Deforestation: Causes, Impacts, and Biofuel

Deforestation

The destruction of forests, often associated with the Amazon rainforest.

Reasons for Deforestation

Primary reasons include mining, hydroelectricity, lumber extraction, and urbanization.

Mining

Extracting valuable minerals that often requires clearing trees.

Hydroelectricity

Cost-effective power generated through dams that can submerge large forest areas.

Lumber

Legitimate tree cutting for timber that requires strict regulation.

Urbanization

The movement of people into forests for housing, facilitated by road construction.

Habitat Fragmentation

Breakup of forests into small areas, degrading environments and wildlife.

Climate Change

Deforestation reduces the capacity of tropical forests to absorb carbon dioxide.

Corporate Agriculture

A major driver of deforestation, focused on cash crops for export.

Biofuel

Liquid fuel made from living organisms, intended as a substitute for fossil fuels.

Biodiesel

A heavy fuel made from vegetable oil, originally intended for diesel engines.

Ethanol

A fuel produced by fermenting crops rich in sugar, used in gasoline.

Food vs. Fuel

The competition between agricultural production for food and for biofuel.

Genetic Modification of Corn

The alteration of corn to be bug resistant, without affecting nutritional content.

Methane

A potent greenhouse gas produced by cattle, especially during digestion.

Methane's Potency

Methane is estimated to be 80 times more powerful as a greenhouse gas than CO2.

Flex Fuel

Fuel containing up to 85% ethanol, designed for certain vehicles.

Environmental Impact of Ranching

Deforestation for cattle grazing leads to reduced CO2 absorption and increased emissions.

Resource Degradation

Deterioration of resources to a point where they can no longer replenish.

Enteric Fermentation

The digestive process in ruminants that produces methane, primarily via burping.

Emission Amounts

Comparison of methane emissions from livestock and gas operations.