Natural Environment Blog

Online colleges are gaining in popularity by the day, not just because they’re more convenient for people who want to work and study, but because they’re offering more comprehensive and accepted degrees as well.

Most of us are aware of the various advantages to studying online as opposed to going to a regular college – we save on commuting costs, we’re able to earn as we learn, and we’re allowed flexible learning schedules.

But how many of us know that an online degree helps in the fight against global warming too? If you’re asking how, read on to find out:

• By minimizing our carbon footprint: When we cut down on commuting costs, we’re also cutting down on the usage of gasoline. And the less gas we use, the lower the impact of fossil fuel on the environment. Even if you were to stay in a hostel or dormitory on campus, it’s a cheaper option to study online because you’re minimizing the use of electricity. Online colleges do not have to use electricity to power classrooms and dormitories because there are no buildings.
• By reducing the effect of construction on the environment: Since there is no need for classrooms, you’re reducing the use of materials, especially the natural ones like wood.You’re also saving the use of fossil fuels in their transportation and in the energy that would be expended to construct the buildings. When there’s no construction, you also minimize the amount of water that’s used.
• By reducing the use of paper: When you study online, your word processor replaces all your notebooks. All your essays and lessons are submitted online in the electronic form, so you don’t have to use paper. When you minimize the use of paper, you’re saving trees in the rainforest from being cut down and are thus contributing to increasing rainfall around the world.Trees play an important role in bringing us rain, holding on to the soil so that the loose earth does not cause landslides, and in providing natural canopies that shade us from the harsh heat of the summer sun. In this way, they reduce the need for air conditioners and provide natural cooling effects.

This post was contributed by Claire Webber, who writes about the best schools online.  She welcomes your feedback at Claire.Webber1223 [at] gmail.com

Here are some facts regarding the earth’s forests:

• One and a half acres of rainforest is lost every second.
• To date, earth has lost 50% of its tropical forests worldwide.
• Many countries have lost between 70% and 95% of their forests in a very short timespan. In a 15 year timespan, Nigeria lost 79% of its old growth forests!
• Earth’s forests are being cut down at the same rate in which the human population is increasing. The alarming thing is that this rate is actually accelerating.
• At the current rate of deforestation, we will only have 20% of the world’s forests left by 2030. 10% will be in a degraded condition.
• Experts have estimated that all of earth’s rainforests will be gone within 40 years.

Given the alarming rate of deforestation, something big needs to be done. Our increasing demand for paper doesn’t help either. In 2003, the Certified Forest Products Council said:

Worldwide demand for paper – the single largest use of wood fiber – is five times what it was in the 1950s. This number is expected to double again over the next 50 years.

What can be done about this? I’m sure plenty could be done.

To start with, paper doesn’t need to be made from wood. For example, perfectly good paper can be made out of Jute or Hemp. These plants grow much faster than trees, and use up much less land. Trees take many years to grow. Jute and Hemp are fully grown within months. They also have a higher biological efficiency than trees planted for the same purpose.

We need to start thinking about ways to reduce deforestation - then act on it. Otherwise, some of us may actually see a day where there are no rainforests left.