don’t want to believe that their own actions could have such detrimental effects on the environment.
March 7, 2019 at 9:32 AM
Anonymous said…
Deforestation is an important issue that is taught in everywhere therefore I think that people are informed about this topic but simply don’t care about it. We know that trees provide oxygen for us and that we are depleting it by deforestation. Honestly I think people are selfish because we know this will mostly effect th future generations rather than us. It’s that thought that a few can’t hurt . I think we must change our mind sets this does concern us and this is happening now. We must learn to take responsibility for our actions.
March 7, 2019 at 10:24 AM
Anonymous said…
Deforestation is very bad news for the environment and for the climate. It is bad news for biodiversity and releases greenhouses gases into the atmosphere – we know that and we astill chose to do nothing. But the science is increasingly certain that deforestation is bad for agriculture too. It causes increases in temperatures as well as changes in rainfall patterns which generally create a drier climate. This is detrimental to agriculture and can decrease the crop yield. Agriculture can be disrupted by temperature extremes. For example some crop plants cannot withstand very high temperatures. Delayed rainy seasons, too little or too much rainfall, infrequent and intense rainfall all have an effect as well. As you can see, food production can be hurt terribly because of deforestation and we need to make a change.
March 7, 2019 at 10:28 AM
Anonymous said…
Deforestation is a major problem for the world. We should care about deforestation because trees are our main source of oxygen and without it, we wouldn’t be living right now. And it is definitely worth the saving. I don’t think its too late to fix the damage that is done. By planting more trees and maintaining our trees right now, we can see process. The fix wouldn’t be done overnight, but if we are consistent , I believe we can prevent even more harm.
March 7, 2019 at 11:39 AM
Anonymous said…
We should, without the slightest doubt, be concerned about the degradation of our forests. They not only provide life for animals within them, but also life for us through their production of oxygen and removal of CO2. The trees act as the lungs of our earth, and by continuing to remove forests the Earth slowly begins to deteriorate, like a person would if they smoked often. We need to consider the massive implications of deforestation otherwise, we might not live long enough to see our grandchildren.
March 7, 2019 at 12:15 PM
Anonymous said…
Deforestation is probably one of the most dangerous problems we face in terms of the environment. I think a lot of people see deforestation as a huge problem that we can’t do anything about but the truth is that deforestation is a problem right here in our neighborhood. I remember when a large plot of mane near my house was just land with a few horses living there. A few years ago, they moved out the horses and plants that lived there to build a new neighborhood. These little things add up and impact the planet in a huge way. We have to start cutting down less trees and planting more to make up for decades of deforestation.
March 7, 2019 at 8:25 PM
Anonymous said…
Deforestation is an issue that we hear a lot about, and besides maybe planting a tree once a year on Earth Day, we are doing almost nothing to fix it. I liked the soccer field issustaryion that was used because it is easy to visuallize. That is crazy! Yes, timber is a renewable resource, but that does not mean we do not need to use it sustainably. We are using it faster that it can come back. Not to mention, we are destroying homes of animals who also benefit us just like the trees. Many people do not live near places where these big valuable forests are, so they do not feel a need to fix this issue, but it does affect all of us. Ways we could fix this issue is reusing wood so the demand for fresh cut wood decreases. Another solution would be planting forests for the sole purpose of harvesting timber so that we are not disturbing the natural forests when we harvest wood.
March 8, 2019 at 7:37 AM
Anonymous said…
Deforestation is defiantly one of the most prominent issues today involving the enviorment. It is common for many areas that were previously wild to transform into the suburbs that we live in today. My parents told me how when they first moved to Flower Mound, it was originally farmland and forests. The roads were very small and not very well kept and the population was nothing compared to what it is today. Flower Mound transformed into a thriving community; however, it was at the cost of many enviorments. I believe that it is important to stop deforestation or at least find an alternate method that conserves habitats. If we let deforestation get out of hand, we will lose a multitude of species and CO2 emissions will become to immense. If we want future generations to see the enviorment then we have to change our techniques now.
March 15, 2019 at 2:52 PM
Anonymous said…
Deforestation is definitely a problem that we must consider putting effort in to fix it. As the post says, forests are in a significant part of providing the oxygen as well as converting the CO2 into oxygen. If we do not carefully think about this problem and try to fix it, it would be almost impossible to return to our normal state on earth. I feel like most importantly, we must be able to inform all the people around the world about this problem and try to fix it together. For an example, we could try to plant more plants in making new forests and environments. If we put more effort in, then we could further get more oxygen.
March 18, 2019 at 10:21 AM
Amogh Gokhale said…
I feel that this is an example of the tragedy of the commons. It shows that many industries and corporations will value profits in the short term rather than the over all well being of the ecosystem. It displaces many animals, and can lead to extinction. I think that even though most countries protect certain areas of land, it's is necessary to prevent such massive deforestation on this scale to help boost our worlds economy, and bring back thriving ecosystems that took millions of year to get there.
March 18, 2019 at 3:24 PM
Anonymous said…
I can’t believe that 90% of the US forest land mass has been lost. It is scary to think about how much of a threat our population is to the world and how many people do not take deforestation seriously because there a “bigger” issues. Many people are simply not informed about the effects of deforestation, leading to more damage and environmental disasters because we do not understand the reality of cutting down trees for our needs. It is important that our society begins to educate more people aboutthe importance of deforestation, especially in schools and colleges to educate students from a young age about how we can prevent deforestation, A major issue with deforestation is that much of society values industrial output and companies more than the environment, when the environment should take precedence because it needs to last for generations to come.
March 19, 2019 at 7:10 AM
Anonymous said…
Although much of the population is aware that deforestation is harmful to the environment, many are not sure as to why. Apart from the fact that various species have their habitats destroyed, there are many other effects that come from cutting down too many trees. If we are able to educate and provide reasoning behind why deforestation is a big issue, I believe that it is possible to lower the level of production in the tree cutting business. Despite the public’s demand for large amounts of wood, I find it important that people realize the harmful effects of over harvesting trees.
