A New Reality: The Disappearance of Trees

Written by: Ishya Cherukuaplli and Pranathi Nemani

Imagine this: A world filled with only gray skies, arid lands, and no trees. Hard to imagine,

right? Well, this soon may be the reality we will be experiencing. Trees are the heart of our

planet, pumping oxygen into every living being and nurturing the human race every step of the

way. These trees are the key to our survival. They release water vapor into the sky and provide us

with water and rain for us to grow crops. These life-givers, however, are being destroyed as we

speak, through the act of deforestation. Every second, an acre of land filled with trees is leveled

down to make space for urban revitalization, farming, mining, and for the use of natural

resources. Scientists say that approximately 502,000 square miles of forests have been deforested

between 1990 and 2016. Deforestation may be a solution for many problems,but it creates a

bigger problem within itself. It is a well known fact that every action has an equal consequence,

and the consequence of deforestation is the horrendous burden it imposes on our environment.

The more trees are chopped down in our world, the more greenhouse gasses increase in our

atmosphere. Trees have the amazing ability to absorb carbon dioxide through photosynthesis to

make their own food. Looking at the fact that 700 grams of carbon dioxide is emitted every day

by humans, our world would be nothing but carbon dioxide without trees and their

photosynthetic abilities. With the action of deforestation increasing everyday, this reality of a

world filled with only carbon dioxide is becoming clearer. A piece of evidence for this alarming

claim written by the World Resources Institute is that “[i]f deforestation were a country, it would

rank third in carbon dioxide-equivalent emissions, only behind China and the United States of

America.”

As well as with their ability to absorb carbon dioxide, trees are also able to regulate the level of

water in the water cycle and atmosphere. Their ability to suck water out of the ground with their

roots and release it into the atmosphere as water vapor is nothing but fascinating. As Yale

Environment 360 strikingly states, trees “create giant rivers of water in the air – rivers that form

clouds and create rainfall hundreds or even thousands of miles away.” With deforestation

occurring everyday, there will soon not be enough water in the air to be returned to the soil,

resulting in the inability to grow crops.

Along with the difficulty to produce crops and properly harvest water, deforestation leads to the

loss of many animal and plant species. Forests that were once abundant with new animal and

plant species are slowly disappearing. The disappearance of forests is taking away entire

ecosystems, and with it, different species waiting to be discovered. Scientists say that the world

loses approximately 137 species of plants, animals, and insects everyday. The sad truth is that

80% of all the living species other than humans live in forests, and we are destroying these

havens of life.

Humans are the key to rebuilding these havens of life and cherishing them. We must do our part

by discouraging deforestation and raising awareness about the negative effects of this atrocity.

We can start by buying items that are made from recycled materials, going paperless whenever

possible, and supporting companies that are committed to reducing deforestation. We can plant

more trees and create new forests. Organizations like The Tomorrow Project are dedicated to

raising awareness about sustainable practices. Alongside organizations like this, we can help

raise awareness and help our dying forests. And perhaps in the future, we won’t have to

experience a world filled with only gray skies, arid lands, and no trees.

Sources Used:

● https://e360.yale.edu/features/how-deforestation-affecting-global-water-cycles-climate-ch

ange

● https://www.pachamama.org/effects-of-deforestation

● https://www.motherearthnews.com/nature-and-environment/the-effect-of-deforestation-o

n-the-climate-and-environment

● https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/article/deforestation

● https://www.worldanimalfoundation.com/advocate/wild-earth/params/post/1278141/defor

estation-clearing-the-path-for-wildlife-extinctions#:~:text=According%20to%20recent%

20estimates%2C%20the,are%20in%20the%20Amazon%20alone.

● https://www.wwf.org.uk/learn/effects-of/deforestation

● https://www.conserve-energy-future.com/phenomenal-ways-to-stop-deforestation-and-pr

otect-our-planet.php

● https://www.theworldcounts.com/stories/how-can-we-stop-deforestation