The problems faced by mankind today are going to destroy him

Essay by muz123 October 2002

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"THE DESTRUCTION OF MAN KIND"

"We know there will be problems in environmental terms, many

serious problems, but it is a matter of economics. There won't be any

complete disaster, and what we cannot solve, well, that's the price we have

to pay."

- Eduardo Albuquerque Barbosa

There is a constant war that is being fought in the rainforests of

South America. The death toll is one that far surpasses any other war in

history. Vietnam and World War II had minimal loss of life compared to this

never ending battle. It is predicted that by the year 2020, the casualties will

reach 150 per day. This total does not even include the loss of human life

due to the lack of oxygen and the unsuitable living conditions. This

horrible scenario would be the result of mankind's failure to cooperate and

live in harmony with the environment, especially the rainforest of South

America. In the end, the destruction of the rainforests will mean the

destruction of mankind.

The devastation of the rainforest may be compared to playing a

game of Russian Roulette. One-forth of existing medicines are derived

from tropical plants whose homes are in the rainforests of South America.

For every acre that is lost in the burning season, there is one acre less that

we have for possible life saving medicines. About 70 percent of plants

used in anti-cancer drugs come from the rain forest. We are slowly

destroying ourselves and the environment. Whether we realize it or not,

the world could quickly come to an ecological halt. Every day 144,000

acres of the rainforests are cut down, slashed and/or put up in flames.

In 1974, Brazil started a forest fire of 20.6 million square feet (3,900 square

miles). The fire ragged out of control and was later...