A World on Fire
By: Hailey Brehm
By: Hailey Brehm
Our world has undergone many changes over the course of its existence. Humans have impacted the Earth in many negative ways such as: burning fossil fuels, overpopulation, pollution, and deforestation. All of these negative impacts are connected together by the high demand of human beings. Deforestation is the clearing of forests by human, natural, or accidental means. Since many countries have become developed, there has been an increase in deforestation due to industrialization. Our world relies heavily on timber in order to make buildings, paper, and other materials. The problem is there is no alternative; there is no other source after all of the trees are gone. That is the concern.
Deforestation has increased due to the growth of the human population; an increased population means a further production of greenhouse gases such as Carbon Dioxide. Greenhouse gases act as a blanket and trap heat near Earth’s surface; for the past two centuries the concentration of these greenhouse gases have increased causing an increase in global temperature. One of the human activities that increase the amount of Carbon Dioxide (a greenhouse gas) is deforestation. As we cut down trees, we release the stored carbon in the trees and end up contributing more greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. Forests are very important for the carbon and water cycle. Trees are constantly taking in Carbon Dioxide through photosynthesis and releasing it back to the atmosphere. It is important that we do not constantly create an imbalance of carbon with an influx into the atmosphere by anthropogenic means. Forests also contribute greatly to the water cycle by transpiration, an act of plants releasing water in photosynthesis. When we cut down these trees, the climate and soil becomes much drier. About 31% of our earth's surface is covered in forests, but that is quickly diminishing.
Habitat loss is also pertinent when talking of deforestation. When you take away chunks of trees, you take away shelter for certain animals. Humans use this land for infrastructure, cattle ranching, agriculture, and logging. This creates a decrease in the amount of diversity in an ecosystem. Not only does this affect the animals, it affects all life in the forest. Forests are a major source of oxygen and we are creating poor life quality for all those who inhabit the forests by cutting down this major source. Cutting down forests can also lead to soil erosion. This happens when the amount of water that trees retain is decreased. As we continue to deplete the soil and surroundings of the forest of nutrients, we make it more difficult to overcome the issue of deforestation.
A recent tragedy struck the Amazon Rainforest; it has been on fire for the past three weeks. The Amazon is the largest rainforest in the world. It also absorbs a lot of greenhouse gases that could be detrimental if released. These fires are also costing indigenous people many resources and homes as the fire continues to spread. The smoke the fires emit is also just as dangerous; the air is can cause respiratory problems and other issues. Sometimes farmers use a slash and burn technique, in which they purposely start a fire, in order to help the soil replenish nutrients. This can also be disastrous and cause much more damage than intended. So how do we fix all of this? Most people would say that we obviously should just plant more trees. While that is a simple solution, it may not be effective if we continue to cut down more trees than we plant. Humans have a need for trees, but what will happen when they are gone? What will happen to us? Will there ever be an alternative?
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21 comments:
It makes me so upset that many people know about our environmental problems and continue to destroy our earth. I think it is because these problems are directly killing people that many people just don’t really care...
Cara Kelly
I've heard some activists say that veganism or vegetarianism can help slow down the amount pf deforestation needed for cattle ranching. However, I feel like a huge chunk of the population would have to do this if we wanted any sort of result. I breaks my heart to see the amazing Amazon Rainforest being destroyed and breaks my heart to know that it is completely the human race's fault.
The recent developments in the Amazon rain forest is upsetting, but unfortunately no longer surprising. While I do agree that it is important for individuals to practice sustainable actions, it is also important to hold large corporations accountable for their actions. From oil spills in the ocean to now the Amazon burning, our environment is suffering because our leaders and big corporations value the economy over the environment. While it is important that we on an individual scale work on saving the environment through reducing our waste and minimizing our impact, we also need to push for laws that will ensure the protection of the earth.
