Read the passage and complete the following sentences with ONE or TWO words.

Sadly, at a time when we need more forests, trees are being uprooted at an alarming rate. Deforestation is a rapidly growing problem in areas like Africa, Central and South America. Not only does this mean fewer trees, less cleansing oxygen, and the displacement of the wildlife, deforestation means a dangerous decrease in a natural fighter of global warming - the number one threat to our Earth right now. Removing trees also leads to much drier climates, as trees extract groundwater to release into the air.

Our tropical rainforests, which are crucial to stabilizing the climate and to human survival, are being chopped down at a breakneck pace - one and a half acres of rainforest are lost every second. Humans have already chopped down about 50% of the rainforests that once existed on the planet and at the current rate of destruction, we will completely destroy the rainforests in the next 40 years. If rainforests are so important, why are they being destroyed so carelessly? Short-sighted governments and multi-national logging companies only see the forests as a way to make money by selling timber - they don’t consider the long-term effects.

Luckily, deforestation is an issue that we as individuals can combat. By using recycled paper, we can decrease the need to cut down as many trees and by buying goods made with FSC-certified wood, we can show retailers that we don’t want them to support brands that obtain lumber irresponsibly.

1. Trees are being destroyed at an_________, and problem in areas like Africa, Central and South America is deforestation.