Humans : Friend or Foe?

DEFORESTATION IN SOUTH AMERICA

Human Environment Interaction. This term means how humans adapt, modify and depend on the environment. In todays editorial I will discuss Human Environment Interaction also know as HEI and the best example is Deforestation in South America, mainly the Amazon Rainforest. Deforestation is the process of cutting and clearing away trees from a forest by humans. In South America, the Amazon rainforest is the worlds most biggest rainforest. It covers more than half of Brazil. Today more than 20% of the Amazon rainforest has been destroyed. It is being cleared for cattle ranches, mining operations, logging and agriculture. Now let us discuss the reason why this deforestation is taking place. Was this a result of the influences of economic or political factors? It is mentioned in http://rainforests.mongabay.com/amazon/amazon_destruction.html,
Brazilian deforestation is strongly correlated to the economic health of the country: the decline

in deforestation from 1988-1991 nicely matched the economic slowdown during the same period, while the rocketing rate of deforestation from 1993-1998 paralleled Brazil's period of rapid economic growth. Deforestation in South America is taking place due to the expansion of agriculture for economic development.Deforestation is the result of many activities, but mostly: clearing the land for cattle pasture, infrastructure improvements, commercial agriculture, and logging.

How do geographic factors and interaction between people and the physical environment influence economic and political developments?
To answer the above question we need to understand the economical ,political and geographical effect deforestation in South America has locally and globally. Affects of Deforestation in South America on the local and global economyAccording to ( http://www.gapyear.com/articles/121053/deforestation-in-south-america) The causes of deforestation are mainly related to a competitive global economy, which forces poorer countries to use their only resources for money. This happens both locally and nationally. Locally, people use land for farming to make money, due to poverty and increasing populations. In Bolivia the average annual income is $800 as oppose to $26,980 in the U.S. Nationally, governments sell logging concessions to cover debts and develop industries. For example, in 1995, Brazil owed $159 Billion internationally. By selling their precious woods such as

Mahogany, they can attempt to pay back their debts and develop their own industries to generate wealth for the country. As mentioned earlier in this article if deforestation increases, the economy will improve as for if deforestation decreases , the economy will drop. Affects of Deforestation in South America on local and global geographyAn environmentalist is a person that helps to protect the environment from destruction or pollution. They place high values on the environment. According to http://articles.cnn.com/keyword/deforestation By Environmental News Network staff- Transformations in the earths landscape may affect climate change, according to a climatologist from the University of Wisconsin Madison. From the deforestation of the Amazon to the transformation of millions of acres of North American prairies to farmland, humans have remolded the surface of the earth. Those changes, scientists now suspect, may have a significant influence on climate, changing regional weather patterns at least, and possibly contributing to global shifts in climate. In South America people have suffered because of deforestation. Because of fewer trees, the environment is dangerous for people to live in. This destroys South America and its places and people. Deforestation has caused many environmental problems such as erosion of soil, change in water cycle, loss of biodiversity, flooding and drought and climate change.

Affects of Deforestation in South America on local and global politics-