Destroying Forests and Cutting Trees

Environmental Problems and Deforestation

One of the most serious environmental problems facing society today is global warming. This problem has been related to the important issue of the depletion of trees and natural forests throughout the world. Scientists and medical experts are becoming increasingly concerned at the affect that global warming is having on human health and the environment. This sense of alarm is being increased by the fact that predictions about extreme weather and climatic changes that were previously seen to be an indication of the effects of global warming, are now taking place. This has also caused scientists to predict more dire effects of global warming for the future. Global warming has been linked to shortages of food supplies and the increase in infectious diseases as well as changes in the various biological ecosystems of the world, which are already having profound effects on human life and health.

The most common causes of the increase in temperature are gas emissions due to the burning of fossil fuels such as coal, gas, and oil. Another important factor is deforestation by industry of large tracts of natural foliage, such as the Amazon jungle. This deforestation reduces the natural absorption and "cleansing" of the environment that is the ecological function of these areas. Forests are essential in maintaining environmental balance by absorbing carbon dioxide and releasing oxygen into the atmosphere.

Yet a steady elimination of forests continues, which is contributing to the detrimental effects of global warming. In the past forests were an environmental factor which maintained a balance "between the biomass of the world's vegetation and carbon dioxide. "(Rainforests and Global Warming) In other words, forests were able to keep increases in carbon dioxide in check "by converting carbon into cellulose and releasing oxygen through photosynthesis." (ibid) However, almost half of the world's forests have already been depleted by modern industry and commerce. Coupled with this is the increase in carbon dioxide levels which have raised dramatically since1850. ( ibid) "Billions of tons of greenhouse gases have been spewed into the atmosphere by burning fossil fuels and have thrown the system out of balance. " ( ibid)

The World Health Organization (WHO) has predicted that by 2030 climatic changes will cause the deaths of 300, 000 people annually. (D'EMILIO, FRANCES. 2003) For example, in Asia a rise in the sea level coupled with an increase in the intensity of tropical cycles "would displace tens of millions of people in low-lying coastal areas ... trigger decreases in agricultural productivity and diminish food security." (ibid) The loss of the world's trees and forests are a primary contributing factor in these predictions.

The central causes of deforestation are economic policies that do not take environmental factors into account. "Deforestation is the inevitable result of the current social and economic policies being carried out in the name of development." (Revington J.) The cutting down of trees en masse is largely due to the actions of large companies and the demands of the international trade for timber. For example, "millions of hectares of primary rainforests are being destroyed in South East Asia by logging, and the driving force in this industry is not the local population but international demand for timber. Because landless people will follow logging roads into primary rainforest areas, it is the logging industry which is the main immediate factor responsible for colonisation of rainforest. ( ibid)