"In the time you can read this sentence, eight acres of tropical rain forest will have been bulldozed and burned out of existence".However, this destruction has been neglected and overlooked for years. Many people do not understand the long-term consequences of losing the earth's rain forests. The rain forests have provided people with many natural resources and medicines. The benefits that rain forests provide to people will be destroyed if the depletion continues to be disregarded. No matter where a person lives, even if it is not near a rain forest, the complete destruction of rain forests will affect living conditions. For years rain forests have provided countries around the word with valuable resources, minerals, lumber, and energy. In Brazil alone the rain forests contains 45% of Brazil's hydroelectric power. The minerals found in the rain forests of Brazil are estimated to value 1.6 trillion dollars, while the lumber that the rain forests can provide total 1.7 trillion dollars.Nutrients from decomposing organisms can be found throughout rain forests, including in soil and in the trees. To continue destroying forests also destroys the important materials that they are providing to humans.
             Long ago, the Earth had a green belt of rain forests around its middle that covered almost twelve percent of the earth's land surface. Today, the rain forest covers two percent of the earth's land surface and it is declining rapidly. Today, as we enter the last decade of the twentieth century, we have reached a turning point; we can no longer use the excuse of ignorance. People need to try harder to stop rain forest depletion. There are two major areas on earth where rain forests are located. One of these areas is called "The Old World Tropics," which includes Africa and Asia. In Africa, the rain forests are primarily located around the Zaire river. The other area in which rain forests are located is called "The New Wor
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