ns for them to decompose.Today, there are laws that penalize manufacturing plants that dispose hazardous wastes. These plants dump these hazardous materials in nearby woods or dump them into streams (this practice was common fifty years ago). We need rain forests for survival. Rain forests pump fresh oxygen into the atmosphere, protect soil from erosion and absorb carbon dioxide. Rain forests cover 4.5 billion acres and accounts for 7 percent of the earth’s land. The Amazon in Brazil is the largest rain forest (2 million acres). The fate of today’s rain forest is in trouble. A process called deforestation is the leading problem. Deforestation is the process of cutting down forests to use the land for farming and grazing cattle. Farmers “slash and burn” forest turning them into desert land.Brazil promised to implement laws that were tougher to protect the Amazon. These laws cut deforestation in half. By 1994, the burning started again and in 1996 the burning was at it’s worst.The ozone layer blocks harmful ultraviolet rays, that comes from the sun. Chemicals released from the earth are depleting the ozone layer. Skin cancer is on the rise as a result of the depletion of the ozone layer. Scientist states that every 1 percent of depletion of the ozone layer, the rate of skin cancer will rise 5 percent in the United States. Nations have come together and promised to ban the manufacturing of chlorofluoro-carbons (CFCs). These CFCs are the leading cause of the depletion of the ozone layer. Aerosol spray cans and coolants for refrigerators and air conditioners are some products, which produce CFCs.Over population affects the natural environment. In 1996, the population was at 5.75 billion people, with a rate of 250,000-increase everyday. As the population increase, the earth’s natural resources decrease. In order to decrease population, some countries are educating people on different wa...