It’s a tragedy that we are prioritizing ourselves and our current benefits over our land! Especially since the Amazon Rainforest is the center of many essential processes that regulate the climate processes throughout the Earth. But as you said in your blog, I feel that one of the biggest losses will be that of the natural habitats. I’ve even heard from some news sources that after some of these areas have been burned, they cannot be replenished. As others have already commented, we need to hold the corporations as well as the locals accountable for their unsustainable practices in order to protect all environments, including the Amazon Rainforest, from further damage.
Everyone constantly repeats how deforestation is a tragedy or unfortunate, and it indubitably is. However, I believe that modern culture depends on deforestation and that it is nearly impossible to just stop deforestation as it would interrupt our culture. I don't believe that we will see a time where trees are completely extinct; maybe that thought derives from optimism or maybe ignorance. People hate to admit it, but every single one of them would have a really hard time adjusting to a decrease in modernization. Cultures are amenable and although right now, our culture is all about modernization and growth, I believe that will change over time when corporations realize their detrimental effects. There are no alternatives for trees. They are a necessity to life and can't just be replaced without any harmful effects.
The recent fires in the Amazon were truly a devastating blow to the increasing emission of greenhouse gases. Not many people understand the dangerous effects that burning forests cause, and soon our atmosphere will be trapped with heat with nothing we can do to stop it. Thus, preventive measures must be taken to stop the progression of increasing greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Although replanting trees is a solution, it is not going to be fast enough at the rate we cut down trees. A more permanent solution would be to limit the amount of trees cut down a year and find an alternative source of fuel than trees. This way we stop the need to cut down trees, that release these harmful greenhouse gases.
It saddens me that many humans take and take just for their own selfish need and there are very few that fight back in order to protect the environment. Humanity has been dependent on nature for their entire life, and it has reached a point where if we need something we’ll just grab it as if it were a free item in a store. But there are consequences to these actions and we must realize that the way we have been living life for the past years is not sustainable for very much longer. We must find an alternate source for timber and not treat the environment as if it were having a free sale of your favorite item every day.
It is very devastating to hear about deforestation and how it can affect the entire population of the world. We value products made from trees more than the environment we live in. Planting trees might not be the only way to stabilize deforestation as said in the blog. People as individuals and companies that make products using trees need to come up with a solution that is sustainable for the environment as well as safe for the people.
Humans are naturally looking for constant innovation and improvement. Our minds have been influenced to build more in order to support our large population. While that is partly true, there’s a completely other side to the story, shown by this blog. Our natural land is just, if not more, important than our man made land. Our natural environment not only supports wild ecosystems, it supports our daily lives without us even knowing. Eventually, we will run out of land and our need for growth will be the cause of it.
What a shame! Your blog was very eye opening to me because I never really thought about what would happen if all the trees were gone. This truly devastates me to read about how deforestation is negatively impacting our environment by increasing greenhouse gasses and creating habitat loss. I feel as if it is our duty that our generation should help create a solution to this catastrophe rather than destroying our environment, like for example what happened recently in the Amazon Rainforest.
Your article is a potent reminder of the dangers of this kind of mass destruction, however the issues that surround the importance of this ecological heritage site are ongoing. The amazon rainforest is considered to many a worldwide resource, not just a Brazilian resource. As I’m sure you know, the President of Brazil recently made a statement against the concerns of the French president over this kind of deforestation. This kind of criticism inevitably fans neocolonial sentiments in the hearts of the Brazilian people which discourages an attitude of positive environmental relationships. Yes, this deforestation is a tragedy and should be smothered, however, without an effective social bargaining lever, the culture of destruction in Brazil will not cease.
Deforestation has always been an ongoing issue throughout the world no matter the region, and many people just don’t want to act on the problem. You are right when you say that without a certain number of trees, the whole human population and ecosystems could be in great danger. Humans are cutting down more forests than they are trying to make new ones, so this causes the water and carbon cycles to be corrupt. I agree that the world must come up with a better solution than just “grow more trees” because the human population relies more on forests than the actual ecosystems. I agree that we, as the new generations come up, should start to act on this global issue.
