Threats of Deforestation
" I talk here about the problem of deforestation, how it is caused and how it affects our lives."
Deforestation has become an increasing activity these days. Deforestation is when people start removing forests and cutting down trees. There are several uses and causes for doing so. But there are effects to that as well, and these affects are a threat to all of us humans and other living organisms as well. This is a major problem because it affects my life now and if it continues, it is going to affect the coming generation which could include my children and grandchildren. They could suffer from loss of such resource which could make them suffer.
The first picture shows one of the ways how deforestation takes place. It is the simplest description of the problem. Through deforestation, we get the wood needed to supply us with what we want like furniture and wood used for fire. Other reason is to use this land in farming. As shown in the picture, the man driving this tractor is removing the wood and it looks like deforestation here is to acquire wood.
This picture shows another way that deforestation has occurs by, which is by burning the forest down. These children are what affected me most. Their presence in the picture proves how we, as humans, suffer from the deforestation and that, although it is important to remove forest for our best use, it is important to reforest these lands once more. It shows that it is important to limit the deforestation as the children are carrying buckets that, clearly, contain water to stop the fire and save the forest. As shown in the picture, burning these forests symbolizes the burning of our source of air refreshment. These forests are the reason our air is fresh as they photosynthesis and through photosynthesizing, we obtain oxygen produced by plants of the forest, and we get rid of carbon dioxide used by these plants to carry out that process. So now, we don’t get as much fresh air as before and in addition to the pollution that is caused by our actions, we don’t get free or fresh air.
This sums up everything. It shows the two ways that these forests are removed by and it also shows the effects of that. Other effects than those mentioned before are the droughts and floods and also that most of these lands end up as waste lands. I’m not against deforestation because it is important to do so, but, at the same time we should not just leave these forests deforested. What I mean is, it is important to reforest these lands again because, think about it in that way, if we reforest, we’re going to have near to permanent supply of wood. But if we don’t do so, we’re going to run out of forests and so of wood and we won’t be able to benefit from it anymore. And that affects me as the air I breathe is not refreshed as it should be since the forests are cut and they don’t get to photosynthesis to give me the fresh air. It is going to have an effect on the environment and I might get sick from the increasing pollution in the air and the less fresh air I get.
Comments
hi! I was attracted by your post as I think that the problem of deforestation is among the most serious ones. since ancient times nature provides us with air we breathe, food we eat, water we drink, wood for building and many many other useful things! but i think that a human can not use these gifts in a proper way. with the industrial revolution our negative influence on nature began to increase. every year the atmosphere is polluted by tons of industrial dust, rivers and lakes are getting contaminated, more and more forests are cut. it is horrible. it is bad! I would like to say "People, be wise! we have only one planet to live on. The Earth is our home. Why do we hurt it?? why can't we look after it?? take care of it?? if there are no trees, then there will be no insects, no birds, no animals...and sooner or later there won't be a human even! " We should protect our Earth. we should not forget that protection of the invironment is a universal concern. Deforestation is one of the reasons for ecological catastrophies which in their turn do a lot of harm to nature. if there are no forests, there will be no life...real life...there will not be any energy...
Posted by: Galina | April 20, 2009 08:05 AM
Thank you for your writing; it's such a big issue that you've tackled in your post!
A lot of people still don't realize the scope of deforestation needed to supply our demand for wood and especially paper. The human element, as you've noted, is a big player in ensuring that deforestation is balanced with reforestation. An interesting method I learned about last year was removing trees along strips of a specific length. This method allowed for other plants and trees to grow back in those sunlit areas relatively quickly-- a sustainable alternative to many of the methods being used today.
Also, I appreciate the comment posted by Galina that your post inspired. Even if we're not living in a place where deforestation is actively occurring, it doesn't mean that we're not taking part in causing it to happen or that we're not being affected by it either.
Posted by: Christina | April 26, 2009 04:19 PM
Your blog is interesting because you not only discuss how the impacts on the environment harm the environment but how it also negatively impacts humans as a result. We really do need nature as much as it needs us--we produce carbon dioxide which the plants use to produce oxygen which we use etc. To upset this balance will really end up hurting ourselves. I also appreciate how you don't romanticize nature as some untouchable thing, but rather something we can interact with and make use of as long as we are not being wasteful! Cutting down trees is not horrible in itself, if we are using them for good purpose and if we replace them, keeping a balance.
Posted by: Cassandra Carroll | April 26, 2009 08:21 PM
Hey!
I too was interested in your post because deforestation today is truly becoming a problem. Many people today do not see the land for how beautiful it is and they only think of how best to make their desired profits. In a quote from a famous Cree prophesy it is said that, "Only after the last tree has been cut down, Only after the last river has been poisoned, Only after the last fish has been caught, Only then will you find that money cannot be eaten." I think this rings true for many people in society today and we really need to rethink our use, and sometimes abuse, of our resources before we experience more catastrophic losses. Yeah we can replant trees, but in many cases the trees and forests take centuries to grow back to the beautiful state they once were in. We need to find a way to slow down, and let nature have a chance to catch up, only then can we truly hope for complete sustainability.
Posted by: Natalie Carpenter | April 27, 2009 12:14 PM
Deforestation needs to be stopped. Yes, we can all plant trees to try and counteract it, but seriously the rate at which it is happening is staggering. Trees don't grow over night, why not keep the ones we already have and plant more anyway? :)
Posted by: John P | May 8, 2009 06:54 AM
I completely agree with Natalie and think that her Cree prophesy quote is perfect. Farmers are hurting their production more than helping when they cut down more forest to plant crops. Crops require pollinators and forests provide pollinators. It has been proven that many crops that are planted near a forest fair better and produce higher quality food than those far away from a diverse pollinator habitat. Deforestation is a huge contributor to global warming as well. It produces more pollution, either through heavy machinery, burning, or the fact that we’re losing our photosynthesizers, like mentioned in this blog. Also, it reduces biodiversity, which lessens the richness of forests and means a great loss of the world’s species.
Posted by: Rebecca | June 8, 2009 11:34 AM