Problem
Deforestation is the act of chopping down trees and it is very harmful to our environment. About 300 million people live in forests today and 60 million of those people are indigenous and rely on forests for their resources. Also, by deforesting, we are putting many animals on the critically endangered list and at some point this will also negatively affect the balance of the food chain. More negative affects that will occur are flooding and erosion because wide, flat landed areas are prone to that. Eventually, this will lead to contaminating our water supply. Deforestation has many catastrophic consequences.

Solution
"You could go paperless. Ask to have your receipt emailed to you rather than printed, or pay your bills electronically, or opt in for paperless bank statements. Recycle! “Recycling reduces the need for raw materials,” which helps preserve our trees
What is the opposite of deforestation? Forestation! This means to create a forest! Plant trees! Fight the deforestation!
I know this one can be a little difficult for some of you but eat less meat. I participate in meatless Mondays. If you eat less meat there will be a smaller demand for meat, which means the supply will be smaller and farmers will not need as much land and need to chop down trees to make room for their animals.
Do not buy products that contain palm oil. Palm oil is the leading cause of deforestation. It is in a lot of food products, personal care items, and miscellaneous items as well. You could look for a sustainable alternative.
Look for the Forest Stewardship Certification label on products. This shows that the item is certified for sustainability, which means it will last longer then a regular product.
And finally, raise awareness! The more people that know about deforestation and how to act against it, the better! Spread the word!" (Chitwood, pg. 2).


Personal story
My name is Hannah Chitwood and I am a college student at State College of Florida. Recently, I have been tasked with writing a persuasive speech and I chose the topic of deforestation. As I have researched this topic it made me realize how bad deforestation really is and all of the terrible consequences it creates. I believe that just one person can make an impact and it can really make a change. I want to help start that change.

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