The Carbon Cycle

Watch this simple video on YouTube which explains the carbon cycle. 

Credit: Doctor David Faulkes

Plants have a very important role to play in keeping the planet at a stable temperature. They moderate the levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, locking away carbon in their structure.  

As the video explained, when we burn something that contains carbon, we add oxygen to it to create carbon dioxide. Wood contains carbon because it was once a living tree. So, each time you burn a log, you are combining the carbon in that log with oxygen to produce…. Carbon Dioxide. 

In recent years the problem of global warming and the changes to the climate caused by this have been made worse by deforestation. Not only are we losing the lungs of the world through deliberate felling but forest fires release tonnes of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. 

An Area the Size of Wales

Journalists often use the phrase ‘An area the size of Wales’ to measure the rate of forest destruction. A charity called “The Size of Wales” has been established to turn this phrase on its head. The actual size of Wales measures about 2 million hectares.
Photo credit: Size of Wales, A tree nursey in Mbale, Uganda
The charity achieved the goal of planting forest across the world that added up to this size in 2013 and is now in the process of doubling it. Size of Wales encourages people to help tackle climate change by protecting and restoring forests. Other organisations such as The World Land Trust and Ecosia also do this.

Discover More

This article on the Live Science website explains the causes and effects of deforestation clearly.

Find out how the Size of Wales project is tackling Climate Change.