| The amount of land dedicated to forests, particularly | | | | Deforestation increases other greenhouse gases, |
| old growth forests, could significantly reduce global | | | | including methane and nitrous oxide. Global warming is |
| warming. Forests are an important use of land in | | | | a foreseeable reality when the rainforest and other |
| most countries, and in modern times they take on a | | | | forests are destroyed. |
| new, environmental significance. Plant life scrubs | | | | Preventing global warming should first focus on |
| carbon dioxide from the air. Carbon dioxide is a main | | | | cutting greenhouse gas emissions caused by the |
| cause of global warming and can be eliminated just | | | | burning of fossil fuels. However, deforestation comes |
| by being in the vicinity of certain plants. | | | | in a close second as a cause and should also be part |
| Trees are the best carbon dioxide scrubbers found in | | | | of conservation efforts. |
| nature. Old growth trees are especially good at | | | | When people learn that forests are important in |
| removing carbon dioxide from the air and storing it | | | | stopping global warming, they can help preserve |
| within their cells. For this reason, old growth trees | | | | them by refusing to use lumber that comes from old |
| need to be preserved. The lumber trade argues that | | | | growth forests and rainforests. Laws have been |
| the old growth trees can be easily replaced by new | | | | proposed to curtail logging as a way to prevent |
| trees, but this is simply not the case. New trees do | | | | global warming. Bans on clear-cutting, a practice that |
| not possess the abilities that old trees have of | | | | destroys acres upon acres of old growth trees, have |
| preventing global warming by trapping carbon dioxide. | | | | also been suggested. |
| Some proponents of cutting suggest that certain | | | | It is easy and tempting to continue to blame the |
| new trees are capable of trapping more greenhouse | | | | deforestation problem on "those people" clearing land |
| gases than the old trees. This is not true when you | | | | in the rainforests. The truth is that a tree in your |
| compare the new special trees to trees that have | | | | neighborhood is as valuable as one in the rainforest |
| many decades of growth. | | | | when it comes to removing carbon dioxide. It is |
| Several studies have been done to estimate the | | | | important to think and strategize on a global scale |
| potential impact on global warming caused by | | | | but it is important to also act on a local scale. We |
| deforestation of tropical rainforests. Loggers do not | | | | may well have more impact on the actions of those |
| just take out mature trees for lumber. People who | | | | in our sphere of influence than those half a globe |
| want to clear a place to live, work, or farm in the | | | | away. Look in your backyard, is there room for a |
| jungle do so by cutting and burning large portions of | | | | few more trees? If so go plant some. |
| rainforest land. | | | | |