Think Green Live Clean

Photo Credit: Rhett A. Butler

For many years, deforestation has been a major component of climate change and the overall health of the earth.  Rainforests provide habitats, sequester carbon dioxide, and produce oxygen.  There are many problems associated with the clearing of forests for agriculture and development, but for the first time a new study directly links deforestation with a decrease in human health.  From 1997 to 2001, a group of researchers found that a 4.2% decrease in forest area contributed to a 48% increase in diagnosed malaria cases.

This increase is due to a number of factors.  Since malaria is carried by mosquitoes, the ditches, ponds, vehicle ruts, and dams associated with human-altered land provide a perfect breeding ground for the larvae.  In addition, many of the farmers have started raising fish in the area, which contributes to the availability of breeding grounds for the mosquitoes.

Researchers estimate that 7,300 sq. miles of rainforest are lost each year, which contribute to the 860,000 deaths from malaria each year.  Big fires set to clear forest for agriculture are already a main driving force behind climate change, and now there is a direct link to the number of mosquitoes and human deaths.  Add it to the list of reasons why we need to conserve our tropical rainforests. . .

To read the whole article, click here.