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The Dangers Of Deforestation

Forests have a huge impact on the environment. The trees help in balancing the oxygen-carbon

dioxide balance of the earth, by absorbing carbon dioxide from the environment and releasing

oxygen. Forests regulate temperature of the Earth and rainfall, and thus prevent droughts. Thetrees impede the velocity of runoff on the soil surface. This thwarts soil erosion and landslides,

thereby reducing possibilities of floods. The leaves that fall on the forest ground act as nutrient

sources that increase soil fertility. The forests also offer shelter against adverse environmentalconditions to diverse forms of wildlife. Moreover, forests are significant not just ecologically but

economically as well. Firewood, commercial timbre, gums, raisins, medicines, and other

products of industrial use are obtained from forests.

Over-exploitation of forests by humans has been continuing unabated through centuries.

Increased urbanization has resulted in mass deforestation. Indiscriminate felling of trees for

converting forest-lands into agricultural fields, for industrialization or mining, and overgrazing

by domestic animals are all contributing to the loss of this exhaustible natural resource. Diverseforest ecosystems are being converted into high yielding mono-cultural tree plantations.

The lush green rainforests used to cover 14% of the surface of the Earth. Now this value has

dwindled to only about 6%. It is anticipated that the remaining rainforests could disappear within

the next fifty years.

The consequence is loss of biodiversity. Many species of plants and animals are already extinct.

Others are also fading away, due to loss of habitat. Apart from the loss of genetic resources, thisalso entails loss of essential medicinal herbs and even several aboriginal tribes. Other major

impacts include soil erosion, flooding, and desertization.

Perhaps the most severe outcome is global warming due to the greenhouse effect. Increased

deforestation has led to the accumulation of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, like carbon

dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide and chlorofluorocarbon. This is heating up the atmosphere andthe temperature of the world is rising. The resultant climate change would affect crop, animal

and forest growth. Sea-levels will rise causing devastating floods, and at the same time severe

droughts would occur frequently. Agriculture and aquaculture both will suffer. If timely steps arenot taken to prevent this, the entire human race will be endangered.

To take a step towards checking this threat to the environment, please visit the following

website.

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Life in 21st century

It is all the transcendence of human race that people today reach the height of maximum luxury

upgrading from the days of their very ancient Stone and Cave age. What human being has

achieved today was once only a dream out of reach. But man's curiosityperhaps the mostwonderful gift given to man by God was behind his quest leading to wholehearted efforts to

convert all impossible dreams of yesteryears into reality.

Today in the 21st century, men have reasons enough to be proud for their unique achievements.

From stepping into the moon of cloning genes, there has been a long list of tremendous success

of science and technology. But restless people's mind has still enough desire for even greaterachievements. And there is every reason to believe that in the coming days many of such dreams

would be possible for us.

Today at the starting days of the 21st century, Technology is the most pronouncing name all over

the world. We are at the age of computer. Application of computer is becoming a common namein all aspects of life.

Computer now no longer remains only a laboratory kit. Its application ventures into industrial

setups, health care facilities, educational institutions, banking systems, ticket booking counters,carrying out business proceedings, governmental jobs in fact in all aspects. Greater accuracy,more memory capacity and time saving ability of computer make people more and more

interested towards its application.

CD-ROMS have already ventured into conventional paper printings with their greater storage

capacity and longer safety. Internet the name has already created history turning out the world

into a global village.

Electronic commerce (E-com) is all set to create big bonanza in the 21st century where a man inIndia sitting with his computer could order his required assets at a market complex in America

and within hours, he could get delivered his required assets at his doorstep. Software experts are

continuing their efforts to create even new miracles.

Home works have already been carried out to regulate computer applications. Pirated software

packages, leaving computer viruses in the net are creating havoc all over the world. The recent

"love bug" menace stalled net application throughout the world for several hours leading billionsof dollar loss incurred in the worldwide business proceedings. Need therefore now arises to have

strict international cyber laws to prevent such crimes.

Medical science is yet another area where man has already gained big success. Bypass surgery

organ transplantation, CAT scan, ultrasound, Keyhole surgery are the names that have given

maximum safety to human life. Using modern equipment in human body, diagnosis and surgeryhas already created history. Computer application has given greater accuracy and sophisticated

modes to medical facilities.

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My role in Protecting Environment

The biggest challenge in environmental education is changing peoples attitude and perception.

When we talk about environmental education, the ultimate aim is a change of attitude as well as

producing positive actions for the environment, said Sabah Minister of Tourism, Culture andEnvironment Datuk Masidi Manjun when he launched the second Malaysian Environmental

Education Conference (MEEC) at the Rainforest Discovery Centre in Sepilok.

Masidi said everyone in the society including those attending the conference played an important

role to protect the environment and indeed should closely participate in environmentallyactivities and impart their knowledge and experience to others especially within their family

members.

Young nature lovers: Bolkiah (standing centre) with officials and Sepilok Junior Rangers afterthe launching ceremony in Sandakan recently.

Perhaps you will agree with me that the biggest challenge in environmental education ischanging peoples attitude and perception.

For example, littering is still one of the biggest environmental problems in Sabah and Malaysia

in general, he added.

Masidi said many people still think that it is the role of the authority to collect rubbish thrown

indiscriminately, adding that it is very sad that there are still people who are indifferent aboutcleanliness and are not willing to change their negative habits.

The Government through its respective agencies and department has put up various efforts toincrease awareness to ensure that cleanliness are maintained, he continued.

The Minister said that environmental education is a continuous process and that change does not

occur within a short period of time.

Everyone must persevere in upholding this great task for a better environment and at the same

time recognise the need to improve knowledge, value, skills and tools to meet environmentalchallenges.

We in Malaysia are very fortunate because we are blessed with beautiful environment and

bestowed with abundant natural resources.

Because of our rich biological wealth, the countrys economic growth and socio economicdevelopment have continued to depend largely on the utilisation of its vast natural resources, he

said.

Masidi added that the deterioration of environmental quality in Sabah is mainly associated with

poor soil conservation practices causing soil erosion and sedimentation of rivers, excessive use