March 19, 2019 at 10:21 AM
Anonymous said…
Deforestation is probably one of the most disappointing things humans are doing to the planet. The forests and jungles of our planet provide so much to us from clean water, interesting animals and even medicines. In the case of the amazon, the local tribes have discovered all kinds of things from just relying on the forest. We are losing so much more than we are gaining as humanity continues to deplete our forests.
March 19, 2019 at 11:36 AM
Anonymous said…
Deforestation is a problem that could definitely be fixed, but a large majority of humans on Earth do not care about it. It seems like most people do not realize how much life and diversity is ruined due to deforestation, and it absolutely amazes me that 27 soccer fields length of forests is being destroyed every minute. Programs should be implemented in workplaces or schools that allows people to know how important and detrimental deforestation is. We are killing our supply of trees by cutting down more than we grow. To repair this would take decades, and we need to work together to plant more trees than we grow.
March 19, 2019 at 3:27 PM
Anonymous said…
Deforestation is a tragic, but completely solvable problem. As stated, 1.6 billion people rely on forests to provide them with crucial services, but this does not necessarily mean that they all recognize the forests as being so important. Many people take it for granted and don't pay much attention to deforestation. On top of that, the other proportion of the world that don't rely on forests have even more of a reason to turn a blind eye to the issue. As with many other environmental issues, we need to spread awareness much better than we're doing right now. Also, it is good practice to plant trees whenever some are cut down so that we never run out of a supply of timber and the other services provided by forests. While it may take a while to restore the forests to their natural state, it can be done and is critical to society.
March 19, 2019 at 5:33 PM
Anonymous said…
This issue seems to be constantly addressed, and yet nothing is done to change it. We all know that using less paper can help, but there are many other ways to help end deforestation that need to be advertised, such as only buying products from companies who use these trees in a sustainable way. Clear cutting must be avoided if change is to happen. While deforestation poses a great threat, it is pretty simple to combat since trees are a renewable resource. New trees can always be planted, but for that to happen humans need to be willing to step in and make a change. People need to realize that deforestation affects them more than they may think. It’s a common misconception that cutting down trees only affects the nature where the trees were located, but it in fact leads to carbon emissions which is messing with weather patterns. For all these reasons, change must happen.
March 19, 2019 at 7:13 PM
Anonymous said…
The problem of deforestation is mainly a political one. For example, soy farms were a major cause of deforestation of the Amazon in the early naughties, but have been reduced considerably since it was outlawed. Additionally, a corrupt government will not fight deforestation, as corruptness leads to illegal logging. It's not that corporations want to cut down forests: it's that they want to do the cheapest thing possible. Big corporations certainly have the money to practice sustainable logging, but they'd have more money if they didn't. Once more laws are passed, deforestation will be a thing of the past, like slavery.
March 19, 2019 at 10:46 PM
Anonymous said…
Deforestation is a huge problem in society today, however, there are still somethings we can do. By using less tree products just like paper poducts. Sustainable ways to cut trees are not very popular among tree-cutting companies. For example, a huge setback in the tree industry is clear cutting. In order for sustainability to occur, clear cutting must be stopped.
March 20, 2019 at 10:19 AM
Anonymous said…
Forests cover around 31 percent of the world, therefore much importance has to be given to taking care of them. Even if deforestation occurs, it should occur in a sustainable so that future generations can breath rich oxygen like us. Forests also have a vital role in mitigating climate change as they are carbon sinks, thus soaking up much of the carbon dioxide that would just be free in the air otherwise. The trees of this Earth are the lungs of this Earth so they need to be sustained.
March 20, 2019 at 11:27 AM
Anonymous said…
Forests play a major role as it regulates precipitation and flood. They supply vital food products and shelters to medicines and other essential goods. Forest provide a huge beneficial impact to our enviornment and it is definitely worth saving. We can’t change the past but we can start saving trees by putting a stop to the use of fossil fuels. We can cut down the use of fossil fuels to make for the loss of forests and other natural resources. This will help us save more than half of the world’s forest. Cutting down on the usage of fossil fuels provides another main benefit. It helps to reduce the amount of Carbon Dioxide in the atmosphere. If we do not cut down on the use of fossil fuels, then it will be very difficult for the enviornment to recover from deforestation.
March 20, 2019 at 3:37 PM
Anonymous said…
It’s true and very clear that deforestation is already a huge problem having extremely negative affects on our planet, but I think it’s very solvable and we can prevent any further damage if people are willing to change their ways. However, even with this being an important topic, not enough people are educated on it, which means change will not happen. We need to make a change, fast, and I think involving the government is the way to do that. Our forests provide so much for us humans as well as animals so we must do our best to save them.
March 21, 2019 at 3:47 PM
Anonymous said…
Why should we care about deforestation? No, the real question is why would we NOT care about deforestation? We've all been taught from a young age that plant life, such as trees, release the oxygen we breathe on a daily basis. If we want the human population to continue surviving let alone other organisms that breathe oxygen, its definitely worth saving. There should be more laws pertaining to more trees being planted in suitable climates. Trees are beautiful living organisms that provide so much for us that we need to return the favor.
March 21, 2019 at 6:12 PM
Anonymous said…
Deforestation is a problem that has plagued us for a very long time, and that’s a BIG problem. Trees are one of the most important parts of our lives. Trees give us oxygen, which is pretty vital to our lives, right. If more laws and restrictions are put in place to stop the rapid deforestation happening to our forests, then we can help prevent the extinction of species all around the world, including humans.
March 22, 2019 at 10:48 AM
Anonymous said…
Deforestation has been happening for a while, and it is causing bad effects. There are fairly simple ways to fix it, but no one seems to care that much because they don't see the immediate effects. Businesses don't want to decrease their tree cutting because it will lose them money. Government regulation seems to be the only way to globally reduce deforestation, but until all the countries work together and agree that it's an issue, deforestation will continue.
March 23, 2019 at 8:15 PM
Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

