Zamora 1

Julia Zamora
Mrs. Morris
English, Block D
April 17, 2015
To tree or not to tree
Trees are the lungs of the earth. Without them the planet is doomed. The act of cutting
down trees, also known as deforestation, has been occurring for centuries. Since the 1800s,
deforestation has greatly expanded in all continents. After two centuries of deforestation, the
United States of America discovered the affects of deforestation. Despite this discovery 80% of
the Pacific Northwest is still actively involved in deforestation during the 21st century
(Deforestation). Deforestation is an ongoing problem affecting many species and the
environment, especially the rainforests air quality and water system. If it continues unchecked, it
will increase carbon emissions and leave the planet barren. With programs such as Reduced
Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation, the involvement and awareness of countries, and
the planting of more trees, deforestation can become a crisis of the past.
Rainforests play major roles in the environment. Former USA Senator Al Gore once said
that the most dangerous form of deforestation is the destruction of the rainforest (Gore 116).
The biodiversity of the rainforest makes it the most vulnerable ecosystem to interrupt.
Rainforests house approximately half of all living species. Deforestation relocates rainforest
animals which results in multiple deaths since the animals cannot survive anywhere else.
Rainforests also carry a great deal of water, which makes them an important part of our planets
water system. Rainforests produce rain clouds due to evaporation. Once the rain falls, the mist
travels back up to the top of the rainforest and travels to another area. This process causes

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humidity in the rainforest; however, deforestation threatens the earths water system. Less trees
in the rainforest equals less moisture. The lack of moisture can dry up the deforested areas and
cause droughts and floods. The rainforests also provide protection, but flooding occurs in
deforested areas since there are no trees to soak up all the water. Flooding can cause damage in
villages and clog up rivers with topsoil (Gore 106-107, 116-117). The damage caused by
deforestation of the rainforests is not limited to its surrounding areas, it impacts the whole world.
Like the water system, air quality has been affected by deforestation and it is said that
deforestation intensifies global warming (Deforestation). The burning of fossil fuels has
increased by 400% in the last 110 years. Smog, carbon dioxide, and other harmful chemicals
have contributed to global warming and lung damage. It is more likely for a person to die from
horrible air pollution than to die in a car crash (Kostigen 104). The Amazon alone holds 95
billion tons or carbon. This is equal to 11 years of human carbon emission. This carbon is
released into the atmosphere when deforestation occurs and, as a result, makes deforestation the
second largest contributor to global warming. Rainforests are the earths lungs. They remove
carbon dioxide and provide oxygen to the planet (Kostigen 101-102). Without rainforests, the
earth will suffer greatly.
Rainforests are not the only forests in danger. All forests around the world are in danger.
If nothing is done to prevent deforestation, all forests will be completely gone in 100 years
(Modern-day Plague). Since the year 2000, 60,000 square miles of rainforests have been lost.
Since not many people are replanting trees, the majority of the rainforest is lost for good
(Kostigen 102). Land the size of Panama is lost each year and 50 football fields are lost each
minute. This loss has influenced countries to protect all the land within 10 of the equator
(Environmental News Science). Ethiopia was home to a large forest. Over multiple years of

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deforestation, the country has become a wasteland and is now slowly recovering (Gore 107).
Without their forest, rainfall has declined, making the Ethiopian soil barren. Deforestation causes
a deadly wound that cannot be easily mended.
It is tough to end deforestation, but there are multiple solutions that organizations are
trying. Although it might seem like not cutting down trees would be the simplest solution to
deforestation, it is not. Trees are used for paper, housing, and much more. However, one solution
is for organizations to provide incentives to companies that actively cut down trees. Providing an
incentive to companies will reduce deforestation since the companies are cutting down fewer
trees (Miller). Another solution is replanting trees. For every tree that is cut down, a new tree is
planted. Many companies have already caught on to this idea; nevertheless many more trees need
to get replanted to reduce the amount of carbon going into the atmosphere. New trees still make
up only a small percentage of the forest (Modern-day Plague). An additional solution is for
countries and organizations to provide laws to protect the forests. In Brazil land owners must
keep 80% of their land as forest. Brazil also has 1,700 people, from police men to
conservationalists, protecting the rainforests. In 2007 approximately 700 troops went to the
Amazon River to monitor and protect the rainforest (Kostigen 110). All of these solutions are
helping put deforestation to an end.
There are multiple solutions to prevent deforestation and in September of 2008, a new
program was born. Reduced Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation, also known as
REDD, was established by the United Nations in 2008. REDD is, in a way, a combination of
many of the solutions mentioned in the paragraph above, with a little extra added on. REDD
rewards countries on their activity against deforestation, accounts for leakage of carbon in
countries that are a part of their program and provides incentives to governments to stop

