Deforestation Approaching-04

A plant’s mass and weight really come from the chemical reaction that occurs in the leaves. It’s all about the carbon in the carbon dioxide that the leaves absorb and then transform. The plant keeps the carbon and releases “dioxide,” or two atoms of oxygen, back into the air.

Consider how your body exhales a waste product. These two atoms of oxygen are transpired back out of the plant. They are the waste product that the plant no longer needs. Through the process of photosynthesis, a plant becomes a carbon storehouse. This is where it gets its mass and weight from. So when a tree is cut down or burned, the stored carbon is released back into the air. With the increasing rates of deforestation, the global carbon cycle is out of balance. What does that mean for our climate?

Scientists have evidence to suggest that tropical deforestation is very worrisome. Evidence suggests it is causing about 20 percent of our planet’s greenhouse gas emissions. Carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas. The more carbon dioxide that is released into the air, the more heat is retained in Earth’s atmosphere. There are many causes for greenhouse gas emissions. Causes include the burning of fossil fuels, agriculture, and deforestation. The common thread causing this unbalance is people.

As the plane settles in for its final approach, you wonder what you can do to protect these vital areas of the world. Do you become a scientist who studies and informs the world about this crisis? Do you become a politician and affect change through changes in laws? No matter what you choose to do, being committed to helping the world is important. We all need to help to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to ensure a better and healthier planet.