Rain forests are so important to the earth, but we are cutting them down and burning them very quickly. Why? Some companies want to use the trees to make wood and paper. Others want to use the land to raise animals or grow crops (plants that farmers grow to use as food). This is dangerous for the climate in two ways. First, we are destroying something that helps cool down the earth's atmosphere. And second, by burning rain forests, we add a lot of carbon dioxide to the air. In fact, the burning of rain forests is responsible for about 30 percent of the carbon dioxide in our atmosphere. Some people believe that in 40 years, all the rain forests will be destroyed. What will happen to the earth's climate when all the rain forests are gone?