•     Forests are also important for people because forests absorb carbon dioxide and turn it into oxygen.  This gives us air to breathe and also reduces the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.  Scientists think that carbon dioxide is one of the main causes of global warming, and every second around the world we release 32 gymnasiums' worth of it into the atmosphere.  With fewer forests to absorb this carbon dioxide, we can expect less oxygen and faster global warming.