Https www pachamama org effects of deforestation

ENVIRONMENTAL EXPERIENCE 4

Environmental Experience

Weltee Wolo

Rasmussen College

Author Note

This paper is being submitted on November 11, 2017 for Jaime Farrow’s

Human Uses of the Environment

G328/EVR3410 course

Deforestation

Cutting down of trees has affected the environment in extreme ways that one could have never imagined. Many of the problems we are experiencing at the moment could have been avoided long ago if only we took good care of our environment.

Cutting down of trees has been as a result of economic activities being carried out such as selling of timber and also due to the currently increasing population where people have to create more space to settle down with their families and livestock as well.

When I recall the past years when I was just a little girl, I did enjoy spending time upcountry. When schools closed, we would all gather up the country. We would enjoy much of what Mother Nature provided by taking walks down the river and sometimes even swimming in the river. We could also climb trees and eat fruits the nature provided. I remember with nostalgia, other times we could go collect firewood for our grandparents as we played along the way with the leaves of the trees. We could shape the leaves like a fan then use a stick to propel it into the air as we ran so the leaves would spin like a fan.

As I grew up, I realized that some of the things I could enjoy were no longer available as time went by. Rivers dried up, forests, where we could collect firewood, are now replaced with massive buildings with all kinds of activities going on. The once silent and peaceful atmosphere is now replaced with all kinds of annoying noises. As much as this is not pleasing. There are some reasons as to why the situation had to turn out that way.

Side 1 (facts)

Side 2 (arguments)

Economic reasons led to cutting down on trees. Timber is used for building and construction whereas charcoal is burnt for cooking purposes.

As much as the economic factor should be considered, I feel that we could still reduce the impact caused by cutting down trees if some measures were taken such as planting trees for replacing the ones that have been cut down.

Increasing population which leads to increase in demand for land for settling and farming. People are always looking for favorable places to settle down with their families. This may be due to many reasons such displacement due to floods, drought, war and such.

I feel that when people settle in a place, it is their duty to conserve the environment by methods such as proper disposal of waste which if not taken care of, will affect the waters an also the land where they yield their plants. Also, they should make sure as they displace the wildlife, to create a place where they can cohabitate so as not to displace them.

I believe that as much as some unavoidable circumstances would cause cutting down of trees, there are still some ways that we can conserve the environment. For instance, if the cut one plant two rule is implemented, we will be able to continue enjoying nature’s providence, and also the wildlife will be catered for as well.

The government and the non-governmental organizations in charge of the environment should ensure strict measures are implemented and adhered to in relations to the environment. Individuals should also take part with or without the supervision of the authorities by taking initiatives themselves as a community in order to ensure our environment is well preserved.

References

Deforestation reduces rainfall in Africa. (n.d.). Retrieved November 10, 2017, from https://phys.org/news/2011-09-deforestation-rainfall-africa.html

Deforestation: Causes, Consequences, and Efforts to Control It. (2014, March 03). Retrieved November 10, 2017, from http://www.environmentalpollution.in/deforestation/deforestation-causes-consequences-and-efforts-to-control-it/282

Effects of Deforestation | The Pachamama Alliance. (n.d.). Retrieved November 10, 2017, from https://www.pachamama.org/effects-of-deforestation

Solutions to Deforestation. (n.d.). Retrieved November 10, 2017, from http://www.greenpeace.org/usa/forests/solutions-to-deforestation/