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deforestation. The incentives to the governments are to make sure that the governments are using
their tools against deforestation. Rewards are given to governments and individuals. It is more
affective to give rewards to those who work locally with conservationalists. However, the
rewards would only happen after the conservation was successfully carried out. Some countries,
banks, and carbon traders are a part of the REDD program (Fehse). The REDD program is
becoming a part of many countries and is helping to reduce carbon emission and deforestation,
but not everyone thinks that deforestation is awful.
For some people, deforestation is actually helpful. People have always depended on trees
for shelter and food. The cleared land provides pastures for people to farm and raise animals and
it also provides housing for the immigration of people. It offers lumber to build houses and make
paper products and it can also supply energy through water dams (Gore 118). In Brazil, cleared
lands offer money to workers and the county. Brazil is home to the second largest soybean
production outside of the USA. Soybean farms use a total of 20 million acres of land in Brazil,
which is approximately the size of Maine. Over the last 10 years, soybean production has
doubled, which has helped stimulate Brazils economy (Kostigen 106-107).
Those who support deforestation do not support the REDD movement. Many countries in
Africa are against the REDD initiative. People are calling it a new form of colonialism. At first
REDD was just protecting trees, now it is protecting soil and agriculture. This has resulted in
some problems in Africa. It is threatening food scarcity, the loss of land, and is even putting
people at risk of poverty. Africa is not pleased with how the REDD program is going and is
working to remove it from its countries. Africa wants to defend itself from carbon colonialism
(Ezeamalu). Even though the REDD program was not a complete success, it does not mean that
all anti-deforestation projects are like it.

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Deforestations impact on the planet has greater consequences in the future than benefits
in the present. The clearing of land is beneficial for farmers and companies in the nearby future,
however, people need to realize that excessive deforestation is causing great wounds to the
planet. If deforestation is to occur, companies need to come up with a plan to make up for all
carbon emission released into the atmosphere. Solutions like replanting trees would be favorable
for companies since it would lessen the impact of their deforestation. Projects like REDD are
also useful solutions. The REDD program wasnt the best, but its principles were accurate.
Programs that want to end deforestation and will help companies do so are always good to have
around.
Deforestation is a global issue that needs to be prevented. It is relocating animals, as well
as killing multiple plants and species. The carbon that is released every time a tree falls is
harmful to humans and the environment. It is affecting the world in many ways since forests are
a key factor to the earths water system and air quality. From planting trees to making laws,
deforestation is slowly declining. With efforts from local organizations and the United Nations,
the world is becoming a cleaner and safer place to live. Even though it will take time to fully
restore the forests, the action that is taken now will greatly benefit the future. Deforestation is a
crisis that must be stopped and with the help of many governments and organizations, it can be
achieved.

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Works Cited
"Deforestation." Opposing Viewpoints Online Collection. Detroit: Gale, 2014. Opposing
Viewpoints in Context. Web. 9 Jan. 2015.
Environment News Service. "Rainforest Regrowth May Reduce the Loss of Biodiversity
in the Tropics." Biodiversity. Ed. Debra A. Miller. Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2013.
Current Controversies. Rpt. from "Rainforests Are Regrowing: Will Displaced Species
Return?" 2009. Opposing Viewpoints in Context. Web. 9 Jan. 2015.
Ezeamalu, Ben. "Africans Move Against REDD Initiatives in Continent." Africa News Service 2
Apr. 2013. Opposing Viewpoints in Context. Web. 20 Feb. 2015.
Fehse, Jan. "A United Nations' Carbon Offset Deforestation Project Can Help Prevent
Deforestation."Carbon Offsets. Ed. Debra A. Miller. Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2009.
Rpt. from "Forests and Carbon Trading: Seeing the Wood and the Trees." OECD
Observer (May-June 2008).Opposing Viewpoints in Context. Web. 10 Feb. 2015.
Gore, Al. "If the Well Goes Dry, Skin Deep." Earth in the Balance: Ecology and the
Human Spirit. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1992. 106-107, 116-122. Print.
Kostigen, Thomas M. "Nature's Oxygen Factory: The Amazon Jungle." You Are Here:
The Surprising Link between What We Do and What That Does to Our Planet. New York:
HarperCollins, 2008. 100-119. Print.
Miller, Debra A. "Carbon Offsets for Preventing Deforestation Could Raise the Value of Living
Forests." Carbon Offsets. Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2009. Rpt. from "Report Finds
Deforestation Offers Very Little Money Compared To Potential Financial
Benefits." ScienceDaily.com. 2008. Opposing Viewpoints in Context. Web. 9 Jan. 2015.
"Modren-day Plague." National Geographic. National Geographic Society. Web. 14 Jan. 2015.