Deforestation in Africa

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Recommended: Fossil fuels and alternate sources of energy

Deforestation is a growing problem in Africa due to the household communities’ dependency to use wood for fuel to prepare their daily meals, or to sell in charcoal made from wood in order to buy food for their families and survive. For most households in Africa, the use of wood to make charcoal is their way of life. Without this resource, it would make it difficult for them to survive. Their dependency for wood increases during drought season and flooding and leaves them dependent for wood to use as fuel. Their dependency on wood for fuel is not only destroying the forest, but also the natural resources. Helping the people of Africa implement the use of biomass as an alternative form of energy help reduce deforestation and protect Africa’s natural environment and resources. The use of biomass as an alternative source of energy will provide relief to deforestation because it is environmentally friendly. Biomass is a renewable type of energy; manufactured through recycled waste products to create fuel, thus helping the environment clean by reusing waste. A known type of alternative energy, GELfuel, “... is a green, gel-like substance composed of ethanol and other renewable sources” (Gama 61). Gelfuel has low emission rate of “50 percent lower carbon dioxide emission” (Gama 61), making this type of alternative energy environmentally friendly, nor does it produce harmful pollutants or dangerous gasses that can be dangerous to a person’s health. The use of Gelfuel will be quite effective in reducing deforestation in Africa because it will reduce the African household communities’ dependency to use wood for fuel. Furthermore, it helps keep the environment clean, as well as protecting the forests from deforestation and preser... ... middle of paper ... ...untry, but as a whole, this is our planet. It is our responsibility to protect the earth’s natural resources, not only for our future, but also for our future generations. If we do not protect and preserve our natural resources now, our future generations will have to resolve the problems we leave behind. What will they have to look forward to if do our natural environments and valuable natural resources are destroyed? Works Cited Hobbs Gama. "An alternative fuel for Malawi. " Appropriate Technology 30.4 (2003): 61-62. Platinum Periodicals, ProQuest. Web. 5 Mar. 2011. Masina, L.. "The charcoal conundrum. " African Business 1 Feb. 2009: Research Library, ProQuest. Web. 5 Mar. 2011. Collins Mtika. "AFRICA: MALAWI HERBALIST JOINS FIGHT AGAINST DEFORESTATION. " Global Information Network 21 October 2010 Research Library, ProQuest. Web. 5 Mar. 2011.

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