Global Warming and Deforestation

Global warming is the continuous increase in the temperature of the earth. This increase in temperature is attributed to different factors. Deforestation and greenhouse gases are considered as the main cause of global warming. Carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxides and water vapor are some of the green house gases that are increasing the temperature of earth.

The main source of these green house gases are the power plants and vehicles that we drive. These gases absorb and trap the heat from the sun and thus raise the temperature of the earth. This increase in the average temperature of the earth is what is called as global warming. Human activities are contributing to the increase in the green house gases.

Vehicles that we run on the roads contribute about twenty percent of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Besides this the power plants which are used to generate electricity are the main contributors of carbon dioxide.

Deforestation is further contributing to rising temperature. Humans are cutting down trees and destructing forest to get more and more land for construction and agriculture. All these activities are adversely affecting the climate of the earth.
The trees act like a big sponge for carbon dioxide. Trees use this gas to manufacture food. In the process they release oxygen as by product. Along with this they also hold the water in the earth surface and maintain the water cycle.

Continuous degradation of the forests is disrupting the water cycle and the ecosystems. This in turn is disrupting the ecological cycles. Burning of forests to recover the land for agriculture purposes in turn add to the carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.

All these factors contribute to the rising temperature of the earth. This rise in temperature is causing the glaciers to melt. The water from the melting glaciers is causing the level of the sea to rise.

This is affecting the biodiversity and disrupting the ecological balance. By pulling down every tree we are in fact pulling our planet and ourselves into trouble.

Deforestation also results in the erosion of the soil surface. They maintain the water cycle. Trees draw water from the earth through their roots and release it into the atmosphere as water vapor. This results in rain. Deforestation affects this cycle which may result in drier climate and few or no rains.

They also absorb and hold a lot of water on earth surface. They thus act as a sponge for the earth surface. When they are recklessly removed the earth is devoid of this sponge and hence the rain water has no where to go but to enter our homes. This is what is causing the floods.

Deforestation and global warming thus go hand in hand. To reduce global warming it is important to conserve forests and plant more trees.