Forestry practices, wildfires and, in small part, urbanization account for the rest. In Malaysia and Indonesia, forests are cut down to make way for producing palm oil , which can be found in everything from shampoo to saltines. In the Amazon, cattle ranching and farms—particularly soy plantations—are key culprits.
Loggers, some of them acting illegally , also build roads to access more and more remote forests—which leads to further deforestation. Forests are also cut as a result of growing urban sprawl as land is developed for homes. Not all deforestation is intentional. Some is caused by a combination of human and natural factors like wildfires and overgrazing, which may prevent the growth of young trees.
Deforestation affects the people and animals where trees are cut, as well as the wider world. That disruption leads to more extreme temperature swings that can be harmful to plants and animals. Yet the effects of deforestation reach much farther.
The South American rainforest, for example, influences regional and perhaps even global water cycles, and it's key to the water supply in Brazilian cities and neighboring countries. The Amazon actually helps furnish water to some of the soy farmers and beef ranchers who are clearing the forest.
In terms of climate change, cutting trees both adds carbon dioxide to the air and removes the ability to absorb existing carbon dioxide. If tropical deforestation were a country, according to the World Resources Institute , it would rank third in carbon dioxide-equivalent emissions, behind China and the U. The numbers are grim, but many conservationists see reasons for hope. A movement is under way to preserve existing forest ecosystems and restore lost tree cover.
Organizations and activists are working to fight illegal mining and logging—National Geographic Explorer Topher White, for example, has come up with a way to use recycled cell phones to monitor for chainsaws. In Tanzania, the residents of Kokota have planted more than 2 million trees on their small island over a decade, aiming to repair previous damage.
And in Brazil, conservationists are rallying in the face of ominous signals that the government may roll back forest protections.
For consumers, it makes sense to examine the products and meats you buy, looking for sustainably produced sources when you can. Nonprofit groups such as the Forest Stewardship Council and the Rainforest Alliance certify products they consider sustainable, while the World Wildlife Fund has a palm oil scorecard for consumer brands.
All rights reserved. Climate Deforestation Forests cover about 30 percent of the planet's land mass, but humans are cutting them down, clearing these essential habitats on a massive scale.
Biotic Factors of the Rain Forest. Examples Of Deforestation. The Disadvantages of Deforestation. Advantages and Disadvantages of Afforestation. Animals Losing Their Homes in the Rainforest. How to Reduce the Use of Natural Resources. The Importance of the Forest Ecosystem. Human Influences on the Temperate Rainforest. Scrub Oak Information. Environmental Problems Caused by Deforestation of Tropical How to Conserve Plants and Animals.
Natural Resources for People in the Savanna Grasslands. Every day, we use resources that forests provide to us, such as timber, firewood, medicinal and edible plants. Deforestation is happening everywhere on the planet for many different reasons that vary from region to region. Vast areas of rainforests in a number of tropical countries, including Indonesia, Brazil, and Malaysia, have been destroyed to make way for palm oil, soy plantations and cattle ranches. The increasing global demand for wood products threatens many ancient forests around the world, whether it is for paper products, furniture or fuel.
Ending deforestation is the best chance we have to stabilize our climate, save wildlife species and protect our well-being. Protecting the forest is our mutual responsibility, no matter how far away we live from the nearest one. Adopt some of these strategies to help prevent the loss of more trees. The most straightforward personal strategy to fight against deforestation is to plant a tree. Planting a tree could be considered a lifelong investment into the environment and your good mental health.
The cutting down of trees causes billions of tons of carbon dioxide a greenhouse gas to be released into the air. By planting trees, you are helping to combat global warming because trees absorb carbon dioxide. You are also helping to reduce run off water from the hills. Tree roots prevent landslides and rock slides that sometimes can harm animals, people or damage buildings. Planting and caring for trees is essential for the overall health and quality of life of the community.
Trees are known for their mind soothing and healing properties. Just walking through a forest and looking at the trees calms our mind, alleviates worries and helps tired eyes recover from strain.
The resulting 1, acres of forest inhabited by rhinos, tigers and elephants are astonishing. Trees also protect the island community from seasonal flooding and land erosion. So, this man has created a whole ecosystem from scratch, sustaining many lives through his consistent effort. For example, Antonio Vincente has replanted 50, trees on his 77 acres of land in the Amazon rainforest.
Similarly, Nkomo Sikenala is striving to encourage families in Malawi to plant trees around their houses by providing them tree seedlings at reduced cost. Join these inspiring people and start writing your own story of a life-giver. Plant a tree today. Two million trees are cut every day just to supply the paper demand of the United States. Globally, 40 percent of all timber is used to make paper products, and the demand for paper increases by two to three percent every year [3].
This means that the paper industry is still consuming more and more trees. Since the industry has such a high need for wood, it should come as no surprise that some part of the timber originates from illegal logging. By printing out every email and wasting paper, you are unwittingly spinning the wheel of illegal forest destruction.
Reduce your paper use when you can. This way, you will decrease your contribution to the loss of forests. Did you know that one ton 2, pounds of paper put to recycle prevents the cutting of 17 trees? These 17 trees then sequester around pounds of carbon dioxide from the air every single year [10]. If just 10 percent of all the paper used by the average American in one year were recycled, 25 million trees would be saved [11].
That makes million pounds of carbon dioxide absorbed by these trees in one year. Imagine how many trees you can save and how much good they perform for the quality of our lives by recycling all your paper. The same label can be found on many other daily use items like books, paper bags, egg packaging and even toilet paper.
By choosing items made from recycled paper, you make a conscious effort to lower the demand for more timber. Besides decreasing the need to cut more trees, your purchase is also supporting paper recycling facilities and reducing the amount of waste entering landfills.
Therefore, try to purchase your next notebook made from recycled paper and the environment will be very thankful. The same rule goes for furniture shopping. When buying a new piece of furniture, try to look first for already used pieces. You can often find real treasures for almost no cost. All they need is just a little bit of refurbishing. But this way you can obtain truly unique and personalized pieces for your interior.
For example, the wooden table on which my computer rests when writing this article is bought from a lady who had used it in her office for over 30 years. As a consumer, you can help reduce the demand for more logging especially illegal logging by ensuring that you only purchase products which are certified by the Forest Stewardship Council FSC.
The FSC is currently the best global standard in forest management, and provides a system for interested parties to work towards responsible forest management. While a small amount of palm oil may be sustainably produced, the majority comes from recently cleared land. Palm oil production has become one of the main causes of tropical rainforest destruction around the world today.
Avoiding products containing palm oil might not be easy, because it can be disguised in many different forms in numerous beauty products and food. If you cannot drop some of your favorite products with palm oil entirely, look at least for an alternative that carries a sustainable palm oil certification. To produce the same amount of protein from animal agriculture requires much larger areas of land compared to plant-based farming.
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