| In this essay, my focus will be to explain the causes and effects of deforestation, and how it affects us. I will also state some ways we can help solve this worldwide issue. | 
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| Deforestation is an issue the world has been trying to solve for a very long time. Deforestation, as the name suggests is when companies and governments cut down, burn or bulldoze rainforests for more resources such as rubber, fossil fuels coffee and more space for the population. Because the population is growing so rapidly, this means that there is much more demand for things made from trees, such as; furniture, building materials and paper. So if you think about it, the rainforests have been put under pressure due to people wanting things that they don’t often need. | 
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| Whether you realise it or not, every time you cut down a tree, you are “lowering our quality of life. Every time they are destroyed and aren’t replaced we lose habitats, and that also means our overall biodiversity, every 12 minutes a species of plant/animal gets wiped out due to habitat loss (that’s 120 species every 24 hours!) Plus, it’s playing a big part in the other world crisis - Global Warming. Global warming doesn’t necessarily mean warmer weather and sunshine either. Forests and trees help keep the levels of carbon dioxide down, which is consequently burning up the ozone layer. The less forests there are to absorb the carbon dioxide; the more that will leak into our atmosphere, exposing us to the sun’s ultra-violet rays ultimately causing more droughts, hurricanes and more unusual weather. Many plants and animals will die in the process, because they can’t cope with the extreme weather conditions. | 
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| We all need to do what we can, otherwise, sooner rather the later, earth will hardly be able to maintain life in the way we rely on it to. 2.4 acres of forests are being cleared every second. That’s equivalent to 78million acres of rainforests gone, every year. So by the time you finish reading this small paragraph, about 74 acres or rainforests, have already been burnt, cut, bulldozed or washed away by soil erosion. | 
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| Deforestation is happening everywhere, in places like Africa, Nigeria, Congo and South America. Already, over half of the rainforests that have ever existed have been demolished. Since the population is expanding, so is the demand for food, furniture and living space. So to be able to sustain human life, the forests are being sacrificed. One of the most common known rainforests, The Amazon, is too being destroyed. The Amazon is a rainforest, located in South America. It’s home to many exotic animal species and plants. Animals and plants disappear with the rainforests as well. There are things in the rainforests, which could be used to save millions of lives. There are medicines from rare plants that can cure people suffering from cancer, heart disease and many other illnesses. But how can we access them when they are being destroyed? We can’t, so people will keep suffering. | 
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| So why should we care? Because it involves us. It’s human nature to believe that bad things don’t happen to us, but really they do. It may not be affecting you directly, but in the long run, this could affect you, your children, and your children’s children. If we don’t face this issue now it will be blown way out of proportion. Every day we make decisions that affect our environment. Good or bad. Although we can’t completely stop the deforestation process right now, we help as much as possible. Not necessarily anything drastic. But simple things; like recycling items or turning off the tap when you’re brushing your teeth. Most electricity is made from fossil fuels, so ask your parents to buy energy saving light bulbs kids! If we all do what we can to help, we can stop this issue before it gets to a point where the damage is beyond repair. Save the trees! | 
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Published on: 14 Jul 2011
