Summary Of Doug Struck's Disappearing Forests

Look ahead to a world where the rainforests have been devastated. As a shadow of its former self, deforestation has reduced the Amazon to a third of its current size. Over forty-percent of the species once native to the region have gone extinct. Undiscovered plants, with the potential to yield new medicines and cures, are no longer in existence. Thousands of new animal and insect species, unknown to the outside world, have all died off.
Look ahead to a world where finding clean water is rare. A mixture of chemicals and plastics have made lakes, rivers, and oceans acidic. Runoff from fertilizer and pesticides have contaminated countless wells and aquifers. Shortages of drinking water are ravaging regions everywhere.
Look ahead to a world where …show more content…
In his article titled “Disappearing Forests”, Doug Struck describes the cause and effect nature involving deforestation. According to Struck, loggers are clearing large portions of the Amazon and other South American rainforests for soybean farms and livestock ranches. He adds that a worldwide increase in demand for these resources is responsible for the clearing. In Southeast Asia, large corporations are leveling forests to manufacture paper and thousands of other wood by-products (2). Basically, Struck is saying that logging companies are clearing forests across the world in order to fulfill growing consumer demands. However, this is not to say that logging companies are the only group responsible for deforestation, but rather to provide awareness of the main culprit. While deforestation is inherently associated with destruction, some may ask, what are the deeper consequences? As he continues his article, Stuck begins to develop the effects side of this relationship. He himself writes, “Deforestation's consequences are dire. Forests contain 80 percent of the planet's land-based biodiversity — thousands of species, ranging from microscopic insects that might hold clues to miracle drugs to rangy orangutans, close cousins of humans. When forests die, that biodiversity is lost” (Struck 3). Struck’s point is that the scale of deforestation’s effects is even greater than humans can …show more content…
Therefore, it is right for nations to impose stricter air quality standards. In his article titled “Air pollution-related illness: effects of particles”, Andre Nel reports some of the major causes of air pollution. Nel himself writes, “Unfortunately, the unregulated ultrafine particles are potentially the most dangerous. Ultrafines are the major component in vehicle emissions-the largest source of air pollution in urban areas--and they have the largest surface area and highest content of potentially toxic hydrocarbons among all PM sources” (1). In making this comment, Nel touches on a key issue in modern industry. As he stated, one of the most lethal forms of air pollution is unregulated in many countries. By failing to regulate ultrafine matter, nations are putting the safety of their citizens at risk. Nel agrees with this statement when he writes, “Worldwide epidemiological studies show a consistent increase in cardiac and respiratory morbidity and mortality from exposure to particulate matter (PM). PM is a key ingredient of polluted air and is estimated to kill more than 500,000 people each year” (1). The essence of Nel’s argument is that the negligence of governments to regulate ultrafine and other airborne particles has led to countless deaths. To take a case in point, consider one of the countries that does not regulate ultrafine particles. In larger cities, when the first industries