Deforestation: The most rising issue.

Deforestation refers to the decrease in forest areas across the world that are lost for other uses such as agricultural croplands, urbanization, or mining activities. Greatly accelerated by human activities since 1960, deforestation has been negatively affecting natural ecosystems, biodiversity, and the climate.

You can find examples of deforestation in far too many places today. Take for example the Amazon Rainforest in South America. Twenty percent of it has been lost over the last forty years . In addition to being a source of timber, trees are cut to make room for cattle and soy farms.

The main causes of deforestation are:

1 Mining. The increase of mining on tropical forests is furthering damage due to the rising demand and high mineral prices.

2.Paper.
3 Overpopulation.
4 Logging.
5 Agriculture Expansion & Livestock Ranching.
6 Cattle ranching and deforestation are strongest in Latin America.
7 Climate Change

Effects of Deforestation:

Increased Greenhouse Gas Emissions. Trees help to mitigate carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas emissions, but they become carbon sources once they’re cut, burned, or otherwise removed. It’s estimated that deforestation is responsible for around 20% of greenhouse gas emissions and 1.5 billion tons of carbon is released every year by tropical deforestation.
Acidic Oceans. The oceans are becoming more acidic with an increased supply of carbon dioxide from deforestation and burning fossil fuels. Oceans are already 30 percent more acidic since the Industrial Revolution, putting ocean species and ecosystems at an extreme risk.
Loss of Species. Orangutans, giant pandas, rhinos, and the Asian elephant are just a few of hundreds of endangered species due to deforestation. Removing trees thins the forest canopy which is meant to block sun rays during the day and holds in the heat at night. This damaging disruption leads to extreme temperature swings that are harmful to plants and animals. Many animals, insects, and plants lose their habitats and may become endangered and even go extinct.
Life Quality Decrease. Millions of people in the world depend on forests for hunting, small-scale agriculture, gathering, and medicine. Common materials we use every day such as latex, cork, fruit, nuts, natural oils, and resins are found in the tropical forests. Deforestation disrupts the lives of millions of people. In Southeast Asia, deforestation has contributed to social conflict and migration. Poor people from Brazil have been lured from their villages to soy plantations where they can be abused and forced, at gunpoint, to work under inhumane conditions.
How You Can Help
You’ve already helped by reading this far and educating yourself! Next, there are a few things you can do to help further:
- Educate Others. Many are completely unaware of this global problem we’re facing. By educating your friends, family, and community of the facts, by cause and effect you’ll increase awareness and make an impact.
- Use Renewable Wood Resources. We can plant trees as a source of wood or use wood from second-growth forests. Looking for a job? Contact your local tree-planting organization! Sustainable, locally sourced wood can be used and charcoal for cooking or heating homes is a great alternative to fossil fuels—if locally sourced.
- Eat Less Meat. Agriculture is the leading cause of deforestation. This one’s hard for some people and may actually be dangerous but even having a meatless Monday or only eating meat for one meal a day will make an extreme impact on the environment.
- Forest-derived Products. Make sure they’re 100% post-consumer content materials.
- Reduce Consumption. Palm oil is in absolutely everything but a quick peek at the ingredients is a simple habit to get into. Soybeans are another deforestation hotspot but try finding ways to reduce consumption, avoiding it completely, or opting for organic, local (if possible) soy products.
- Reduce Paper Consumption. Opt for recycled paper products, including printing paper, notebooks, napkins, toilet paper, etc. Simple habits to try are printing/writing on both sides of the paper, using less toilet paper, avoiding paper plates and napkins.
- Forest-Friendly Policies. Purchase from companies who are committed to reducing deforestation.
- Purchase from Sustainable Companies. Loreal, Asian Pulp and Paper, Unilever, Hershey, Disney, Wilmar International are deforestation-free.
- Forestry Certification. If buying products from virgin forest fiber, make sure it bears a seal from a credible forestry certification system. Such as the Forest Stewardship Council.
Although many will most likely say that their individual purchasing decision will have a minimal impact, it is all of our responsibility to understand and educate others about the environmental effects of deforestation.
Deforestation Facts
28,000 species may go extinct in the next quarter century due to excessive deforestation. Rainforests contain the highest levels of biodiversity in the world, and without a diverse world, life will be unable to thrive. Diversity leads to unique adaptations and evolution and allows organisms to rely on each other to survive.
Soil erosion, floods, and wildlife extinction increase in global warming.
20% of the world's oxygen is produced in the Amazon rainforest.
There are more than 121 natural remedies in the rain forest are used as medicine.
25% of cancer-fighting organisms are found in the Amazon.
4500 acres of forests are cleared hourly by fires, bulldozers, machetes, etc.
It’s estimated in 100 years there will be no rainforests at all.
Agriculture is the leading cause of deforestation. This also can cause infertility in the land due to overgrazing which will prevent the growth of new forests.
Each year forests the size of Panama are lost.
Deforestation is speeding up global warming.
The soil in forests is most but once the trees are cleared the soil has no protection and quickly dries out from sun exposure.
Financial profits are the main reason for deforestation.
Reusing/recycling paper and plastic bags can decrease deforestation.
Buying products with eco-friendly packaging will help prevent deforestation.
Clear-cutting is when one will cut part of a forest down, to help certain wildlife prosper or support a certain ecosystem. While this can be controversial, it can be beneficial and completely different than deforestation.
Agent Orange is a defoliant and herbicide, used in two wars. The British used Agent Orange to clear trees so insurgents were unable to hide behind them. They also killed crops to decrease the enemies’ food supply.
Orchids and Rafflesia are both endangered plants.
The highest percent of forest loss is Malaysia.
The highest area of forest loss is Brazil.
The 10 most threatened forests include—The Amazon, Atlantic Forest/Gran Chaco, Borneo, Cerrado, Choco-Darien, Congo Basin, Eastern Africa, Eastern Australia, Greater Mekong, New Guinea, and Sumatra.
Palm oil harvesting is directly responsible for endangering the Sumatran Tiger, Orangutan, Bornean Pygmy Elephant, Sumatran Rhinoceros, and Malayan Sun Bear.
Rainforests cover 6% of the Earths surface but are home to 50% of plant and animal species.
Buy certified furniture and wood—this means it was legally cut down.
Buy recycled products—and continue to recycle or reuse your own products.
The squeeze of all this conversation is that deforestation should totally be banned .Only certified wood should be purchased which is not purchased from our own country which is purchased from other countries. Because due to cutting of forests we are continuously going towards depletion and destroying our future life and also decreasing survival Opportunities for our coming Generations.