The end result of deforestation is of course, the desert.

At one point, a few thousands of years ago, what is now deforested land was once covered in trees, a healthy forest teeming with all kinds of insects, birds and four-legged creatures that made the trees their home.

Humans came though and started chopping down the trees to build houses, or huts as we refer to them now. There went part of the forest and all its inhabitants. Trees were also cut down for firewood - so more animals and insects lose their habitats.

Years go by and this practice continues until there are no trees left. And guess what, while humans were busy destroying the environment, they were not planting new trees. Then they had livestock, cattle - all grazing on the plants and grass. When the plants and grass go, there is nothing left to keep the few remaining trees or shrubs rooted to the soil. Heavy rain comes, washing away the top soil. Say goodbye to the only remaining part of a healthy eco-system - a nutrient-rich ground-cover trying to maintain an existence with little or no shade. But now that's gone.

What is there left? Rock. The rock under the soil. This Mars-like scenario is what could possibly happen if we humans, continue to use up our resources at a faster rate than those resources are able to renew themselves and thus replenish the environment, maintaining or restoring a healthy eco-system. Such is the premise so deftly articulated by UCLA professor Jared Diamond in his great book, COLLAPSE, which came out last year. In it, he describes how numerous civilizations throughout time around the world, went from being powerful empires to nothing more just sand or, at best, tourist attractions. These collapses of powerful societies is attributed Jared says - to man's irresponsible and unwise use of environmental resources, which by the way, still continues today.

There is no doubt that deforestation heats up our planet to a considerable degree: There is little shade left (if any at all) and a huge loss of oxygen resulting from deforestation or clear-cutting. Vital processes of trees and other plants are now snuffed out, reducing the health planet Earth. And while "global warming" is also in part cyclical (ie studies indicate that before man came on the scene, the planet heated up more than previously) still, there is no doubt the deforestation is just another huge whammee to the planet that is not natural, is not cyclical and is, made by humans.

The heating up

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