What's the deal with airline food?

Image
Paula Cao You ever notice how airline food tastes like your dentist's waiting room floor? You have your little bowl of pasta, and it looks like they fished it out your sink drain. And you can't bring food onto the plane, so you're stuck with either hours of not eating the food or hours of wishing you hadn't eaten the food. And they spend half an hour pushing the little cart and blocking the aisle so you can't get to the bathroom, which strangely enough, smells exactly like what you just ate. But even worse than eating airline food (hard to believe) is the waste airline food generates. The last time I was on a plane, I had two meals. Everything was individually wrapped: the bread, the main course, two sides, even the Kit-Kat bar that was already in a wrapper. Everything came in these plastic containers. Seems like a ton of waste. Every tray of food brought onto the plane is thrown away, even if no one eats it (due to health concerns), which is quite wasteful....
Read more

What We Can Recycle

Image
Ryan Oh Recycling. An option that all of us can directly take that, supposedly, shouldn’t be very hard to do. I mean, so often we are told to recycle what we can, but of those times how many resulted in the recycling of un-recyclable items? Yes, recycling technology has been improved upon, and now we have a wider array of recyclable options, however there are still many items that are thought to be recyclable but are not. For example, plastic bags. Yes, these can be recycled it’s just how we recycle them. By gathering recyclables in plastic bags or recycling the baggies in general, we cause problems for recycling equipment resulting in jams, contamination of paper bales, and interference in compost facilities. What we can do to prevent plastic bags from becoming our demise is to give them to recycling programs that focus exclusively on them. Oftentimes, grocery stores offer plastic bag pick-up and drop-off programs. If you don’t have such a grocery store near you, keep a bag collec...
Read more

Land Pollution Is Not The Solution

Image
Rishit Podder Land Pollution We talk about water and air pollution all the time but land pollution as well as a big impact on the environment as it is continuously polluted and vulnerable. Land pollution simply means degradation of the earth’s surface as a result of human activities like mining, littering, deforestation, industrial, construction and agricultural activities. Land pollution can have a huge environmental impact in the form of air pollution and soil pollution which in turn can have an adverse effect on human health. There are many causes of land pollution, but the main concern is deforestation and soil erosion. Deforestation results in dry land which mean that it can never be fertile again. The problem with that is that the land will eventually become unstable for farming and other crops. In addition, the land will also become polluted by heavy metals such as lead and mercury. It is estimated that over 50 percent of all earth's surface water has been polluted b...
Read more