The Deforestation Issue

The issues related to deforestation are endless. Deforestation has been a thing for as long as human beings have existed pretty much. At times excessive, at times deemed necessary, destroying forested land does no good to the environment.

People may justify it however they want but the extensive damage that it does to the nature of the world is undeniable and certainly dangerous. The way of life and even our own very existence depends on certain natural factors. Trees and large forest lands are essential to people. That is just a fact.

The Effects of Deforestation

People have given different purposes to forests and trees over time. They now not only serve as oxygen-releasers that human beings can enjoy but also as notebooks, chairs, houses, and a lot more. The way trees help us breathe through such a beautifully natural process is threatened every day more and more through deforestation.

Trees offer us food and shelter and many other wonderful things but by cutting them down constantly we’ve created a system dependent on cutting down oxygen. Animals depend on trees a lot as well but no company or individual really takes that into consideration once they’ve made up their mind to cut them down in mass.

Moreover, deforestation produces greenhouse gas emissions. Through the act of clearing forested lands people and their heavy machines not only cut down oxygen providers and carbon holders but also actively release harmful greenhouse gasses. Deforestation is one of the main leading causes of global warming. If that’s not reason enough to control it way more than it currently is being controlled then soon it might be too late to even stop. Destroying tropical forests that have so many positive uses for everyone around them can do no good to the world.

The Facts of Deforestation

Things you might not even be aware of contributing a lot to deforestation and therefore global warming. Palm oil is used to produce over half the world’s everyday food products. Those products also include stuff like chocolate and shampoo. Destroying diverse ecosystems by planting the same plant species on entire fields is yet another horrible effect of deforestation. Humans are cutting down 10 million hectares of trees every single day and most of it takes place in tropical forests. Deforestation is also directly related to wildlife extinctions, acidic oceans, and soil erosion.

Some of the main types of deforestation include slash-and-burn agriculture and commercial purposed forest destructions. Vegetation is so important to the environment and without it, nothing but a dangerous shift in climate comes about. No one really seems to also consider that even for a good number of people, forests and such wonderfully alive tree-full fields are considered homes. In America, deforestation is 15% in indigenous lands. Not only is indigenous people’s land being stolen but also actively destroyed. The land that people used to depend on for their survival is now suddenly being used to bring forth climate change and that should bother everybody.

Possible Solutions

There are a few solutions to the deforestation issue. First, on a governmental level sanctions and regulations against the constant and mindless ongoing deforestation are much needed. That could be one of the best ways to stop this from happening or at least limit it as much as possible. Holding the companies, that do deforestation without any hesitation anywhere they can, responsible for their actions would be a great start.

On a more individual level, not wasting paper left and right might be a good start. Factually, any limiting of the many products related to deforestation could be a big help. Unfortunately, you cannot expect to make a big difference on your own, because for as long as there are billions to be made, capitalism will always destroy the world to get to the money. Limiting meat consumption also helps, not just in this case but really in many other issues regarding global warming.

Just make sure you educate yourself first and then others on such a huge ongoing issue that so few seem to want to talk about. This is just one branch, albeit a big one, that ultimately leads to a worsening climate every single passing day. This issue extends so far that sometimes it might feel too huge for anyone to do anything about it. Hence education is the key to everything. The more people are educated the more they’ll learn to care about the ‘health’ of the world in its entirety.

Photo: OSORIOartist/shutterstock

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