Deforestation is kind of a big deal | Letter

Our earth is covered by 30 percent of forests and if the current deforestation rate continues there will be no more forests within the next 100 years. Current rates at one and a half acres of trees or forest is cut down every second or 20 football fields is cut down every minute.Deforestation accounts for 2,400 yards a minute. Deforestation accounts for 15 percent carbon emission. Deforestation accounts for 12-17 percent of greenhouse emissions. Deforestation accounts for possibly 28,000 species to be extinct in the next quarter century. Deforestation destroys our planet.

October 20, 2016 9:30 am
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Letters to the editor can be submitted to editor@bothell-reporter.com.

Our earth is covered by 30 percent of forests and if the current deforestation rate continues there will be no more forests within the next 100 years. Current rates at one and a half acres of trees or forest is cut down every second or 20 football fields is cut down every minute.Deforestation accounts for 2,400 yards a minute. Deforestation accounts for 15 percent carbon emission. Deforestation accounts for 12-17 percent of greenhouse emissions. Deforestation accounts for possibly 28,000 species to be extinct in the next quarter century. Deforestation destroys our planet.

This is a very big problem because trees play such an important role in everyone’s daily lives. Trees take in CO2, cleaning out the atmosphere and giving back clean air. This also reduces the greenhouse effect. Trapping the sun’s warmth in lower atmosphere. Trees also are used for food provisions such as fruits, berries, and vegetables. Dead trees that have naturally fallen are even valuable. Dead trees are use for a fairly new process called biomass. It is a method of using plant based waste to create energy through burning dead trees, straw coming from crop harvest, and even solid municipal waste. If deforestation continues, we can expect extreme weather events, mass extinction of animal species, and an increase in greenhouse gasses.

To bring down the rate of deforestation we need to build houses without using wood. There are alternates for that, like a product called Trex. It is a composite material made up of 95 percent recycled materials. Also paper, which is the number one most used product from trees. As an alternate hemp would be a good replacement. One acre of hemp can produces as much paper as two to four acres of trees, and that is a very big difference.

As an audience, we need to be mindful of how much paper we use. Recycle and find new ways to bring down the rate of deforestation. Go to www.wwf.org and donate to the deforestation cause of the World Wildlife Fund to help stop the environmental disaster. They use your donations to stop illegal logging, create protected areas, and promote sustainable bioenergy.

This is important for future generations to come we need to preserve earth’s beauty and keep trees alive so they can keep on doing what they have been doing for thousands and thousands of years.

Preston Henke, Kenmore