What You Do With Co2? Discuss Possibilities Of Co2 Disposal

The Carbon Cycle is a process necessary to all life forms as carbon is used for photosynthesis, cellular respiration, and is found in all living organisms. This process occurs naturally from cellular respiration, decomposition, and volcanic eruptions. However from burning fossil fuels and cutting down trees at a rapid pace carbon dioxide is being released into the atmosphere at an artificial rate. The overabundance of atmospheric carbon dioxide is causing for global warming. This global warming is causing extreme havoc to the Earth and all of its life forms. However this damage, although cannot be reversed, can be changed for the better.

Deforestation plays a big role in global warming. The “land use connection” referred to as “land use changes” is a huge contributor to global greenhouse gas emissions. Land use change involves all the destructions of land in order to produce and distribute food. Every year rainforests are demolished for agriculture intentions. “The biggest factors are the destruction of vital rainforests through burning and clearing and the elimination of wetlands” (Lappe 753). Deforestation of these habitats leads to the discharge carbon dioxide into the environment.

Forests play a critical role in mitigating climate change because they act as a carbon sink soaking up carbon dioxide that would otherwise be free in the atmosphere and contribute to ongoing changes in climate patterns. Deforestation undermines this important carbon sink function. It is estimated that 15% of all greenhouse gas emissions are the

Forests control the amounts of carbon dioxide in our atmosphere therefore contributing to global warming. However we as a planet have a problem… deforestation.

Three to six billion trees are cut down each and every year! Deforestation is a huge problem in the rainforests. Because these forests are home to much of the Earth’s species of life. Covering 30 percent of our land forests provide homes, protection, and oxygen for humans and other wildlife in the forests. There are 7.125 billion people that count on the benefits provided by the forest, which is: food, clothing, traditional medicine and shelter. If something isn 't done soon to reduce our carbon footprint, we will not have forests of any type to soak up the carbon dioxide(CO2) in the atmosphere.

Every time we burn fossil fuels such as gas, coal or oil, carbon dioxide is released into the atmosphere. Naturally, carbon dioxide (CO2) is absorbed by plants and trees and exceeded as oxygen. However, humans are burning fuels quicker than the plants and trees are able to soak them up.

Deforestation is another known contributor to global climate change. This is by contributing to global warming. According to Nanda (2011), trees are the main absorber of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Therefore, deforestation contributes global warming because less carbon dioxide was absorbed. Furthermore, decaying of these trees produces carbon dioxide. Therefore, governments should make legislation aimed at conserving and rehabilitating destroyed forests (Solomon et al., 2011).

Recently, Global Warming has been a huge topic of discussion for many people. Deforestation has specifically contributed to harmful gases, including CO2 (Carbon Dioxide), being emitted into the atmosphere. According to Cesareo and Walker, “deforestation is the largest source of carbon dioxide emissions after fossil fuel burning, causing 15% of global greenhouse gas emissions”. Trees naturally absorb Carbon Dioxide, and when trees are removed from the environment,

15 percent of the world’s global carbon emissions come from deforestation. When trees are cut down, they release carbon into the atmosphere causing global warming. When heat is trapped it sucks the moisture from the ground causing droughts. “Unless we change the present system that rewards forest destruction, forest clearing will put another 200 billion tons of carbon into the atmosphere in coming decades…,” says Environmental Defense Fund (EDF). Global warming is not the only issue. Animal extinction is also a major

Co2 also has many beneficial attributes to our environment. Carbon Dioxide is one of the most important gases for our plants “some scientists have argued that, until quite recently, many plants were starving for CO2” (Mathews Jr, NPA). And saving the plants is crucial. Not only to help regulate our environment but also because we live off these plants. They are our food; they clean our air. Bigger, healthier plants are grown with the help of Co2 “Increased atmospheric carbon dioxide doesn't just make a plant bigger. Carbon dioxide also makes plants more resistant to extreme weather conditions.”

Ninety percent of the earth’s trees between three and four hundred years old have been cut down. The remaining ten percent is all we will ever have (Gallant, 97). The definition of deforestation by the Random House Dictionary of the English Language is "to divest or clear of forests or trees.” Deforestation is one of the most significant issues of our time; considerable measures must be taken to prevent further pillaging of our unique forest resource.

In addition, human activities like deforestation may increase the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. This is because forests help in carbon sequestration, which reduces the amount of carbon dioxide in the air. It follows then that clearing such tress will increase the amount of carbon dioxide since carbon sequestration will not occur (3). The man-made theory of climate change also explains that when these harmful gasses reach the atmosphere, they form a blanket, which traps heat in the atmosphere. This trapping of in the atmosphere is the phenomenon that causes the planet to get warmer, hence the term global warming (Sharma, 4).

It is a technology which involves capturing carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from the burning fossil fuels in electricity generation and energy intensive industrial processes, transporting it and geologically storing it to prevent the carbon dioxide from spreading to the atmosphere.

The Wilderness Society’s Governing Council states that “No other ecosystem in the world can store as much carbon as do these forests, and it’s a capacity they have not yet begun to reach” (Bert5). Trees are very important to all of the living species. The cutting down of the trees is now nearly 4 billion trees or 35% of the total trees cut around the

Deforestation, the cutting and burning of a forest, also increases the amount of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. A NASA page says that “when a forest is cut and burned to establish cropland and pastures, the carbon that was stored in the tree trunks (wood is about 50% carbon) joins with oxygen and is released into the atmosphere as CO2. CO2, is, of