Carbon cycle:

The element carbon is a part of seawater, the atmosphere, rocks such as limestone
and coal, soils, as well as all living things. On our dynamic planet, carbon is able to
move from one of these realms to another as a part of the carbon cycle.

 Carbon moves from the atmosphere to plants. In the atmosphere, carbon is

attached to oxygen in a gas called carbon dioxide (CO2). Through the
process of photosynthesis, carbon dioxide is pulled from the air to produce
food made from carbon for plant growth.
 Carbon moves from plants to animals. Through food chains, the carbon that
is in plants moves to the animals that eat them. Animals that eat other
animals get the carbon from their food too.
 Carbon moves from plants and animals to soils. When plants and animals
die, their bodies, wood and leaves decays bringing the carbon into the
ground. Some is buried and will become fossil fuels in millions and millions
of years.
 Carbon moves from living things to the atmosphere. Each time you exhale,
you are releasing carbon dioxide gas (CO2) into the atmosphere. Animals
and plants need to get rid of carbon dioxide gas through a process called
respiration.
 Carbon moves from fossil fuels to the atmosphere when fuels are burned.
When humans burn fossil fuels to power factories, power plants, cars and
trucks, most of the carbon quickly enters the atmosphere as carbon dioxide
gas. Each year, five and a half billion tons of carbon is released by burning
fossil fuels. Of this massive amount, 3.3 billion tons stays in the atmosphere.
Most of the remainder becomes dissolved in seawater.
 Carbon moves from the atmosphere to the oceans. The oceans, and other
bodies of water, absorb some carbon from the atmosphere. The carbon is
dissolved into the water.

Carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas and traps heat in the atmosphere. Without it
and other greenhouse gases, Earth would be a frozen world. But since the start of
the Industrial Revolution about 150 years ago humans have burned so much fuel
and released so much carbon dioxide into the air that global climate has risen over
one degree Fahrenheit. The atmosphere has not held this much carbon for at least
420,000 years according to data from ice cores. The recent increase in amounts of
greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide is having a significant impact on the
warming of our planet.
Carbon moves through our planet over longer time scales as well. For example,
over millions of years weathering of rocks on land can add carbon to surface water
which eventually runs off to the ocean. Over long time scales, carbon is removed
from seawater when the shells and bones of marine animals and plankton collect
on the sea floor. These shells and bones are made of limestone, which contains
carbon. When they are deposited on the sea floor, carbon is stored from the rest of
the carbon cycle for some amount of time. The amount of limestone deposited in
the ocean depends somewhat on the amount of warm, tropical, shallow oceans on
the planet because this is where prolific limestone-producing organisms such as
corals live. The carbon can be released back to the atmosphere if the limestone
melts or is metamorphosed in a subduction zone.

**Eita ekta cycle er moton draw kore diben apnara

Deforestation and its solution

Deforestation, in simple terms, means the felling and clearing of forest cover or
tree plantations to accommodate agricultural, industrial or urban use. It involves
the permanent end of forest cover to make that land available for residential,
commercial or industrial purposes.
Deforestation can also be seen as removal of forests leading to several imbalances,
both ecologically and environmentally. What makes deforestation alarming is the
immediate and long term effects it is bound to inflict if continued at the current
pace. Some predictions state that the rainforests of the world will be eradicated if
deforestation continues at its current pace. Deforestation or clearance occurs due to
several reasons. To get a clear overview, we could include the need for money,
both in terms of profitability as well as providing for one’s family in most
scenarios, along with lack of or no forest laws, need for land space for housing etc.
among a long list of other uses.

Although primarily blamed on agricultural or pastoral use, farmers usually cut

trees for increasing space for cultivation and as fodder land for grazing and
surviving livestock. The whole concept of ‘slash and burn’ agriculture is used to
indicate this same process where farmers employ the above chain of actions for
their purposes.

Effects of Deforestation

1. Climate Imbalance and Climate Change

Deforestation also affects the climate in many ways. Forests are the lungs of our
planet. Trees take in carbon dioxide and release oxygen and water vapor in the air,
and that is why tropical rainforests are extremely humid.

2. Increase in Global Warming

Trees play a major role in controlling global warming. The trees utilize greenhouse
gases, restoring the balance in the atmosphere. With constant deforestation, the
ratio of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere has increased, adding to our global
warming woes

3. Increase in Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Forests help to mitigate carbon dioxide and other toxic greenhouse gas emissions.
However, once they’re cut, burned, or otherwise removed, they become carbon
sources.
It’s estimated that deforestation is responsible for around 20 percent of greenhouse
gas emissions, and due to tropical deforestation, 1.5 billion tons of carbon is
released every year in the atmosphere.

4. Soil Erosion

Trees are also crucial for our local water cycles as they keep on returning water
vapor to the atmosphere. The soil remains moist as the rainwater percolates within
the soil.

5. Floods

When it rains, trees absorb and store a large amount of water with the help of their
roots. When they are cut down, the flow of water is disrupted, and the soil loses its
ability to retain water. It leads to floods in some areas and droughts in others.

6. Wildlife Extinction & Habitat Loss

Due to the massive felling down of trees, various animal species are lost. They lose
their habitat and also forced to move to a new location. Many of them are even
pushed to extinction.

10. Loss of Biodiversity

Deforestation leads to a huge loss of biodiversity. About 80% of the global

biodiversity is located in tropical rainforests. Forests not only provide habitats for
wildlife but also foster medicinal conservation.

The forest acts as a critical medium to preserve the wide variety of species. It also
destroys the microbial community that is responsible for the production of clean
water, the removal of pollutants and the recycling of nutrients.

Solutions to Deforestation

1. Government Regulations

The best solution to deforestation is to curb the felling of trees by enforcing a

series of rules and laws to govern it. Deforestation in the current scenario may
have reduced; however, it would be too early to assume.
The money-churner nature of forest resources can be tempting enough for
deforestation to continue.

2. Banning Clear-Cutting of Forests

This will curb the total depletion of the forest cover. It is a practical solution and is
very feasible.

3. Reforestation and Afforestation

Land skinned of its tree cover for urban settlements should be urged to plant trees
in the vicinity and replace the cut trees. Also, the cutting must be replaced
by planting young trees to replace the older ones that were cut.

Trees are being planted under several initiatives every year, but they still don’t
match the numbers of the ones we’ve already lost.

4. Reduce Consumption of Paper

Your daily consumption of paper includes printing paper, notebooks, napkins,

toilet paper, etc. Try to reduce consumption, reduce waste of paper and also opt for
recycled paper products.

Make life simple such as printing/writing on both sides of the paper, using less
toilet paper, avoiding paper plates, and napkins and wherever possible, go
paperless.

5. Educate Others

Still, many are entirely unaware of the global warming problem we’re facing.
Educate your friends, family, and community by sharing the deforestation facts,
and its causes and effects. You can make an impact!

6. Eat Less Meat

Livestock rearing has become one of the leading causes of deforestation. Try to eat
less meat. It may be hard for some people to try. However, eating less meat, even
just for one meal a day, will also make an extreme impact on the environment.
7. Purchase from Sustainable, Forest-Friendly Companies

Try to purchase from companies that are committed to reducing deforestation.

Asian Pulp and Paper, Disney, L’Oreal, Hershey, Unilever, Willmar International
are deforestation-free.

8. Reduce Consumption of Deforestation Prone Products

Palm oil is a common ingredient in absolutely everything we see around us. Make
it a simple habit to get a quick peek at the ingredients. Soybeans are another
deforestation hotspot.

Try finding ways to reduce consumption or opting for organic, local soy products
and, if possible, avoid it completely.