5 ways to stop deforestation

We need trees for so many reasons ... here's how to keep them around.

Mon, Jan 12 2009 at 9:42 PM

Trees are absolutely vital to life here on Earth, but they are also being destroyed at an alarming rate. So many of the choices we make throughout the day when we're shopping, eating, or even driving, are powered by deforestation. Trees are cut and burned down for a number of reasons. Forests are logged to supply timber for wood and paper products, and to clear land for crops, cattle, and housing. Other causes of deforestation include mining and oil exploitation, urbanization, acid rain and wildfires. And according to the United Nation's Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the 33 million acres of forestland that are lost annually around the globe are responsible for 20% of human-caused greenhouse gas emissions. Deforestation also contributes toair and water pollution, a loss of biodiversity, erosion, and climatic disruption.

So what can you do about deforestation?

One easy way to combat deforestation is to plant a tree. But you can take it one step further by making sure the choices you make at home, at the store, at work, and on the menu don’t contribute to the problem. Here’s what you can do about deforestation.

Plant a tree.
Go paperless.
Recycle and buy recycled products.
Look for Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certification on wood and wood products.
Eat vegetarian meals as often as possible.

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Comments: 58

ANNONYMOUS Jul 26 2011 at 5:46 PM

EVEN I DNT THINK DAT ONE CN GO PAPERLESS SINCE USIN PAPER IS AN IMP ASPECT IN ONES LIF....

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MUMU May 24 2011 at 11:44 AM

WE NEED GO PAPERLESS MAN IT'S NOW OR NEVER

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berry&einstienc... May 10 2011 at 12:36 PM

deforestation is very bad because trees produce much needed oxygen

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Jeremiah Savers Nov 15 2010 at 4:05 PM

First and foremost, people need to do their research. And that doesn't mean that you type it into wikipedia and whatever you read automatically becomes fact, because that it not how the internet is. The internet is the world's bathroom wall. Do your research. How does it make sense that to save forests you should eat as many vegetarian meals. Where do those meals come from? THE FOREST! Realize that there are ways to use the trees that we have as well as other practices that help sustain the

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life that we have along with the biodiversity that is apparent within those forests.

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Bunnyman46 Apr 27 2012 at 11:57 AM

it is based on the simple calculation of the land needed to grow vegetables versus the land to graze cows (for example) + the land to grow the corn we feed them + the far greater use of water to raise them. Less demand for meat, fewer cattle/pigs/lamb....etc. which do take 20 times the resources which are the forest lands. Lastly, areas such as the tropics, that is the main reason that forests are cleared, meat production. And no, I did not use wiki-whatever, I went to school and earned a degree. (

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Actually 5) This is simplified a bit but it is true. A big caveat here: the current methods of BOTH vegetable and animal farming on an industrial scale deplete the land to the point of not being able to re-plant. All you need do is look at a place like the California central valley where we are grow high-yield right next to salty, depleted land we just did the same thing too...A pox on both houses at this point. A modern, organic method is more productive and doesn't kill the soil, thus reducing need to cut more trees. look up a place called: Polyface Farm. the techniques were pioneered centuries ago.

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idk Apr 19 2011 at 12:25 AM

i think they meant steering clear of fast food chains, because many forests are cut down to make room for cattle ranching. most cattle ranches are owned my fast food chains, like mcdonalds.