I agree, it is quite sad that people will continue to destroy forests but it is hard to overlook the fact that if we stopped, much of the resources we use everyday would go away as well. While there have been attempts to reduce the amount of damage while still farming off of resources, like planting 10 trees for every one cut down, it is hard to enforce this. That is why it probably best to find alternatives to wood. For instance, how people are now using technology to document information rather than pen and paper. These alternatives along with a rebuilding of forests are what could, hopefully, revert the earth to a more efficient stage. It is obvious that this might take a long time that is why we must start researching now, who knows maybe people already have. Because in my opinion this is a major problem that the superpowers (countries) of the world must confront, not just simply address.
Your call to action was so impactful! I agree with you on so many levels like how people think planting trees will solve all problems. This is so wrong because there is not just one way to save the environment but many ways. The fact that the Amazon was burning for so long and many people did not seem to care really disgusts me. I believe if we start taking action now then we have a chance to save the planet.
The human race's disregard for the earth is truly appalling. We've known about the consequences of deforestation for some time now, yet the issue still persists. I think that the use of technology may be a possible solution to slow deforestation with the use of digital files and online learning classrooms. Technology won't fully solve the problem, but as we advance technologically, it could motivate people to stop consuming as many paper products.
The events that have recently transpired regarding the Amazon River are a testament to how poorly we as human beings have upheld our duties to facilitate and maintain a healthy global environment. Although making a change on a global scale to prevent various environmental threats such as deforestation and the release of greenhouse gases is far too ambitious a few to be accomplished by the efforts of an individual, the problem can begin to be flawed out through efforts right here at home. The problem with the prospect of trying to create a mass surge in the conversion of people to a vegetarian or vegan diet is that it will need to be done on, as aforementioned, a very large scale for any true impact to be made on the world and its current state in regards to the dangers of deforestation, however every prospect has its negative side and that does not mean that it should be dismissed as a viable means of working towards resolving this issue. The environmental struggles plaguing are world today cannot be done away with by one simple mass conversion or act, but by a multitude of different efforts and actions taken that may add up to one day be stronger than the sum of their parts so that we can leave a better world for the next generation than what was left for us. Nonetheless, this blog was not only informative but also engaging and surprisingly thoughtful, so well done.
Natural forest fires can sometimes serve as a way to rejuvenate and restart ecosystems, clearing out dead or infected organisms to make way for newer, healthy ones. However, this amazon fire was started by humans with the intentions of hurting both the environment and the people fighting for it. It's disturbing how obsessed some people and corporations are with financial gain that they not only don't care about what harm they're causing but they go out of their way to bring further harm to those advocating for leaving nature to itself.
Deforestation has been an ongoing problem that has been swept under the rug by governments and the people of the world. Deforestation is a problem that cannot be ignored anymore. You did a good job of identifying the problems that are being caused by cutting down trees and why it is such a bad thing for our world. This was very well written and did a great job of explaining deforestation and it effects to me.
It’s so sad what’s happening in the world right now with the combination of climate change and the release of greenhouse gasses closely related to the cutting down of trees. The amazon rainforest has always been known for it’s diverse environment, but if the trees all burn, there won’t be a habitat for the animals and diverse plant species to live in. Personally, I don’t think there is a solution to the problem being that it is rooted in human greed. People don’t care enough to stop cutting down trees for profit and the simple fact is even if the rate at which we planted trees equaled the rate at which trees are cut down, trees don’t grow over night and by the time all the trees grew back, our environment would be degraded beyond repair. Great article by the way :)
This is a very important issue because the smoke from the trees is very harmful to people and wildlife. Also, cutting down trees is very bad for the Earth and all the life on it because trees play an important role in removing carbon gases from the air and keep us all safe. Although we do need more land for human activities, there are definitely better areas that we can use. Burning down the little amount of the forests that are left is not the best idea to make room for industrial things. People should find better ways to do this which don’t hurt our environment or our future.
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