Essay: Is the destruction of the worlds forests

inevitable as our need for space increases?

It is 9:05, the 22nd of February 2013 and already 19 million children have been born this year. In
just under 3 months, there are already 19 million more people that need a home, food, and water
– all the essentials of life. By the end of the year, according to some estimations, the population
will have grown by 77 million.

In the 20th century alone, the population increased from 1.65 billion to 6 billion. That’s a 264%
increase!  And from the population in 1800 (1 billion) to now? That’s a 699,900% increase!

And by 2025? People are estimating the population to hit 8 billion.

The problem that our planet wasn’t meant to fit 8 billion humans and all the other life we have
here and the Earth isn’t going to grow fast enough to fit 8 billion people in 12 years and what
happens after 8 billion?

As medicinal knowledge increased, the mortality rate steadily decreased – which is a great thing
in many ways. Illnesses that would have killed people a hundred years ago are easily cured.
People with diseases that would have meant a childhood death now survive and live a relatively
normal life. Birth complication that would have meant the death of the baby and the mother are
easily overcome.

Basically, less people die and more people live to a ripe old age than in years gone by. Which
means, our need for land and food is growing along with our population.

Everyday, forests are cut down to make space for condos or maybe just for wood. In just a few
months (from Jan. 1st to Feb. 22nd) , 747,000 forests have been cut down. At this rate, the
destruction of the world’s forests is inevitable.

There are ways that we can slow the destruction such as reusing old abandoned buildings or
destroying them to make new buildings but these alternatives are both costly and hard which
means no one is willing to do them.

Another problem with that plan which sort of ties in with the “expensive” is shortsighted
government employees who can’t really see past money and the fact that they like money.

They don’t really care about the future because they can’t make any profit from the future.
People seem to think that the impending ruin of Earth is just their kids and their grandchildren’s
problem.
Maybe we can slow the destruction of the forests by making smarter decisions. Maybe we can’t.
Either way, it is inevitable until people realize that the world is getting over populated and we
need to do something about it. Not later – now.