The destruction of Rain Forests - February 25, 2010

1.Why do writers often use statistics when writing about environmental problems? What is the potential danger of using statistics?
As writers try harder to convey the impact of environmental problems, they rattle of still more numbers, and our sense of hopelessness grows. But sometimes the numbers make sense to us, but too often we have no frame of reference when regional or global statistics are offered, and the numbers dazzle without educating.

2. Why aren’t statistics necessary to understand that our environment is threatened?
We can set aside the numbers and know what we see, and it does not require a giant leap of consciousness to accept that our world is truly threatened.

3. Using El Chompipe as an example, describe a rain forest.
El Chompipe have high up in the tops of mahogany trees, birds, animals, and a staggering variety of plants compete for sunlight. At eye level, still others trees and vines make a home for countless insects, air plants, and orchids. On the ground are tiny, leafy plants, some sporting exotic flowers, and the occasional anthill teems with tiny life.

4. Why are tropical rain forests important?
Are important because is the source of about 30 percent of the oxygen in our air.

5. Why are tropical rain forests shrinking?
Are important because they are being cleared for agriculture, especially for grazing land and plantations, and for timber and charcoal.

6. What is the difference between clearing forest for potatoes and for grazing cattle?
Acres of farmland produce a certain amount of crop every year. In the case of rain forest cleared grazing, the land has only a few productive years before it will not support cattle grazing or other farming.

7. Why doesn’t rain forest land last long when animals graze on it?
On overgrazed cleared forestland, the compacting action is the same, and soon rainwater tends to run off the packed soil rather than soak in.

8. What could be done to be sure cattle don’t destroy the land they graze on? What will the economic effect of this action be?
An appropriate economic system would limit environmental damage in the rain forests and in our own backyard, the western rangeland.

9. According to Inglish, what will happen if Americans stop importing beef produced on land that was once rain forest?
If we buy less from the rain forest clearers, we will eat more of our own domestic beef and export less, and the rest of the world will buy more from the rain forest clearers.