JENN
YOUNG ARTS
A hectare is a square unit of measurement equal to 100 acres.
Between 1990 and 2015, we lost 129 million hectares of forest--an area about the size of South Africa.
Deforestation is the term given to the human action of intentionally removing forest ecosystems from a land and turning the land into less diverse ecosystems for human use.
What are the main causes of deforestation?
1. Farming
Farming is the single greatest cause of deforestation, accounting for 80% between 2000 and 2010.
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2. Grazing and Feeding Livestock
An estimated 60% of the deforestation involved with farming is caused by the need to grow soy to feed livestock (especially poultry and pigs).
3. Mining and Drilling
Mining and drilling account for around 7% of all deforestation as resources continue to be extracted from the earth.
4. Paper Production
Every 15 seconds, 199 tons of paper is produced. Paper also accounts for 26% of total waste in landfills.
Continue to the next section for ways to reduce deforestation based on your personal consumption habits.